Cost of Living Comparison Between Da Nang and Cartago Cost of Living Comparison Between Da Nang and Cartago

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $720 in Da Nang versus $1,512 in Cartago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,104 in Da Nang versus $2,121 in Cartago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,488 in Da Nang versus $2,730 in Cartago.

Living in Da Nang costs roughly 52% less than in Cartago, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Da Nang is 46% below, Cartago is 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.97 ₫51.8K

$7.95 ₡3,615

-75.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.92 ₫497.2K

$31.47 ₡14.3K

-39.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.60 ₫120.8K

$9.17 ₡4,172

-49.84%

Cappuccino

$1.63 ₫42.9K

$3.82 ₡1,738

-57.33%

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

$0.50 ₫13.1K

$1.93 ₡880

-74.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₫7,495

$1.23 ₡558

-76.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ₫26.9K

$2.01 ₡913

-49.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ₫42.0K

$4.75 ₡2,159

-66.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ₫37.5K

$1.96 ₡894

-27.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ₫26.9K

$2.19 ₡996

-53.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ₫30.3K

$2.15 ₡976

-46.51%

Eggs

$1.42 ₫37.4K

$2.91 ₡1,325

-51.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.25 ₫321.8K

$7.84 ₡3,566

56.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ₫95.5K

$9.30 ₡4,228

-60.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.13 ₫266.3K

$13.63 ₡6,199

-25.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ₫72.2K

$4.43 ₡2,014

-37.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 ₫26.2K

$1.17 ₡534

-14.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 ₫28.6K

$4.03 ₡1,832

-72.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 ₫28.1K

$2.64 ₡1,201

-59.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 ₫29.8K

$1.96 ₡890

-42.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ₫30.2K

$1.98 ₡899

-41.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ₫27.4K

$1.04 ₡471

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₫12.6K

$1.94 ₡884

-75.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.36 ₫35.7K

$5.11 ₡2,326

-73.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.71 ₫202.5K

$15.30 ₡6,960

-49.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₫22.7K

$2.45 ₡1,112

-64.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ₫43.7K

$1.80 ₡820

-7.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ₫8,325

$1.01 ₡461

-68.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.92 ₫103.0K

$69.0 ₡31.4K

-94.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 ₫23.6K

$1.37 ₡622

-34.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₫18.0K

$1.86 ₡848

-62.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.67 ₫306.7K

$7.91 ₡3,599

47.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 ₫23.4K

$1.41 ₡643

-36.88%

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

$26.8K ₫705.1M

$37.4K ₡17.0M

-28.30%

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

$28.1K ₫738.4M

$32.3K ₡14.7M

-13.10%

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

$74.3 ₫2.0M

$49.02 ₡22.3K

51.59%

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

$5.71 ₫150.1K

$25.60 ₡11.6K

-77.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.07 ₫212.1K

$57.9 ₡26.3K

-86.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.37 ₫535.3K

$57.3 ₡26.0K

-64.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.65 ₫201.0K

$24.06 ₡10.9K

-68.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.11 ₫81.6K

$6.47 ₡2,944

-51.93%

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

$156 ₫4.1M

$491 ₡223.1K

-68.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ₫333.9M

$7,189 ₡3.3M

76.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.62 ₫1.0M

$61.5 ₡28.0K

-37.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.00 ₫683.1K

$51.7 ₡23.5K

-49.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.7 ₫1.4M

$109 ₡49.4K

-51.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.8 ₫2.0M

$80.4 ₡36.6K

-5.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 ₫9.5M

$760 ₡345.6K

-52.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 ₫6.5M

$602 ₡273.6K

-58.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 ₫19.1M

$734 ₡333.9K

-0.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 ₫12.0M

$770 ₡350.1K

-40.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,870 ₫101.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,283 ₫33.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$353 ₫9.3M

$1,312 ₡596.8K

-73.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.67

6.70%

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

Last update for Da Nang: May 30, 2026

Last update for Cartago: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $360 in Da Nang and $760 in Cartago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartago pays 272% 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: $19.00 in Da Nang vs $31.00 in Cartago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $315 per month, with Da Nang 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 Nang vs Cartago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Da Nang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 110% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cartago earns 272% 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: $360 in Da Nang versus $760 in Cartago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Da Nang runs roughly 1661% less than in Cartago. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $156 in Da Nang versus $491 in Cartago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $720 in Da Nang versus $1,512 in Cartago, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Da Nang but tight or insufficient in Cartago. The gap between the two cities makes Da Nang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Da Nang is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cartago, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Da Nang and Cartago 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 Nang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Cartago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.