Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Da Nang and Sendai

For one person, living is cheaper in Da Nang: $866 a month against $1,161 in Sendai, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Da Nang
🇻🇳 Vietnam
$866
/mo nomad
Sendai
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,161
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Sendai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $866 per month in Da Nang vs $1,161 in Sendai, rent included.

  • Da Nang $866
  • Sendai $1,161

A couple spends around $1,402 per month in Da Nang vs $1,835 in Sendai, rent included.

  • Da Nang $1,402
  • Sendai $1,835

A family of three spends $1,937 per month in Da Nang vs $2,510 in Sendai, rent included.

  • Da Nang $1,937
  • Sendai $2,510

Da Nang is about 25% cheaper than Sendai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Da Nang and Sendai are more affordable than the global median – Da Nang 36% lower, Sendai 14% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Da Nang
Sendai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.30 ₫59.7K
$6.23 ¥984
-63.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.11 ₫494.6K
$34.65 ¥5,474
-44.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.54 ₫117.4K
$4.50 ¥711
0.89%
Cappuccino
$1.73 ₫44.7K
$3.62 ¥571
-52.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.60 ₫15.5K
$0.94 ¥149
-36.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34 ₫8,807
$0.78 ¥124
-56.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.38 ₫35.9K
$1.87 ¥295
-26.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 ₫60.8K
$3.20 ¥505
-26.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Da Nang
Sendai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.59 ₫41.1K
$1.45 ¥229
9.66%
White Bread (500g)
$1.23 ₫31.7K
$1.44 ¥227
-14.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.05 ₫27.1K
$6.64 ¥1,048
-84.19%
Eggs
$1.49 ₫38.5K
$2.09 ¥330
-28.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.26 ₫343.2K
$10.89 ¥1,721
21.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.25 ₫110.1K
$11.91 ¥1,881
-64.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.57 ₫247.8K
$9.00 ¥1,422
6.33%
Apples (1kg)
$2.64 ₫68.3K
$3.55 ¥560
-25.63%
Banana (1kg)
$1.20 ₫31.2K
$2.20 ¥348
-45.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.31 ₫34.0K
$4.47 ¥707
-70.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.53 ₫39.5K
$3.24 ¥512
-52.78%
Potato (1kg)
$1.14 ₫29.6K
$2.58 ¥407
-55.81%
Onion (1kg)
$1.31 ₫33.9K
$2.27 ¥358
-42.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 ₫26.8K
$1.41 ¥222
-26.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ₫13.7K
$1.25 ¥198
-57.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.51 ₫39.2K
$4.44 ¥701
-65.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.54 ₫195.2K
$7.01 ¥1,107
7.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.93 ₫24.2K
$1.57 ¥248
-40.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 ₫56.2K
$2.61 ¥413
-16.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Da Nang
Sendai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.35 ₫8,963
$1.47 ¥232
-76.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$5.01 ₫129.6K
$37.26 ¥5,886
-86.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.04 ₫26.9K
$5.23 ¥826
-80.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.56 ₫14.5K
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.19 ₫496.8K
$18.42 ¥2,910
4.18%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.89 ₫23.1K
$1.06 ¥168
-16.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4K ₫788.3M
$15.8K ¥2.5M
92.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.1K ₫726.2M
$24.8K ¥3.9M
13.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Da Nang
Sendai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$78.5 ₫2.0M
$138 ¥21.8K
-43.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.17 ₫159.8K
$30.52 ¥4,822
-79.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.35 ₫216.1K
$34.78 ¥5,495
-75.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Da Nang
Sendai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.33 ₫655.7K
$44.60 ¥7,046
-43.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.45 ₫141.0K
$12.84 ¥2,029
-57.55%
Cinema Ticket
$3.29 ₫85.1K
$10.07 ¥1,590
-67.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Da Nang
Sendai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$160 ₫4.2M
$229 ¥36.2K
-29.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.9K ₫385.9M
$3,792 ¥599.0K
293.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Da Nang
Sendai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.73 ₫1.2M
$56.1 ¥8,868
-20.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.90 ₫722.2K
$33.92 ¥5,359
-17.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 ₫2.6M
$35.34 ¥5,583
189.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.1 ₫2.1M
$53.5 ¥8,455
51.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Da Nang
Sendai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$532 ₫13.8M
$560 ¥88.4K
-5.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$346 ₫9.0M
$327 ¥51.7K
5.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,039 ₫26.9M
$692 ¥109.4K
50.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$794 ₫20.6M
$715 ¥112.9K
11.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,852 ₫99.7M
$2,638 ¥416.8K
46.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,328 ₫34.4M
$1,424 ¥225.0K
-6.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Da Nang
Sendai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$354 ₫9.2M
$996 ¥157.3K
-64.43%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.72
2.73
292.67%

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

Last update for Da Nang: October 20, 2026

Last update for Sendai: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Da Nang
$346
Sendai
$327 5.5% $19
Groceries & Markets
Da Nang
$202
Sendai
$308 52.5% $106
Clothing & Footwear
Da Nang
$115
Sendai
$81 30.1% $35
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Da Nang
$93
Sendai
$203 118% $110
Eating Out
Da Nang
$68
Sendai
$129 89.8% $61
Sport & Entertainment
Da Nang
$32
Sendai
$65 103% $33
Getting Around
Da Nang
$10
Sendai
$48 * 373% $38

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $532 in Da Nang versus $560 in Sendai. 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 181% higher in Sendai, 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 $35.00 in Sendai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $202 vs $308 – making Da Nang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇻🇳 Da Nang
🇯🇵 Sendai
🕒 Local time
20:19 8:19 PM
22:19 10:19 PM
2 h ahead of Da Nang
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,245,200
1,082,159
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,105 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Da Nang Sendai 4,030 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Da Nang
  • Sendai

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 Sendai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Da Nang and in Sendai compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $866 in Da Nang, $1,161 in Sendai – roughly 34% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Da Nang compared to Sendai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Da Nang and $1,742 in Sendai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Da Nang and Sendai?
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 53% more in Sendai, 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 $35.00 in Sendai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Da Nang, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Sendai at $1,161. In Da Nang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sendai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Da Nang and Sendai?
It depends on your priorities. Da Nang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $866 in Da Nang to $1,161 in Sendai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Da Nang or Sendai 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 Sendai?
If budget matters most, go with Da Nang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sendai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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