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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $741 in Criciuma versus $850 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,114 in Criciuma versus $1,385 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,486 in Criciuma versus $1,920 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Living in Criciuma costs roughly 13% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Criciuma 46% lower, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 R$30.33

$2.14 ₫55.8K

178.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.26 R$108

$22.91 ₫597.2K

-7.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.72 R$29.16

$4.67 ₫121.8K

22.48%

Cappuccino

$1.34 R$6.82

$1.78 ₫46.3K

-24.72%

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

$1.08 R$5.49

$0.53 ₫13.8K

103.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 R$3.87

$0.35 ₫9,012

117.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 R$7.96

$1.17 ₫30.6K

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 R$9.94

$1.66 ₫43.3K

17.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.82

$1.57 ₫40.9K

-39.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 R$7.54

$1.04 ₫27.1K

42.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.34

$1.00 ₫26.1K

5.00%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.21

$1.61 ₫42.0K

24.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 R$41.76

$12.27 ₫319.8K

-33.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.52 R$17.96

$3.54 ₫92.2K

-0.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.50 R$43.34

$10.43 ₫271.8K

-18.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 R$10.36

$3.12 ₫81.2K

-34.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 R$5.97

$1.28 ₫33.2K

-8.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 R$4.57

$1.62 ₫42.1K

-44.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.92

$1.21 ₫31.5K

28.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.18

$1.22 ₫31.9K

-0.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 R$5.31

$1.19 ₫31.1K

-12.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 R$3.99

$0.72 ₫18.7K

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 R$3.44

$0.51 ₫13.2K

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 R$12.59

$1.25 ₫32.5K

97.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.73 R$24.14

$12.47 ₫324.9K

-62.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 R$5.52

$0.93 ₫24.3K

16.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 R$7.11

$1.48 ₫38.5K

-6.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.95

$0.28 ₫7,359

246.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.28 R$200

$11.33 ₫295.4K

246.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 R$2.26

$0.69 ₫18.0K

-36.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 R$4.27

$0.60 ₫15.7K

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 R$11.90

$3.09 ₫80.5K

-24.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R$6.48

$0.94 ₫24.5K

35.11%

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

$23.0K R$117.5K

$30.8K ₫802.4M

-25.15%

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

$30.8K R$157.2K

$30.6K ₫797.1M

0.80%

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

$70.7 R$360

$101 ₫2.6M

-30.19%

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

$11.83 R$60.3

$5.95 ₫155.0K

98.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.15 R$108

$10.16 ₫264.9K

108.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.02 R$143

$24.64 ₫642.3K

13.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.53 R$197

$11.67 ₫304.3K

230.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.84 R$34.87

$3.54 ₫92.4K

93.22%

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

$166 R$848

$464 ₫12.1M

-64.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,877 R$14.7K

$22.7K ₫592.2M

-87.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 R$251

$51.7 ₫1.3M

-4.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 R$148

$34.93 ₫910.4K

-16.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.5 R$410

$90.7 ₫2.4M

-11.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.30 R$211

$92.7 ₫2.4M

-55.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 R$1,179

$582 ₫15.2M

-60.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 R$1,047

$283 ₫7.4M

-27.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 R$1,975

$1,271 ₫33.1M

-69.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 R$1,322

$674 ₫17.6M

-61.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,182 R$6,025

$4,704 ₫122.6M

-74.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$635 R$3,240

$1,909 ₫49.8M

-66.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$299 R$1,527

$488 ₫12.7M

-38.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.74

8.64

24.31%

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

Last update for Criciuma: August 30, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $231 in Criciuma and $582 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 63% 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: $21.00 in Criciuma vs $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $167 vs $206 per month, with Criciuma 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

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

Criciuma is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 63% lower in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $231 in Criciuma versus $582 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Criciuma runs roughly 247% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $166 in Criciuma versus $464 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $741 in Criciuma versus $850 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $1,500 budget is realistic in Criciuma but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Criciuma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Criciuma is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Criciuma and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 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 Criciuma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.