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 $1,721 per month in Budapest vs $850 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

A couple spends around $2,708 per month in Budapest vs $1,385 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

A family of three spends $3,695 per month in Budapest vs $1,920 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

Budapest costs about 102% more than Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 25% 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

$14.35 Ft 4,558

$2.14 ₫55.8K

570.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 Ft 20.1K

$22.91 ₫597.3K

176.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 Ft 3,566

$4.67 ₫121.9K

140.47%

Cappuccino

$3.40 Ft 1,080

$1.78 ₫46.3K

91.01%

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

$2.14 Ft 681

$0.53 ₫13.8K

303.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 645

$0.35 ₫9,013

480.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.74 Ft 1,187

$1.17 ₫30.6K

219.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Ft 1,204

$1.66 ₫43.3K

128.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Ft 389

$1.57 ₫41.0K

-21.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 Ft 606

$1.04 ₫27.1K

83.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 Ft 820

$1.00 ₫26.1K

158.00%

Eggs

$4.14 Ft 1,314

$1.61 ₫42.0K

157.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.43 Ft 3,949

$12.27 ₫319.8K

1.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 Ft 2,191

$3.54 ₫92.2K

94.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.36 Ft 4,877

$10.43 ₫271.8K

47.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 Ft 658

$3.12 ₫81.3K

-33.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 690

$1.28 ₫33.2K

69.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 792

$1.62 ₫42.1K

53.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 Ft 1,304

$1.21 ₫31.5K

239.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 329

$1.22 ₫31.9K

-15.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 317

$1.19 ₫31.1K

-15.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 Ft 505

$0.72 ₫18.7K

120.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 Ft 216

$0.51 ₫13.2K

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.39 Ft 2,663

$1.25 ₫32.5K

571.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.38 Ft 2,025

$12.47 ₫325.0K

-48.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 423

$0.93 ₫24.4K

43.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 Ft 715

$1.48 ₫38.5K

52.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 Ft 501

$0.28 ₫7,359

464.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.78 Ft 9,141

$11.33 ₫295.4K

154.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 Ft 1,133

$0.69 ₫18.0K

417.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 Ft 454

$0.60 ₫15.7K

138.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.58 Ft 6,538

$3.09 ₫80.5K

566.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 Ft 594

$0.94 ₫24.5K

98.94%

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

$31.8K Ft 10.1M

$30.8K ₫802.5M

3.28%

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

$35.9K Ft 11.4M

$30.6K ₫797.2M

17.54%

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

$173 Ft 55.1K

$101 ₫2.6M

71.39%

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

$25.97 Ft 8,248

$5.95 ₫155.0K

336.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.25 Ft 8,019

$10.16 ₫264.9K

148.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.7 Ft 22.8K

$24.64 ₫642.4K

191.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.20 Ft 6,099

$11.67 ₫304.3K

64.52%

Cinema Ticket

$9.76 Ft 3,101

$3.54 ₫92.4K

175.71%

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

$577 Ft 183.2K

$464 ₫12.1M

24.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K Ft 5.6M

$22.7K ₫592.2M

-22.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 Ft 33.9K

$51.7 ₫1.3M

106.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.23 Ft 14.0K

$34.93 ₫910.5K

26.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 Ft 36.9K

$90.7 ₫2.4M

28.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 Ft 38.3K

$92.7 ₫2.4M

30.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$858 Ft 272.6K

$582 ₫15.2M

47.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 Ft 213.2K

$283 ₫7.4M

137.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,672 Ft 531.0K

$1,271 ₫33.1M

31.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 Ft 411.5K

$674 ₫17.6M

92.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,081 Ft 1.9M

$4,704 ₫122.6M

29.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,164 Ft 1.3M

$1,909 ₫49.8M

118.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,709 Ft 542.7K

$488 ₫12.7M

249.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

8.64

-22.69%

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

Last update for Budapest: August 29, 2026

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $858 in Budapest versus $582 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 250% 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 $63.0 in Budapest versus $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $206 – 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 102%, 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 $2,581 per month in Budapest and $1,275 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 154% less in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $577 per month in Budapest and $464 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 $850, than in Budapest at $1,721. 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.