Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Antipolo: $644 a month against $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
🇻🇳 Vietnam
$859
/mo nomad
Antipolo
🇵🇭 Philippines
$644
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $859 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $644 in Antipolo, rent included.

  • Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $859
  • Antipolo $644

A couple spends around $1,395 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,022 in Antipolo, rent included.

  • Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,395
  • Antipolo $1,022

A family of three spends $1,931 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,400 in Antipolo, rent included.

  • Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,931
  • Antipolo $1,400

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs about 33% more than Antipolo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Antipolo are more affordable than the global median – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 36% lower, Antipolo 52% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Antipolo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.91 ₫49.6K
$5.50 ₱346
-65.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.84 ₫591.2K
$18.79 ₱1,183
21.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.54 ₫117.6K
$2.76 ₱174
64.49%
Cappuccino
$1.85 ₫48.0K
$1.85 ₱116
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₫14.6K
$0.69 ₱43.33
-18.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.32 ₫8,185
$0.54 ₱34.01
-40.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.06 ₫27.5K
$0.99 ₱62.2
7.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ₫44.5K
$1.57 ₱98.7
9.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Antipolo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ₫42.9K
$1.68 ₱106
-1.19%
White Bread (500g)
$1.11 ₫28.7K
$1.15 ₱72.7
-3.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.00 ₫25.9K
$0.98 ₱61.6
2.04%
Eggs
$1.67 ₫43.1K
$2.10 ₱132
-20.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.08 ₫312.8K
$5.01 ₱315
141.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.68 ₫95.2K
$3.49 ₱220
5.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.24 ₫265.1K
$6.99 ₱440
46.49%
Apples (1kg)
$2.96 ₫76.5K
$3.22 ₱203
-8.07%
Banana (1kg)
$1.24 ₫32.2K
$1.60 ₱100
-22.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.56 ₫40.3K
$2.34 ₱148
-33.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.30 ₫33.6K
$1.03 ₱64.7
26.21%
Potato (1kg)
$1.23 ₫31.9K
$1.73 ₱109
-28.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.15 ₫29.8K
$1.77 ₱111
-35.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.74 ₫19.1K
$0.66 ₱41.72
12.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₫14.4K
$0.49 ₱30.96
14.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.24 ₫32.1K
$2.89 ₱182
-57.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.60 ₫326.1K
$8.71 ₱549
44.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.96 ₫24.9K
$0.90 ₱56.8
6.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53 ₫39.6K
$2.07 ₱130
-26.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Antipolo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.26 ₫6,694
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.51 ₫297.9K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.75 ₫19.5K
$0.79 ₱49.63
-5.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.67 ₫17.4K
$0.23 ₱14.48
191.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.03 ₫78.5K
$1.87 ₱118
62.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.96 ₫24.8K
$1.20 ₱75.7
-20.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.1K ₫804.3M
$21.3K ₱1.3M
45.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.4K ₫785.9M
$19.0K ₱1.2M
59.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Antipolo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$102 ₫2.6M
$123 ₱7,739
-17.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.89 ₫152.5K
$16.16 ₱1,018
-63.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.49 ₫271.6K
$23.04 ₱1,450
-54.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Antipolo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.54 ₫661.2K
$48.47 ₱3,052
-47.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.92 ₫308.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.53 ₫91.3K
$5.24 ₱330
-32.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Antipolo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$436 ₫11.3M
$131 ₱8,263
232.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.3K ₫602.8M
$9,034 ₱568.8K
157.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Antipolo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 ₫1.4M
$28.30 ₱1,782
86.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.15 ₫884.1K
$19.66 ₱1,237
73.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.3 ₫2.3M
$70.3 ₱4,428
28.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.0 ₫2.5M
$55.1 ₱3,466
72.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Antipolo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$589 ₫15.3M
$159 ₱9,995
271.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$298 ₫7.7M
$78.3 ₱4,931
280.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,292 ₫33.5M
$312 ₱19.7K
313.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$711 ₫18.4M
$239 ₱15.0K
197.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,676 ₫121.1M
$2,825 ₱177.9K
65.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,904 ₫49.3M
$1,192 ₱75.1K
59.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Antipolo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$490 ₫12.7M
$434 ₱27.3K
12.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.64
6.75
28.00%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): October 10, 2026

Last update for Antipolo: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$298
Antipolo
$78 73.7% $220
Groceries & Markets
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$207
Antipolo
$178 14.3% $30
Clothing & Footwear
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$122
Antipolo
$78 36.3% $44
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$118
Antipolo
$162 37% $44
Eating Out
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$63
Antipolo
$87 37.7% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$33
Antipolo
$59 80.8% $26
Getting Around
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$17
Antipolo
$1.9 * 88.3% $15

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $589 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $159 in Antipolo. 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 13% 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 $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $19.00 in Antipolo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $178 – making Antipolo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
🇵🇭 Antipolo
🕒 Local time
04:32 4:32 AM
05:32 5:32 AM
1 h ahead of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,456,700
887,399
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,105 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Antipolo 1,630 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
  • Antipolo

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
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs Antipolo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) or Antipolo?
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs about 33% more than Antipolo, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and in Antipolo?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,288 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $967 in Antipolo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) or Antipolo?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Antipolo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) compared to Antipolo?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $644 in Antipolo. That's a gap of about 33%.
How do childcare costs compare in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and in Antipolo?
Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $131 in Antipolo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) or in Antipolo?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Antipolo, where all-in costs run around $644, than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) at $859. In Antipolo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) or Antipolo?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Antipolo costs $644 versus $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) compared to Antipolo?
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.
Should I move to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) or to Antipolo?
If budget matters most, go with Antipolo. 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.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs other spots: cost of living compared

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