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: $679 in Criciuma versus $836 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,003 in Criciuma versus $1,334 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,328 in Criciuma versus $1,832 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Living in Criciuma costs roughly 19% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Criciuma 50% lower, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.84 R$24.10

$1.97 ₫51.8K

145.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.99 R$110

$22.74 ₫596.9K

-3.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 R$26.28

$4.68 ₫122.9K

12.82%

Cappuccino

$1.25 R$6.22

$1.77 ₫46.4K

-29.38%

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

$0.85 R$4.25

$0.48 ₫12.5K

77.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.85

$0.28 ₫7,252

103.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 R$8.17

$1.03 ₫27.1K

59.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 R$7.52

$1.58 ₫41.6K

-4.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 R$4.29

$1.52 ₫40.0K

-43.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 R$6.41

$0.99 ₫25.9K

30.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 R$4.86

$0.94 ₫24.7K

4.26%

Eggs

$1.77 R$8.82

$1.47 ₫38.5K

20.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 R$39.71

$11.64 ₫305.6K

-31.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 R$15.96

$3.72 ₫97.6K

-13.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.84 R$34.06

$10.25 ₫269.0K

-33.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 R$9.26

$2.66 ₫69.9K

-30.08%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 R$4.46

$1.15 ₫30.1K

-21.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 R$4.21

$1.31 ₫34.3K

-35.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.25

$1.17 ₫30.6K

6.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 R$4.89

$1.16 ₫30.4K

-15.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 R$5.08

$1.17 ₫30.6K

-12.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.48

$0.71 ₫18.5K

-1.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.12

$0.50 ₫13.2K

26.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 R$12.67

$1.22 ₫31.9K

108.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.91 R$24.45

$12.67 ₫332.5K

-61.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 R$5.13

$0.92 ₫24.2K

11.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 R$6.24

$1.42 ₫37.4K

-11.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 R$4.34

$0.28 ₫7,382

210.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.00 R$159

$10.40 ₫272.9K

207.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 R$2.08

$0.70 ₫18.4K

-40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 R$5.06

$0.69 ₫18.0K

47.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.13 R$10.60

$3.04 ₫79.8K

-29.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.43

$0.89 ₫23.3K

22.47%

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

$19.9K R$99.1K

$38.2K ₫1.0B

-47.97%

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

$25.6K R$127.3K

$33.6K ₫881.5M

-23.89%

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

$58.4 R$291

$84.4 ₫2.2M

-30.77%

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

$14.10 R$70.2

$5.83 ₫153.0K

141.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.81 R$104

$9.23 ₫242.3K

125.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.92 R$124

$20.56 ₫539.7K

21.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.63 R$108

$9.30 ₫244.1K

132.58%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 R$39.05

$4.11 ₫107.8K

90.75%

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

$126 R$628

$276 ₫7.2M

-54.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,500 R$7,469

$14.2K ₫373.4M

-89.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.63 R$123

$42.41 ₫1.1M

-41.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.13 R$150

$26.94 ₫707.1K

11.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 R$339

$96.8 ₫2.5M

-29.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.62 R$157

$84.8 ₫2.2M

-62.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$221 R$1,101

$529 ₫13.9M

-58.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 R$985

$304 ₫8.0M

-34.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$296 R$1,475

$1,094 ₫28.7M

-72.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 R$1,228

$655 ₫17.2M

-62.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,189 R$5,921

$4,142 ₫108.7M

-71.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$641 R$3,195

$1,875 ₫49.2M

-65.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$320 R$1,595

$492 ₫12.9M

-34.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.4

9.14

-8.10%

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

Last update for Criciuma: April 14, 2026

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $221 in Criciuma and $529 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 54% 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: $22 in Criciuma vs $23 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $150 vs $198 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 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) earns 54% less. 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: $221 in Criciuma versus $529 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 208% 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 $126 in Criciuma versus $276 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Criciuma gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 23% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.