😐A single person spends $825 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $578 in Bejaia, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,301 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $875 in Bejaia, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $1,778 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,172 in Bejaia, rent included.
😐Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs about 43% more than Bejaia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Bejaia are more affordable than the global median – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)39% lower, Bejaia57% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.97₫51.7K
$2.33DZD 309
-15.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.39₫614.1K
$7.78DZD 1,031
200.64%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.69₫123.1K
$4.78DZD 634
-1.88%
Cappuccino
$1.77₫46.4K
$0.25DZD 33.24
608.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48₫12.5K
$0.61DZD 80.4
-21.31%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28₫7,237
$0.21DZD 27.76
33.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.99₫26.1K
$1.98DZD 262
-50.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56₫40.9K
$1.21DZD 160
28.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.51₫39.5K
$1.04DZD 138
45.19%
White Bread(500g)
$0.98₫25.7K
$0.13DZD 16.98
653.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.96₫25.2K
$1.53DZD 202
-37.25%
Eggs
$1.47₫38.6K
$1.79DZD 237
-17.88%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.89₫312.1K
$6.25DZD 828
90.24%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.56₫93.6K
$5.41DZD 717
-34.20%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.61₫278.6K
$16.39DZD 2,173
-35.27%
Apples(1kg)
$2.67₫70.2K
$3.21DZD 426
-16.82%
Banana(1kg)
$1.15₫30.2K
$1.96DZD 260
-41.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.36₫35.6K
$1.79DZD 237
-24.02%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.18₫31.0K
$0.92DZD 122
28.26%
Potato(1kg)
$1.15₫30.2K
$0.59DZD 78.6
94.92%
Onion(1kg)
$1.23₫32.4K
$0.49DZD 65.6
151.02%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.74₫19.5K
$0.67DZD 88.2
10.45%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.47₫12.4K
$0.28DZD 36.65
67.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.28₫33.6K
$2.72DZD 360
-52.94%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.69₫333.2K
$6.86DZD 910
84.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.85₫22.4K
$1.31DZD 173
-35.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47₫38.6K
$2.10DZD 279
-30.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.26₫6,796
$0.17DZD 22.47
52.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$10.74₫281.9K
$23.22DZD 3,078
-53.75%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.67₫17.7K
$0.70DZD 92.7
-4.29%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.63₫16.6K
$0.36DZD 47.78
75.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.13₫82.0K
$4.02DZD 533
-22.14%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.82₫21.5K
$0.33DZD 44.36
148.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K₫1.0B
$36.0KDZD 4.8M
5.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.0K₫893.7M
$34.0KDZD 4.5M
0.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$85.0₫2.2M
$40.84DZD 5,413
108.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.85₫153.6K
$9.59DZD 1,271
-39.00%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.10₫238.9K
$17.63DZD 2,336
-48.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$20.54₫539.1K
$21.07DZD 2,792
-2.52%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.70₫254.5K
$5.92DZD 785
63.85%
Cinema Ticket
$4.31₫113.1K
$4.66DZD 617
-7.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$274₫7.2M
$93.8DZD 12.4K
191.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.1K₫371.0M
$2,322DZD 307.8K
508.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.11₫1.1M
$32.36DZD 4,288
30.13%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.32₫717.0K
$44.66DZD 5,919
-38.83%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.4₫2.5M
$62.5DZD 8,288
54.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.6₫2.3M
$77.9DZD 10.3K
11.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$535₫14.0M
$195DZD 25.8K
174.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$310₫8.1M
$114DZD 15.1K
172.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,093₫28.7M
$274DZD 36.3K
298.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$650₫17.1M
$182DZD 24.2K
256.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,532₫119.0M
$4,640DZD 614.9K
-2.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,820₫47.8M
$3,951DZD 523.6K
-53.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$505₫13.3M
$316DZD 41.9K
59.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.14
5.42
68.63%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): June 9, 2026
Last update for Bejaia: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $535 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $195 in Bejaia. 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 60% 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 $8.00 in Bejaia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $193 – making Bejaia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Bejaia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) or Bejaia?
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs about 43% more than Bejaia, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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) vs Bejaia?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,237 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $867 in Bejaia. 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 Bejaia?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bejaia, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How expensive is transport in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs Bejaia?
Public transport costs about 116% less in Bejaia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Bejaia?
Kindergarten costs $274 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $93.8 in Bejaia. 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 Bejaia?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bejaia, where all-in costs run around $578, than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) at $825. In Bejaia 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 Bejaia?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bejaia costs $578 versus $825 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 Bejaia?
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 Bejaia?
If budget matters most, go with Bejaia. 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