Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Delhi: $520 a month against $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Delhi
🇮🇳 India
$520
/mo nomad
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
🇻🇳 Vietnam
$855
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Delhi and in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Delhi and in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $520 per month in Delhi vs $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

  • Delhi $520
  • Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $855

A couple spends around $858 per month in Delhi vs $1,400 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

  • Delhi $858
  • Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,400

A family of three spends $1,195 per month in Delhi vs $1,944 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

  • Delhi $1,195
  • Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,944

Delhi is about 39% cheaper than Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Delhi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) are more affordable than the global median – Delhi 61% lower, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 36% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Delhi
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.67 ₹355
$1.90 ₫49.2K
93.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.95 ₹2,027
$23.32 ₫603.7K
-10.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.74 ₹362
$4.67 ₫121.0K
-19.91%
Cappuccino
$2.33 ₹226
$1.85 ₫48.0K
25.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ₹35.82
$0.56 ₫14.4K
-33.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.20 ₹18.91
$0.34 ₫8,860
-41.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.02 ₹195
$1.01 ₫26.2K
100.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19 ₹308
$1.69 ₫43.7K
88.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Delhi
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.68 ₹65.9
$1.58 ₫40.8K
-56.96%
White Bread (500g)
$0.52 ₹50.2
$1.04 ₫27.0K
-50.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.83 ₹80.0
$0.99 ₫25.7K
-16.16%
Eggs
$1.07 ₹104
$1.60 ₫41.5K
-33.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.43 ₹428
$12.23 ₫316.7K
-63.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.37 ₹326
$3.54 ₫91.7K
-4.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$10.44 ₫270.3K
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.99 ₹192
$3.09 ₫79.9K
-35.60%
Banana (1kg)
$0.72 ₹70.1
$1.26 ₫32.5K
-42.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.02 ₹98.4
$1.57 ₫40.6K
-35.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.52 ₹50.1
$1.26 ₫32.5K
-58.73%
Potato (1kg)
$0.27 ₹25.96
$1.17 ₫30.4K
-76.92%
Onion (1kg)
$0.37 ₹35.42
$1.15 ₫29.7K
-67.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.43 ₹41.64
$0.72 ₫18.7K
-40.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31 ₹30.39
$0.54 ₫14.0K
-42.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.92 ₹476
$1.22 ₫31.5K
303.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.34 ₹808
$12.28 ₫317.9K
-32.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 ₹159
$0.98 ₫25.4K
67.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 ₹261
$1.49 ₫38.6K
81.21%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$6.15 ₹596
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Delhi
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.46 ₹44.04
$0.28 ₫7,252
64.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.29 ₹1,480
$11.62 ₫301.0K
31.58%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.03 ₹99.8
$0.73 ₫18.9K
41.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.27 ₹26.38
$0.64 ₫16.7K
-57.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.53 ₹148
$3.17 ₫82.0K
-51.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 ₹102
$0.95 ₫24.6K
10.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$10.5K ₹1.0M
$30.7K ₫795.9M
-65.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.4K ₹1.8M
$30.6K ₫791.9M
-39.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Delhi
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$42.67 ₹4,129
$102 ₫2.6M
-58.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.04 ₹391
$5.65 ₫146.2K
-28.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.75 ₹653
$10.52 ₫272.3K
-35.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Delhi
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.40 ₹1,878
$25.86 ₫669.5K
-24.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.06 ₹780
$11.82 ₫306.1K
-31.81%
Cinema Ticket
$5.08 ₹492
$3.39 ₫87.8K
49.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Delhi
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$100 ₹9,696
$438 ₫11.3M
-77.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,268 ₹219.5K
$23.3K ₫603.3M
-90.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Delhi
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.14 ₹2,336
$51.5 ₫1.3M
-53.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.38 ₹2,747
$34.56 ₫894.6K
-17.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$53.3 ₹5,160
$91.3 ₫2.4M
-41.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$44.13 ₹4,271
$94.9 ₫2.5M
-53.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Delhi
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$264 ₹25.5K
$577 ₫14.9M
-54.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$154 ₹14.9K
$292 ₫7.6M
-47.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$736 ₹71.2K
$1,293 ₫33.5M
-43.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$397 ₹38.5K
$717 ₫18.6M
-44.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,494 ₹241.4K
$4,714 ₫122.0M
-47.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,017 ₹98.4K
$1,882 ₫48.7M
-45.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Delhi
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$585 ₹56.7K
$486 ₫12.6M
20.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.33
8.64
-3.59%

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

Last update for Delhi: October 6, 2026

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Delhi
$154
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$292 89.6% $138
Groceries & Markets
Delhi
$108
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$206 90.3% $98
Eating Out
Delhi
$87
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$63 27.3% $24
Clothing & Footwear
Delhi
$67
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$123 81.6% $55
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Delhi
$53
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$118 122% $65
Sport & Entertainment
Delhi
$30
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$33 10.4% $3.1
Getting Around
Delhi
$20
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$17 14.4% $2.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $264 in Delhi versus $577 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 21% higher in Delhi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Delhi versus $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $108 vs $206 – making Delhi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇳 Delhi
🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
🕒 Local time
09:11 9:11 AM
10:41 10:41 AM
1 h 30 min ahead of Delhi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
16,787,941 Capital
9,456,700
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

VND, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 96.78 INR (100 INR = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 109 INR (1,000 INR = 9.21 EUR).

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,037 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Delhi Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 3,650 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Delhi
  • Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

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
Delhi vs Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Delhi and in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $520 in Delhi, $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – roughly 64% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Delhi compared to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $780 per month in Delhi and $1,283 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 Delhi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Delhi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Delhi 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.
Which city is more expensive overall: Delhi or Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $520 in Delhi and $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). That's a gap of about 64%.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Delhi, where all-in costs run around $520, than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) at $855. In Delhi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Delhi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)?
It depends on your priorities. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $520 in Delhi to $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Delhi 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 Delhi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)?
If budget matters most, go with Delhi. 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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