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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $826 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $595 in Bac Ninh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,300 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $995 in Bac Ninh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,773 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,396 in Bac Ninh, rent included.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs about 39% more than Bac Ninh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Bac Ninh are more affordable than the global median – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower, Bac Ninh 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ₫53.2K

$1.18 ₫31.0K

72.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.91 ₫601.9K

$26.58 ₫698.5K

-13.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ₫123.3K

$2.52 ₫66.3K

86.11%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ₫44.5K

$1.17 ₫30.7K

44.44%

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

$0.50 ₫13.2K

$0.28 ₫7,383

78.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,263

$0.16 ₫4,247

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₫26.0K

$0.67 ₫17.6K

47.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₫39.3K

$0.99 ₫26.1K

51.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ₫38.9K

$1.38 ₫36.3K

7.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ₫26.9K

$0.92 ₫24.1K

11.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₫25.9K

$0.91 ₫24.0K

7.69%

Eggs

$1.41 ₫36.9K

$1.52 ₫39.9K

-7.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 ₫312.1K

$9.24 ₫242.9K

28.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 ₫94.6K

$3.80 ₫99.8K

-5.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.55 ₫277.3K

$9.52 ₫250.2K

10.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ₫72.5K

$3.24 ₫85.2K

-14.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ₫28.9K

$1.03 ₫27.0K

6.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₫34.1K

$1.59 ₫41.9K

-18.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ₫30.6K

$1.12 ₫29.5K

3.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.7K

$1.06 ₫28.0K

10.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.9K

$1.04 ₫27.3K

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ₫18.4K

$0.56 ₫14.8K

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.4K

$0.53 ₫14.0K

-3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.27 ₫33.2K

$1.37 ₫36.0K

-7.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.32 ₫323.6K

$13.26 ₫348.4K

-7.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₫22.3K

$0.92 ₫24.1K

-7.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₫39.1K

$1.75 ₫45.9K

-14.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,433

$0.32 ₫8,403

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.75 ₫282.5K

$6.45 ₫169.5K

66.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₫17.7K

$0.75 ₫19.6K

-10.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₫18.2K

$0.58 ₫15.2K

18.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 ₫78.7K

$1.66 ₫43.6K

80.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₫21.7K

$0.89 ₫23.4K

-7.87%

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

$37.5K ₫985.9M

$39.0K ₫1.0B

-3.69%

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

$33.6K ₫881.9M

$31.2K ₫819.9M

7.56%

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

$84.8 ₫2.2M

$78.7 ₫2.1M

7.83%

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

$6.06 ₫159.3K

$5.23 ₫137.5K

15.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.14 ₫240.2K

$6.77 ₫177.9K

35.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.73 ₫544.6K

$11.67 ₫306.5K

77.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.37 ₫246.3K

$7.89 ₫207.3K

18.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 ₫111.8K

$3.03 ₫79.6K

40.59%

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

$273 ₫7.2M

$263 ₫6.9M

3.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ₫362.2M

$6,491 ₫170.6M

112.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.85 ₫1.1M

$44.98 ₫1.2M

-4.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.36 ₫718.8K

$22.81 ₫599.2K

19.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 ₫2.6M

$89.6 ₫2.4M

8.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 ₫2.3M

$73.8 ₫1.9M

18.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 ₫13.8M

$266 ₫7.0M

97.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₫8.1M

$154 ₫4.0M

99.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 ₫28.6M

$580 ₫15.2M

88.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 ₫17.6M

$348 ₫9.1M

92.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,497 ₫118.2M

$1,609 ₫42.3M

179.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,791 ₫47.1M

$765 ₫20.1M

134.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$509 ₫13.4M

$370 ₫9.7M

37.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.14

9.1

0.44%

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 Bac Ninh: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $526 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $266 in Bac Ninh. 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 38% 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 $27.00 in Bac Ninh. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $191 in Bac Ninh – so Bac Ninh 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 Bac Ninh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs about 39% more than Bac Ninh, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,240 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $893 in Bac Ninh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $826 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $595 in Bac Ninh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 67% less in Bac Ninh. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $826 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $595 in Bac Ninh, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bac Ninh costs $595 versus $826 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Bac Ninh. 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.