Cost of Living Comparison Between Cary, NC and Da Nang Cost of Living Comparison Between Cary, NC and Da Nang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,940 in Cary, NC versus $720 in Da Nang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,386 in Cary, NC versus $1,104 in Da Nang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,833 in Cary, NC versus $1,488 in Da Nang.

Living in Cary, NC is roughly 308% more expensive than Da Nang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cary, NC is 119% above, Da Nang is 46% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.88 $17.88

$1.97 ₫51.8K

807.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.0 $97.0

$18.92 ₫497.2K

412.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.43 $10.43

$4.60 ₫120.8K

126.74%

Cappuccino

$4.96 $4.96

$1.63 ₫42.9K

204.29%

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

$2.00 $2.00

$0.50 ₫13.1K

300.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$0.29 ₫7,495

544.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.09 $5.09

$1.02 ₫26.9K

399.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 $6.69

$1.60 ₫42.0K

318.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.43 ₫37.5K

-22.38%

White Bread (500g)

$5.47 $5.47

$1.02 ₫26.9K

436.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.28 $6.28

$1.15 ₫30.3K

446.09%

Eggs

$4.75 $4.75

$1.42 ₫37.4K

234.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.23 $20.23

$12.25 ₫321.8K

65.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.51 $12.51

$3.63 ₫95.5K

244.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.92 $17.92

$10.13 ₫266.3K

76.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$2.75 ₫72.2K

100.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.00 ₫26.2K

77.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$1.09 ₫28.6K

281.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 $6.67

$1.07 ₫28.1K

523.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.13 ₫29.8K

121.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.15 ₫30.2K

200.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.04 ₫27.4K

183.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.48 ₫12.6K

312.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.36 $9.36

$1.36 ₫35.7K

588.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.83 $9.83

$7.71 ₫202.5K

27.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$0.86 ₫22.7K

180.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 $4.86

$1.66 ₫43.7K

192.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 $1.81

$0.32 ₫8,325

465.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.5 $59.5

$3.92 ₫103.0K

1417.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$0.90 ₫23.6K

293.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$0.69 ₫18.0K

130.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.81 $28.81

$11.67 ₫306.7K

146.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$0.89 ₫23.4K

-10.11%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$26.8K ₫705.1M

9.15%

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

$29.2K $29.2K

$28.1K ₫738.4M

3.76%

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

$169 $169

$74.3 ₫2.0M

127.48%

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

$50.3 $50.3

$5.71 ₫150.1K

780.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.5 $62.5

$8.07 ₫212.1K

674.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.3 $75.3

$20.37 ₫535.3K

269.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.65 ₫201.0K

Cinema Ticket

$13.58 $13.58

$3.11 ₫81.6K

336.66%

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

$1,491 $1,491

$156 ₫4.1M

858.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$12.7K ₫333.9M

84.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.21 $48.21

$38.62 ₫1.0M

24.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.94 $31.94

$26.00 ₫683.1K

22.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$52.7 ₫1.4M

143.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 $136

$75.8 ₫2.0M

79.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$360 ₫9.5M

390.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 $1,581

$249 ₫6.5M

535.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,668 $2,668

$727 ₫19.1M

267.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,748 $2,748

$459 ₫12.0M

499.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,862 $2,862

$3,870 ₫101.7M

-26.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,652 $2,652

$1,283 ₫33.7M

106.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,996 $5,996

$353 ₫9.3M

1597.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

10.67

-40.86%

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

Last update for Cary, NC: June 1, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,765 in Cary, NC and $360 in Da Nang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cary, NC pays 1598% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $97.0 in Cary, NC vs $19.00 in Da Nang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $467 vs $188 per month, with Da Nang cheaper across the board.

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

Cary, NC vs Da Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Da Nang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 308% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cary, NC pays 1598% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,765 in Cary, NC versus $360 in Da Nang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,491 in Cary, NC versus $156 in Da Nang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 148% higher in Cary, NC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $720 in Da Nang versus $2,940 in Cary, NC, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Da Nang but tight or insufficient in Cary, NC. The gap between the two cities makes Da Nang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Da Nang is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cary, NC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cary, NC and Da Nang are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Da Nang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 308% less than in Cary, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.