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

😐 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 27.9% more expensive than Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) without rent, and 4.8% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 21.3% more expensive than Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) without rent, and 0.8% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.02 ฿65.3
$2.06 ₫53.5K
-1.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.78 ฿608
$23.36 ₫607.9K
-19.61%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.67 ฿248
$4.66 ₫121.3K
64.59%
Cappuccino
$1.98 ฿64.2
$1.76 ₫45.9K
12.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ฿26.64
$0.47 ₫12.3K
74.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿10.58
$0.3 ₫7,838
10.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.12 ฿68.6
$1 ₫26.1K
112.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ฿121
$1.52 ₫39.5K
145.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿53.2
$1.47 ₫38.2K
11.56%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 ฿50.9
$0.97 ₫25.3K
61.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 ฿38.62
$1.01 ₫26.2K
17.82%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿64.1
$1.42 ₫36.9K
39.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.99 ฿517
$11.67 ₫303.6K
37.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.12 ฿101
$3.56 ₫92.7K
-12.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿361
$10.43 ₫271.3K
7.00%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 ฿89.2
$2.77 ₫72K
-0.36%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿39.5
$1.11 ₫28.8K
9.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 ฿55.4
$1.28 ₫33.3K
33.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿50.2
$1.18 ₫30.7K
31.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 ฿43.21
$1.11 ₫28.8K
20.72%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 ฿39.23
$1.17 ₫30.4K
3.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿23.2
$0.76 ₫19.8K
-5.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.05
$0.51 ₫13.3K
3.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.72 ฿153
$1.22 ₫31.7K
286.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.39 ฿595
$12.99 ₫337.9K
41.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.9
$0.85 ₫22K
110.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 ฿104
$1.48 ₫38.5K
116.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 ฿30.44
$0.28 ₫7,361
235.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.9 ฿612
$10.45 ₫271.9K
80.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 ฿46.08
$0.72 ₫18.7K
97.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿43.53
$0.64 ₫16.7K
110.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.85 ฿254
$3.05 ₫79.3K
157.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 ฿40.4
$0.84 ₫22K
48.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿684.9K
$37.9K ₫986M
-44.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿706.8K
$34.6K ₫900.4M
-36.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.6 ฿2,285
$85.5 ₫2.2M
-17.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.72 ฿444
$5.76 ₫150K
138.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.56 ฿568
$9.63 ₫250.5K
82.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.64 ฿1,347
$20.91 ₫544.1K
99.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.9 ฿223
$9.5 ₫247.3K
-27.37%
Cinema Ticket
$5.8 ฿188
$4.18 ₫108.9K
38.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 ฿9,963
$276 ₫7.2M
11.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ฿475.8K
$14.1K ₫366M
4.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 ฿1,793
$42.09 ₫1.1M
31.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.4 ฿854
$27.16 ₫706.8K
-2.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 ฿2,755
$95.7 ₫2.5M
-11.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.8 ฿2,323
$86.9 ₫2.3M
-17.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 ฿14K
$532 ₫13.9M
-18.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$235 ฿7,610
$310 ₫8.1M
-24.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 ฿26.6K
$1,111 ₫28.9M
-26.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿16.1K
$658 ₫17.1M
-24.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,180 ฿70.6K
$3,817 ₫99.3M
-42.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,543 ฿49.9K
$1,911 ₫49.7M
-19.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ฿22.8K
$505 ₫13.1M
39.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
9.14
-45.30%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): October 29, 2025

Similar cities

Join the CityCost newsletter – low traffic, no spam, and easy to unsubscribe. Your email stays private.