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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $732 per month in Chongqing vs $850 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

A couple spends around $1,164 per month in Chongqing vs $1,385 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

A family of three spends $1,596 per month in Chongqing vs $1,920 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

Chongqing is about 14% cheaper than Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chongqing and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) are more affordable than the global median – Chongqing 47% lower, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.70 ¥18.07

$2.14 ₫55.8K

26.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.67 ¥152

$22.91 ₫596.9K

-1.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 ¥32.12

$4.67 ₫121.8K

2.57%

Cappuccino

$2.01 ¥13.49

$1.78 ₫46.3K

12.92%

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

$0.46 ¥3.10

$0.53 ₫13.8K

-13.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.11

$0.35 ₫9,007

-11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.14

$1.17 ₫30.5K

4.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ¥11.73

$1.66 ₫43.2K

5.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ¥12.85

$1.57 ₫40.9K

22.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ¥10.60

$1.04 ₫27.1K

51.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 ¥4.26

$1.00 ₫26.0K

-36.00%

Eggs

$2.13 ¥14.26

$1.61 ₫42.0K

32.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.11 ¥121

$12.27 ₫319.7K

47.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 ¥22.16

$3.54 ₫92.1K

-6.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.09 ¥67.6

$10.43 ₫271.6K

-3.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 ¥10.31

$3.12 ₫81.2K

-50.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.79

$1.28 ₫33.2K

2.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.93

$1.62 ₫42.1K

-27.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.05

$1.21 ₫31.5K

-0.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 ¥4.30

$1.22 ₫31.8K

-47.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.21

$1.19 ₫31.1K

-21.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ¥5.79

$0.72 ₫18.7K

19.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.05

$0.51 ₫13.2K

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 ¥19.34

$1.25 ₫32.5K

131.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 ¥58.5

$12.47 ₫324.8K

-29.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥5.07

$0.93 ₫24.3K

-18.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.88

$1.48 ₫38.5K

9.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ¥2.41

$0.28 ₫7,355

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.96 ¥147

$11.33 ₫295.2K

93.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ¥10.08

$0.69 ₫18.0K

117.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ¥1.93

$0.60 ₫15.7K

-51.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ¥20.07

$3.09 ₫80.5K

-2.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ¥8.51

$0.94 ₫24.5K

35.11%

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

$19.1K ¥128.0K

$30.8K ₫802.0M

-37.97%

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

$16.9K ¥113.0K

$30.6K ₫796.7M

-44.86%

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

$43.83 ¥294

$101 ₫2.6M

-56.69%

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

$6.95 ¥46.54

$5.95 ₫154.9K

16.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.87 ¥46.01

$10.16 ₫264.8K

-32.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.77 ¥327

$24.64 ₫642.0K

97.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.54 ¥70.7

$11.67 ₫304.1K

-9.68%

Cinema Ticket

$5.83 ¥39.04

$3.54 ₫92.3K

64.69%

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

$283 ¥1,900

$464 ₫12.1M

-38.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.2K ¥169.1K

$22.7K ₫591.9M

11.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.61 ¥265

$51.7 ₫1.3M

-23.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.50 ¥198

$34.93 ₫910.0K

-15.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.5 ¥432

$90.7 ₫2.4M

-28.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.4 ¥431

$92.7 ₫2.4M

-30.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 ¥2,814

$582 ₫15.2M

-27.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 ¥1,353

$283 ₫7.4M

-28.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 ¥5,768

$1,271 ₫33.1M

-32.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$415 ¥2,778

$674 ₫17.6M

-38.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,682 ¥18.0K

$4,704 ₫122.6M

-42.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,703 ¥11.4K

$1,909 ₫49.7M

-10.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,119 ¥7,500

$488 ₫12.7M

129.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.34

8.64

-61.34%

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

Last update for Chongqing: August 30, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $420 in Chongqing 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 129% higher in Chongqing, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Chongqing versus $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Groceries tell a different story – $212 in Chongqing vs $206 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – so Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,097 per month in Chongqing 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 Chongqing, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $283 per month in Chongqing 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Chongqing, where all-in costs run around $732, than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) at $850. In Chongqing 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 Chongqing – 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 Chongqing. 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.