Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): $853 a month against $1,062 in Asuncion, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Living Index
51

Cost of Living Index in Asuncion
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Asuncion Living Index

Jump to prices

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$853

/mo nomad

Asuncion

🇵🇾 Paraguay

$1,062

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $853 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,062 in Asuncion, rent included.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $853
Asuncion $1,062

A couple spends around $1,391 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,655 in Asuncion, rent included.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,391
Asuncion $1,655

A family of three spends $1,930 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $2,249 in Asuncion, rent included.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,930
Asuncion $2,249

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is about 20% cheaper than Asuncion, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Asuncion are more affordable than the global median – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 37% lower, Asuncion 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 ₫49.3K

$6.76 ₲39.2K

-71.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.93 ₫592.4K

$43.17 ₲250.5K

-46.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ₫121.2K

$7.01 ₲40.7K

-33.10%

Cappuccino

$1.80 ₫46.5K

$3.47 ₲20.1K

-48.13%

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

$0.55 ₫14.3K

$1.09 ₲6,309

-49.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₫8,812

$0.55 ₲3,202

-38.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₫26.7K

$2.02 ₲11.7K

-49.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₫44.4K

$1.73 ₲10.0K

-0.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ₫43.1K

$1.27 ₲7,351

31.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ₫28.2K

$1.46 ₲8,483

-25.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₫27.3K

$1.39 ₲8,042

-23.74%

Eggs

$1.60 ₫41.3K

$2.36 ₲13.7K

-32.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 ₫312.1K

$9.88 ₲57.3K

22.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ₫94.5K

$5.23 ₲30.3K

-30.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.35 ₫267.3K

$10.02 ₲58.1K

3.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 ₫77.7K

$3.01 ₲17.5K

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ₫32.6K

$1.25 ₲7,279

0.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₫41.9K

$1.22 ₲7,105

32.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ₫32.7K

$2.49 ₲14.4K

-49.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ₫30.5K

$1.40 ₲8,097

-15.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ₫30.7K

$1.35 ₲7,859

-11.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 ₫20.1K

$0.91 ₲5,292

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₫14.3K

$0.71 ₲4,103

-22.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.26 ₫32.5K

$2.37 ₲13.8K

-46.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 ₫331.9K

$9.08 ₲52.7K

41.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₫23.1K

$1.33 ₲7,697

-32.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₫37.6K

$1.73 ₲10.0K

-15.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,260

$0.61 ₲3,511

-54.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.42 ₫295.0K

$36.24 ₲210.3K

-68.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 ₫18.2K

$1.51 ₲8,790

-53.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₫16.3K

$1.52 ₲8,817

-58.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ₫79.8K

$10.37 ₲60.2K

-70.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 ₫24.6K

$1.22 ₲7,103

-22.13%

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

$30.5K ₫788.3M

$17.0K ₲98.9M

79.06%

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

$29.7K ₫767.8M

$29.5K ₲171.4M

0.63%

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

$102 ₫2.6M

$51.4 ₲298.4K

98.76%

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

$5.65 ₫145.8K

$17.47 ₲101.4K

-67.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.43 ₫269.5K

$22.66 ₲131.5K

-53.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.30 ₫498.7K

$36.59 ₲212.3K

-47.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.81 ₫305.1K

$15.07 ₲87.5K

-21.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.83 ₫98.9K

$8.42 ₲48.9K

-54.51%

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

$484 ₫12.5M

$183 ₲1.1M

164.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₫602.3M

$5,692 ₲33.0M

309.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 ₫1.4M

$63.8 ₲370.1K

-18.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.35 ₫887.3K

$56.7 ₲328.8K

-39.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 ₫2.4M

$108 ₲628.5K

-14.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.2 ₫2.4M

$70.0 ₲406.4K

34.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 ₫16.7M

$639 ₲3.7M

1.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₫7.7M

$382 ₲2.2M

-22.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 ₫33.3M

$1,066 ₲6.2M

21.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 ₫18.6M

$635 ₲3.7M

13.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,327 ₫111.8M

$1,750 ₲10.2M

147.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,987 ₫51.3M

$1,233 ₲7.2M

61.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ₫12.7M

$726 ₲4.2M

-32.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

10.5

-17.71%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): October 26, 2026

Last update for Asuncion: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$297 34.9%

Asuncion

$382 36% 28.7% $85

Groceries & Markets

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$208 24.4%

Asuncion

$215 20.3% 3.5% $7.3

Clothing & Footwear

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$123 14.4%

Asuncion

$134 12.7% 9.4% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$118 13.9%

Asuncion

$92 8.6% 22.6% $27

Eating Out

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$63 7.4%

Asuncion

$137 12.9% 117% $74

Sport & Entertainment

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$27 3.2%

Asuncion

$53 5% 98.2% $26

Getting Around

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$16 1.9%

Asuncion

$48 4.5% 191% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $647 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $639 in Asuncion. 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 48% higher in Asuncion. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $43 in Asuncion. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $208 vs $215 – making Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇵🇾 Asuncion

🕒 Local time

19:00 7:00 PM

09:00 9:00 AM

10 h behind Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,456,700

742,023 Capital

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

Paraguayan Guarani PYG ₲

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.87 USD

100,000 VND = 3.48 EUR

10,000 PYG = 1.72 USD

10,000 PYG = 1.55 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PYG, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Dong (₫)

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 25,832 VND (100,000 VND = 3.87 USD). 1 EUR = 28,750 VND (100,000 VND = 3.48 EUR).

Paraguayan Guarani exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 5,803 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.72 USD). 1 EUR = 6,459 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.55 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Asuncion 17,710 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Asuncion

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 Asuncion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Asuncion is pricier by about 24%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,592 in Asuncion. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $647 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $639 in Asuncion. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Public transport costs about 68% less in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $484 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $183 in Asuncion. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $853 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,062 in Asuncion. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $853 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to $1,062 in Asuncion. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Asuncion makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.