Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,450 per month in Budapest vs $826 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Budapest vs $1,300 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

A family of three spends $2,991 per month in Budapest vs $1,773 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

Budapest costs about 75% more than Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,504

$2.03 ₫53.2K

466.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 Ft 17.3K

$22.91 ₫601.9K

148.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 Ft 2,641

$4.69 ₫123.3K

84.65%

Cappuccino

$2.77 Ft 844

$1.69 ₫44.5K

63.91%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 Ft 548

$0.50 ₫13.2K

260.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 407

$0.28 ₫7,263

375.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 Ft 858

$0.99 ₫26.0K

183.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 Ft 852

$1.50 ₫39.3K

86.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 368

$1.48 ₫38.9K

-18.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 Ft 529

$1.03 ₫26.9K

68.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 636

$0.98 ₫25.9K

112.24%

Eggs

$3.10 Ft 947

$1.41 ₫36.9K

119.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 Ft 3,034

$11.88 ₫312.1K

-16.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 Ft 1,930

$3.60 ₫94.6K

75.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 Ft 4,066

$10.55 ₫277.3K

26.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 565

$2.76 ₫72.5K

-32.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 582

$1.10 ₫28.9K

73.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 662

$1.30 ₫34.1K

66.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 Ft 1,119

$1.16 ₫30.6K

216.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 344

$1.17 ₫30.7K

-3.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 371

$1.17 ₫30.9K

4.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 Ft 472

$0.70 ₫18.4K

121.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 163

$0.51 ₫13.4K

3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,072

$1.27 ₫33.2K

434.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 Ft 1,790

$12.32 ₫323.6K

-52.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Ft 371

$0.85 ₫22.3K

43.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 Ft 527

$1.49 ₫39.1K

16.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 Ft 391

$0.28 ₫7,433

357.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.14 Ft 7,972

$10.75 ₫282.5K

143.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 994

$0.67 ₫17.7K

386.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 344

$0.69 ₫18.2K

63.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.23 Ft 5,865

$2.99 ₫78.7K

543.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 533

$0.82 ₫21.7K

113.41%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

$37.5K ₫985.9M

-31.02%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

$33.6K ₫881.9M

-8.37%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$145 Ft 44.3K

$84.8 ₫2.2M

71.17%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$26.21 Ft 7,995

$6.06 ₫159.3K

332.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.23 Ft 6,170

$9.14 ₫240.2K

121.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.1 Ft 18.9K

$20.73 ₫544.6K

199.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.11 Ft 6,744

$9.37 ₫246.3K

135.97%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 Ft 2,791

$4.26 ₫111.8K

114.79%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$454 Ft 138.4K

$273 ₫7.2M

66.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

$13.8K ₫362.2M

-12.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 25.8K

$42.85 ₫1.1M

97.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.84 Ft 12.8K

$27.36 ₫718.8K

52.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 Ft 29.2K

$97.6 ₫2.6M

-1.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 Ft 32.5K

$87.1 ₫2.3M

22.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 Ft 219.2K

$526 ₫13.8M

36.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 Ft 168.6K

$307 ₫8.1M

79.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 Ft 413.4K

$1,090 ₫28.6M

24.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$984 Ft 300.0K

$668 ₫17.6M

47.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,041 Ft 1.8M

$4,497 ₫118.2M

34.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

$1,791 ₫47.1M

149.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,834 Ft 559.4K

$509 ₫13.4M

260.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

9.14

-23.09%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Budapest versus $526 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 260% higher in Budapest, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Budapest versus $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $198 – making Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Budapest vs Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 75%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,175 per month in Budapest and $1,240 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 143% less in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $454 per month in Budapest and $273 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), where all-in costs run around $826, than in Budapest at $1,450. In Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.