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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $729 per month in Ca Mau vs $825 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

A couple spends around $1,118 per month in Ca Mau vs $1,301 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

A family of three spends $1,506 per month in Ca Mau vs $1,778 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

Ca Mau is about 12% cheaper than Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ca Mau and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) are more affordable than the global median – Ca Mau 46% lower, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.97 ₫51.8K

$1.97 ₫51.7K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.96 ₫550.1K

$23.39 ₫614.1K

-10.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.50 ₫118.0K

$4.69 ₫123.1K

-4.05%

Cappuccino

$1.64 ₫43.0K

$1.77 ₫46.4K

-7.34%

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

$0.51 ₫13.3K

$0.48 ₫12.5K

6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,266

$0.28 ₫7,237

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ₫24.7K

$0.99 ₫26.1K

-5.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₫40.6K

$1.56 ₫40.9K

-0.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 ₫36.0K

$1.51 ₫39.5K

-9.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 ₫23.7K

$0.98 ₫25.7K

-8.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₫25.7K

$0.96 ₫25.2K

2.08%

Eggs

$1.40 ₫36.8K

$1.47 ₫38.6K

-4.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.64 ₫305.5K

$11.89 ₫312.1K

-2.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 ₫94.4K

$3.56 ₫93.6K

1.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₫254.5K

$10.61 ₫278.6K

-8.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 ₫70.1K

$2.67 ₫70.2K

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ₫26.5K

$1.15 ₫30.2K

-12.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 ₫34.9K

$1.36 ₫35.6K

-2.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ₫29.4K

$1.18 ₫31.0K

-5.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 ₫26.8K

$1.15 ₫30.2K

-11.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ₫26.2K

$1.23 ₫32.4K

-18.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ₫15.7K

$0.74 ₫19.5K

-18.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₫13.6K

$0.47 ₫12.4K

10.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.37 ₫35.9K

$1.28 ₫33.6K

7.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.38 ₫246.2K

$12.69 ₫333.2K

-26.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₫19.8K

$0.85 ₫22.4K

-10.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₫43.7K

$1.47 ₫38.6K

13.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₫8,929

$0.26 ₫6,796

30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.34 ₫166.5K

$10.74 ₫281.9K

-40.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₫19.8K

$0.67 ₫17.7K

13.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₫16.4K

$0.63 ₫16.6K

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 ₫74.6K

$3.13 ₫82.0K

-9.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 ₫22.5K

$0.82 ₫21.5K

4.88%

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

$34.6K ₫907.5M

$38.2K ₫1.0B

-9.46%

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

$32.2K ₫844.6M

$34.0K ₫893.7M

-5.50%

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

$73.9 ₫1.9M

$85.0 ₫2.2M

-13.05%

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

$5.74 ₫150.6K

$5.85 ₫153.6K

-1.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.90 ₫233.6K

$9.10 ₫238.9K

-2.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.35 ₫560.3K

$20.54 ₫539.1K

3.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.73 ₫203.0K

$9.70 ₫254.5K

-20.31%

Cinema Ticket

$3.11 ₫81.5K

$4.31 ₫113.1K

-27.84%

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

$264 ₫6.9M

$274 ₫7.2M

-3.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ₫301.4M

$14.1K ₫371.0M

-18.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.20 ₫1.1M

$42.11 ₫1.1M

-2.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.02 ₫604.3K

$27.32 ₫717.0K

-15.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 ₫2.2M

$96.4 ₫2.5M

-11.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.4 ₫2.0M

$86.6 ₫2.3M

-14.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 ₫9.5M

$535 ₫14.0M

-32.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 ₫6.6M

$310 ₫8.1M

-18.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₫17.9M

$1,093 ₫28.7M

-37.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₫12.3M

$650 ₫17.1M

-27.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 ₫107.8M

$4,532 ₫119.0M

-9.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,529 ₫40.1M

$1,820 ₫47.8M

-16.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ₫13.3M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

9.14

-0.44%

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

Last update for Ca Mau: June 9, 2026

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $364 in Ca Mau versus $535 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Ca Mau versus $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $199 – making Ca Mau 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

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

Yes – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,094 per month in Ca Mau and $1,237 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 Ca Mau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 69% less in Ca Mau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $264 per month in Ca Mau and $274 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ca Mau, where all-in costs run around $729, than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) at $825. In Ca Mau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ca Mau – 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 Ca Mau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.