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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $720 per month in Da Nang vs $826 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

A couple spends around $1,104 per month in Da Nang vs $1,300 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

A family of three spends $1,488 per month in Da Nang vs $1,773 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

Da Nang is about 13% cheaper than Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) are more affordable than the global median – Da Nang 46% lower, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Da Nang
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.97 ₫51.8K
$2.03 ₫53.2K
-2.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.92 ₫497.1K
$22.91 ₫601.8K
-17.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.60 ₫120.8K
$4.69 ₫123.2K
-1.92%
Cappuccino
$1.63 ₫42.9K
$1.69 ₫44.5K
-3.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ₫13.1K
$0.50 ₫13.2K
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 ₫7,494
$0.28 ₫7,261
3.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.02 ₫26.9K
$0.99 ₫26.0K
3.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 ₫42.0K
$1.50 ₫39.3K
6.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Da Nang
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 ₫37.5K
$1.48 ₫38.9K
-3.38%
White Bread (500g)
$1.02 ₫26.9K
$1.03 ₫26.9K
-0.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.15 ₫30.3K
$0.98 ₫25.9K
17.35%
Eggs
$1.42 ₫37.4K
$1.41 ₫36.9K
0.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.25 ₫321.7K
$11.88 ₫312.1K
3.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.63 ₫95.5K
$3.60 ₫94.6K
0.83%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.13 ₫266.2K
$10.55 ₫277.2K
-3.98%
Apples (1kg)
$2.75 ₫72.1K
$2.76 ₫72.5K
-0.36%
Banana (1kg)
$1.00 ₫26.2K
$1.10 ₫28.9K
-9.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.09 ₫28.6K
$1.30 ₫34.1K
-16.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.07 ₫28.0K
$1.16 ₫30.6K
-7.76%
Potato (1kg)
$1.13 ₫29.8K
$1.17 ₫30.7K
-3.42%
Onion (1kg)
$1.15 ₫30.2K
$1.17 ₫30.9K
-1.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.04 ₫27.4K
$0.70 ₫18.4K
48.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ₫12.6K
$0.51 ₫13.4K
-5.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.36 ₫35.7K
$1.27 ₫33.2K
7.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.71 ₫202.5K
$12.32 ₫323.6K
-37.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.86 ₫22.7K
$0.85 ₫22.3K
1.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 ₫43.7K
$1.49 ₫39.1K
11.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Da Nang
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.32 ₫8,323
$0.28 ₫7,431
14.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$3.92 ₫103.0K
$10.75 ₫282.4K
-63.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.90 ₫23.6K
$0.67 ₫17.7K
34.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.69 ₫18.0K
$0.69 ₫18.2K
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.67 ₫306.7K
$2.99 ₫78.6K
290.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.89 ₫23.4K
$0.82 ₫21.7K
8.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ₫704.9M
$37.5K ₫985.7M
-28.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.1K ₫738.2M
$33.6K ₫881.8M
-16.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Da Nang
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$74.3 ₫2.0M
$84.8 ₫2.2M
-12.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.71 ₫150.1K
$6.06 ₫159.3K
-5.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.07 ₫212.1K
$9.14 ₫240.1K
-11.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Da Nang
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$20.37 ₫535.2K
$20.73 ₫544.5K
-1.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.65 ₫201.0K
$9.37 ₫246.3K
-18.36%
Cinema Ticket
$3.11 ₫81.6K
$4.26 ₫111.8K
-27.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Da Nang
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$156 ₫4.1M
$273 ₫7.2M
-42.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.7K ₫333.9M
$13.8K ₫362.1M
-7.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Da Nang
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.62 ₫1.0M
$42.85 ₫1.1M
-9.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.00 ₫683.0K
$27.36 ₫718.7K
-4.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$52.7 ₫1.4M
$97.6 ₫2.6M
-45.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.8 ₫2.0M
$87.1 ₫2.3M
-12.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Da Nang
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$360 ₫9.5M
$526 ₫13.8M
-31.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$249 ₫6.5M
$307 ₫8.1M
-19.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$727 ₫19.1M
$1,090 ₫28.6M
-33.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$459 ₫12.0M
$668 ₫17.6M
-31.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,870 ₫101.7M
$4,497 ₫118.1M
-13.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,283 ₫33.7M
$1,791 ₫47.1M
-28.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Da Nang
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$353 ₫9.3M
$509 ₫13.4M
-30.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.67
9.14
16.74%

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

Last update for Da Nang: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $360 in Da Nang versus $526 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 44% higher in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Da Nang versus $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $198 – making Da Nang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $720 in Da Nang, $826 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – roughly 15% apart. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Da Nang compared to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,080 per month in Da Nang and $1,240 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Da Nang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 5% more in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Da Nang and $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How far does $1,200 go in Da Nang vs Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $720 in Da Nang and $826 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
How does quality of life compare between Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)?
It depends on your priorities. Da Nang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $720 in Da Nang to $826 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Da Nang or Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)?
If budget matters most, go with Da Nang. 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.

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