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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $826 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $773 in Asuncion, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,300 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,184 in Asuncion, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,773 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,596 in Asuncion, rent included.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs about 7% more than Asuncion, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Asuncion are more affordable than the global median – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower, Asuncion 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ₫53.3K

$4.28 ₲26.1K

-52.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.91 ₫602.2K

$26.53 ₲161.7K

-13.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ₫123.3K

$4.71 ₲28.7K

-0.42%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ₫44.5K

$1.88 ₲11.5K

-10.11%

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

$0.50 ₫13.2K

$0.82 ₲5,012

-39.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,267

$0.49 ₲3,004

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₫26.0K

$1.42 ₲8,664

-30.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₫39.3K

$1.92 ₲11.7K

-21.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ₫38.9K

$0.84 ₲5,135

76.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ₫27.0K

$1.00 ₲6,094

3.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₫25.9K

$0.99 ₲6,056

-1.01%

Eggs

$1.41 ₫36.9K

$1.58 ₲9,607

-10.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 ₫312.3K

$6.81 ₲41.5K

74.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 ₫94.7K

$3.13 ₲19.1K

15.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.55 ₫277.4K

$6.76 ₲41.2K

56.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ₫72.6K

$1.97 ₲12.0K

40.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ₫28.9K

$0.72 ₲4,392

52.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₫34.1K

$0.93 ₲5,673

39.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ₫30.6K

$1.65 ₲10.0K

-29.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.7K

$1.06 ₲6,463

10.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.9K

$1.13 ₲6,856

3.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ₫18.4K

$0.55 ₲3,357

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.4K

$0.56 ₲3,396

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.27 ₫33.3K

$1.36 ₲8,263

-6.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.32 ₫323.8K

$8.37 ₲51.0K

47.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₫22.3K

$0.72 ₲4,402

18.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₫39.1K

$1.40 ₲8,515

6.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,437

$0.44 ₲2,691

-36.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.75 ₫282.6K

$25.15 ₲153.3K

-57.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₫17.7K

$0.60 ₲3,665

11.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₫18.2K

$0.78 ₲4,751

-11.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 ₫78.7K

$8.61 ₲52.5K

-65.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₫21.7K

$0.87 ₲5,331

-5.75%

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

$37.5K ₫986.5M

$14.7K ₲89.6M

155.29%

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

$33.6K ₫882.4M

$24.0K ₲146.4M

39.72%

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

$84.8 ₫2.2M

$43.01 ₲262.1K

97.21%

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

$6.06 ₫159.4K

$13.65 ₲83.2K

-55.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.14 ₫240.3K

$14.92 ₲90.9K

-38.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.73 ₫544.9K

$27.62 ₲168.3K

-24.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.37 ₫246.5K

$11.59 ₲70.6K

-19.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 ₫111.9K

$4.94 ₲30.1K

-13.77%

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

$273 ₫7.2M

$163 ₲990.4K

67.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ₫362.4M

$3,228 ₲19.7M

326.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.85 ₫1.1M

$49.74 ₲303.2K

-13.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.36 ₫719.2K

$31.28 ₲190.7K

-12.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 ₫2.6M

$71.7 ₲437.0K

36.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 ₫2.3M

$52.3 ₲318.6K

66.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 ₫13.8M

$394 ₲2.4M

33.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₫8.1M

$293 ₲1.8M

4.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 ₫28.7M

$728 ₲4.4M

49.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 ₫17.6M

$476 ₲2.9M

40.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,497 ₫118.2M

$1,687 ₲10.3M

166.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,791 ₫47.1M

$1,220 ₲7.4M

46.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$509 ₫13.4M

$647 ₲3.9M

-21.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.14

10.17

-10.13%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): May 30, 2026

Last update for Asuncion: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $526 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $394 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 27% higher in Asuncion, 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 $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $27.00 in Asuncion. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $149 in Asuncion – so Asuncion wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,240 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,159 in Asuncion. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Asuncion, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 134% less in Asuncion. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $273 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $163 in Asuncion. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $826 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $773 in Asuncion, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Asuncion – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Asuncion. 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.