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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $715 in Da Lat versus $836 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,137 in Da Lat versus $1,334 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,559 in Da Lat versus $1,832 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Living in Da Lat costs roughly 14% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Da Lat 47% lower, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ₫58.9K

$1.97 ₫51.8K

13.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.96 ₫576.5K

$22.74 ₫596.9K

-3.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 ₫168.0K

$4.68 ₫122.9K

36.75%

Cappuccino

$1.55 ₫40.7K

$1.77 ₫46.4K

-12.43%

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

$1.03 ₫27.1K

$0.48 ₫12.5K

114.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 ₫10.7K

$0.28 ₫7,252

46.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 ₫44.9K

$1.03 ₫27.1K

66.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 ₫64.7K

$1.58 ₫41.6K

55.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ₫39.4K

$1.52 ₫40.0K

-1.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ₫32.4K

$0.99 ₫25.9K

24.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ₫30.0K

$0.94 ₫24.7K

21.28%

Eggs

$1.63 ₫42.7K

$1.47 ₫38.5K

10.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.77 ₫203.9K

$11.64 ₫305.6K

-33.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 ₫105.8K

$3.72 ₫97.6K

8.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.54 ₫119.1K

$10.25 ₫269.0K

-55.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.34 ₫113.9K

$2.66 ₫69.9K

63.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₫48.1K

$1.15 ₫30.1K

59.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 ₫83.2K

$1.31 ₫34.3K

141.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 ₫41.2K

$1.17 ₫30.6K

34.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 ₫47.7K

$1.16 ₫30.4K

56.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 ₫40.9K

$1.17 ₫30.6K

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ₫18.3K

$0.71 ₫18.5K

-1.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₫16.4K

$0.50 ₫13.2K

26.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 ₫46.7K

$1.22 ₫31.9K

45.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.93 ₫208.1K

$12.67 ₫332.5K

-37.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₫19.5K

$0.92 ₫24.2K

-19.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₫56.1K

$1.42 ₫37.4K

50.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₫9,541

$0.28 ₫7,382

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.54 ₫171.7K

$10.40 ₫272.9K

-37.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 ₫15.8K

$0.70 ₫18.4K

-14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 ₫17.1K

$0.69 ₫18.0K

-5.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 ₫72.5K

$3.04 ₫79.8K

-9.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 ₫24.6K

$0.89 ₫23.3K

5.62%

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

$34.8K ₫913.7M

$38.2K ₫1.0B

-8.96%

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

$31.3K ₫822.8M

$33.6K ₫881.5M

-6.67%

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

$38.58 ₫1.0M

$84.4 ₫2.2M

-54.28%

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

$4.21 ₫110.4K

$5.83 ₫153.0K

-27.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.99 ₫393.5K

$9.23 ₫242.3K

62.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.24 ₫557.6K

$20.56 ₫539.7K

3.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.73 ₫202.9K

$9.30 ₫244.1K

-16.88%

Cinema Ticket

$1.97 ₫51.6K

$4.11 ₫107.8K

-52.07%

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

$268 ₫7.0M

$276 ₫7.2M

-2.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ₫304.8M

$14.2K ₫373.4M

-18.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.55 ₫1.1M

$42.41 ₫1.1M

-4.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.57 ₫618.6K

$26.94 ₫707.1K

-12.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 ₫2.3M

$96.8 ₫2.5M

-10.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.3 ₫2.0M

$84.8 ₫2.2M

-12.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$288 ₫7.6M

$529 ₫13.9M

-45.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 ₫6.6M

$304 ₫8.0M

-17.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$633 ₫16.6M

$1,094 ₫28.7M

-42.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₫12.2M

$655 ₫17.2M

-29.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,142 ₫108.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,875 ₫49.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$426 ₫11.2M

$492 ₫12.9M

-13.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

9.14

-0.44%

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

Last update for Da Lat: April 13, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $288 in Da Lat 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 16% 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 Da Lat vs $23 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $198 per month, with Da Lat 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

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

Da Lat and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($715 vs $836 including rent). Da Lat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) earns 16% 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: $288 in Da Lat versus $529 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Da Lat – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $715 per month in Da Lat versus $836 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Da Lat gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Da Lat 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 Da Lat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.