Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Da Nang and Medan

For one person, living is cheaper in Medan: $613 a month against $863 in Da Nang, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Da Nang outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Da Nang
🇻🇳 Vietnam
$863
/mo nomad
Medan
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$613
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Da Nang and in Medan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Da Nang and in Medan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $863 per month in Da Nang vs $613 in Medan, rent included.

  • Da Nang $863
  • Medan $613

A couple spends around $1,404 per month in Da Nang vs $940 in Medan, rent included.

  • Da Nang $1,404
  • Medan $940

A family of three spends $1,945 per month in Da Nang vs $1,266 in Medan, rent included.

  • Da Nang $1,945
  • Medan $1,266

Da Nang costs about 41% more than Medan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Da Nang and Medan are more affordable than the global median – Da Nang 36% lower, Medan 55% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Da Nang
Medan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.30 ₫59.4K
$1.71 Rp 30.8K
34.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.62 ₫508.0K
$8.30 Rp 149.4K
136.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.60 ₫119.1K
$2.95 Rp 53.0K
55.93%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ₫43.0K
$1.53 Rp 27.5K
8.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.61 ₫15.7K
$0.35 Rp 6,215
74.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34 ₫8,877
$0.25 Rp 4,534
36.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.34 ₫34.6K
$1.66 Rp 29.9K
-19.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 ₫61.1K
$3.59 Rp 64.6K
-34.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Da Nang
Medan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.60 ₫41.5K
$1.11 Rp 20.0K
44.14%
White Bread (500g)
$1.21 ₫31.3K
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
2.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.00 ₫25.9K
$0.81 Rp 14.7K
23.46%
Eggs
$1.51 ₫39.1K
$1.32 Rp 23.8K
14.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 ₫333.9K
$8.12 Rp 146.2K
58.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.29 ₫111.1K
$3.59 Rp 64.6K
19.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.06 ₫234.6K
$6.36 Rp 114.5K
42.45%
Apples (1kg)
$2.73 ₫70.6K
$2.40 Rp 43.1K
13.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.19 ₫30.8K
$1.05 Rp 18.9K
13.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.29 ₫33.4K
$1.42 Rp 25.5K
-9.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.60 ₫41.3K
$0.93 Rp 16.7K
72.04%
Potato (1kg)
$1.18 ₫30.4K
$0.84 Rp 15.1K
40.48%
Onion (1kg)
$1.33 ₫34.3K
$1.80 Rp 32.3K
-26.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.01 ₫26.1K
$0.38 Rp 6,905
165.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ₫13.7K
$0.44 Rp 7,872
20.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.56 ₫40.3K
$2.87 Rp 51.7K
-45.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.93 ₫205.2K
$15.72 Rp 282.9K
-49.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 ₫22.9K
$1.83 Rp 32.9K
-51.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 ₫54.9K
$3.01 Rp 54.1K
-29.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Da Nang
Medan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.32 ₫8,182
$0.27 Rp 4,816
18.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$4.99 ₫129.3K
$5.93 Rp 106.7K
-15.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.05 ₫27.1K
$0.51 Rp 9,186
105.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.55 ₫14.3K
$0.19 Rp 3,465
189.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.50 ₫504.8K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 ₫24.5K
$0.80 Rp 14.4K
18.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K ₫799.2M
$24.7K Rp 444.1M
25.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0K ₫724.6M
$32.2K Rp 579.9M
-13.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Da Nang
Medan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.6 ₫2.0M
$84.8 Rp 1.5M
-9.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.47 ₫167.6K
$3.17 Rp 57.0K
104.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.08 ₫209.1K
$23.57 Rp 424.3K
-65.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Da Nang
Medan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$24.98 ₫646.6K
$16.95 Rp 305.0K
47.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.35 ₫138.6K
$8.41 Rp 151.5K
-36.39%
Cinema Ticket
$3.07 ₫79.4K
$3.29 Rp 59.3K
-6.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Da Nang
Medan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$161 ₫4.2M
$112 Rp 2.0M
44.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.2K ₫392.3M
$1,692 Rp 30.5M
795.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Da Nang
Medan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.38 ₫1.2M
$54.2 Rp 975.9K
-16.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.22 ₫704.7K
$38.53 Rp 693.6K
-29.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 ₫2.6M
$108 Rp 1.9M
-7.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.9 ₫2.1M
$111 Rp 2.0M
-27.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Da Nang
Medan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$529 ₫13.7M
$233 Rp 4.2M
127.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$349 ₫9.0M
$89.8 Rp 1.6M
288.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,053 ₫27.3M
$494 Rp 8.9M
113.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$811 ₫21.0M
$212 Rp 3.8M
282.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,834 ₫99.3M
$1,158 Rp 20.8M
231.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,308 ₫33.9M
$560 Rp 10.1M
133.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Da Nang
Medan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$363 ₫9.4M
$215 Rp 3.9M
68.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.72
9.25
15.89%

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

Last update for Da Nang: October 12, 2026

Last update for Medan: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Da Nang
$349
Medan
$90 74.3% $259
Groceries & Markets
Da Nang
$201
Medan
$181 9.8% $20
Clothing & Footwear
Da Nang
$114
Medan
$140 22.9% $26
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Da Nang
$91
Medan
$112 22.4% $20
Eating Out
Da Nang
$67
Medan
$59 12.8% $8.6
Sport & Entertainment
Da Nang
$31
Medan
$24 24.4% $7.6
Getting Around
Da Nang
$10
Medan
$8.5 15.9% $1.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $529 in Da Nang versus $233 in Medan. 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 69% higher in Da Nang, 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 $20.00 in Da Nang versus $8.00 in Medan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $201 vs $181 – making Medan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇻🇳 Da Nang
🇮🇩 Medan
🕒 Local time
17:06 5:06 PM
17:06 5:06 PM
Same time as Da Nang
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,245,200
2,097,610
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,105 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Da Nang Medan 1,740 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Da Nang
  • Medan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Medan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Da Nang and in Medan compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $863 in Da Nang, $613 in Medan – roughly 41% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Da Nang compared to Medan?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,295 per month in Da Nang and $920 in Medan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Da Nang and Medan?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medan, 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 11% more in Da Nang, 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 $20.00 in Da Nang and $8.00 in Medan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How far does $1,000 go in Da Nang compared to Medan?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $863 in Da Nang and $613 in Medan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
How does quality of life compare between Da Nang and Medan?
It depends on your priorities. Da Nang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $613 in Medan to $863 in Da Nang. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Da Nang or Medan 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 Medan?
If budget matters most, go with Medan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Da Nang makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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