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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $702 in Hai Phong versus $850 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,183 in Hai Phong versus $1,385 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,664 in Hai Phong versus $1,920 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Living in Hai Phong costs roughly 17% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hai Phong 49% lower, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.56 ₫40.6K

$2.14 ₫55.8K

-27.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.33 ₫503.8K

$22.91 ₫597.3K

-15.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.28 ₫111.5K

$4.67 ₫121.9K

-8.35%

Cappuccino

$1.87 ₫48.7K

$1.78 ₫46.3K

5.06%

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

$0.45 ₫11.7K

$0.53 ₫13.8K

-15.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,286

$0.35 ₫9,013

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.79 ₫20.7K

$1.17 ₫30.6K

-32.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₫39.5K

$1.66 ₫43.3K

-8.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 ₫39.6K

$1.57 ₫41.0K

-3.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₫13.3K

$1.04 ₫27.1K

-50.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 ₫19.8K

$1.00 ₫26.1K

-24.00%

Eggs

$1.50 ₫39.1K

$1.61 ₫42.0K

-6.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ₫275.3K

$12.27 ₫319.8K

-13.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ₫95.9K

$3.54 ₫92.2K

3.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.65 ₫251.5K

$10.43 ₫271.8K

-7.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 ₫80.6K

$3.12 ₫81.3K

-0.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ₫28.7K

$1.28 ₫33.2K

-14.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 ₫36.2K

$1.62 ₫42.1K

-14.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ₫30.0K

$1.21 ₫31.5K

-4.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 ₫23.6K

$1.22 ₫31.9K

-25.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 ₫29.1K

$1.19 ₫31.1K

-5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ₫15.2K

$0.72 ₫18.7K

-19.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.4K

$0.51 ₫13.2K

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.18 ₫30.7K

$1.25 ₫32.5K

-5.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.49 ₫325.5K

$12.47 ₫325.0K

0.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₫20.9K

$0.93 ₫24.4K

-13.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₫41.3K

$1.48 ₫38.5K

7.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 ₫10.9K

$0.28 ₫7,359

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.68 ₫148.0K

$11.33 ₫295.4K

-49.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₫19.3K

$0.69 ₫18.0K

7.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₫15.8K

$0.60 ₫15.7K

1.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₫51.2K

$3.09 ₫80.5K

-36.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ₫21.6K

$0.94 ₫24.5K

-11.70%

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

$30.7K ₫800.1M

$30.8K ₫802.5M

-0.30%

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

$30.2K ₫787.3M

$30.6K ₫797.2M

-1.25%

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

$44.46 ₫1.2M

$101 ₫2.6M

-56.07%

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

$4.97 ₫129.4K

$5.95 ₫155.0K

-16.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.08 ₫236.7K

$10.16 ₫264.9K

-10.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.45 ₫611.3K

$24.64 ₫642.4K

-4.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.86 ₫204.8K

$11.67 ₫304.3K

-32.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 ₫108.2K

$3.54 ₫92.4K

17.23%

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

$154 ₫4.0M

$464 ₫12.1M

-66.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,511 ₫117.6M

$22.7K ₫592.2M

-80.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.89 ₫1.2M

$51.7 ₫1.3M

-11.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.39 ₫557.6K

$34.93 ₫910.5K

-38.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 ₫2.2M

$90.7 ₫2.4M

-6.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.1 ₫2.0M

$92.7 ₫2.4M

-16.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$248 ₫6.5M

$582 ₫15.2M

-57.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$246 ₫6.4M

$283 ₫7.4M

-13.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,021 ₫26.6M

$1,271 ₫33.1M

-19.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 ₫16.2M

$674 ₫17.6M

-7.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,347 ₫35.1M

$4,704 ₫122.6M

-71.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$959 ₫25.0M

$1,909 ₫49.8M

-49.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ₫13.2M

$488 ₫12.7M

3.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

-18.98%

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

Last update for Hai Phong: September 1, 2026

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $248 in Hai Phong and $582 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hai Phong pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Hai Phong vs $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $206 per month, with Hai Phong 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

Hai Phong vs Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($702 vs $850 including rent). Hai Phong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 3% higher in Hai Phong, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $248 in Hai Phong versus $582 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $702 per month in Hai Phong versus $850 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Hai Phong runs roughly 99% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $702 in Hai Phong versus $850 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hai Phong but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Hai Phong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 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 Hai Phong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.