😐A single person spends $840 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $473 in Bejaia, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,361 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $795 in Bejaia, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $1,883 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,117 in Bejaia, rent included.
😐Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs about 78% 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, Bejaia65% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.07₫53.7K
$2.43DZD 324
-14.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.52₫611.4K
$13.51DZD 1,804
74.09%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.54₫118.1K
$4.55DZD 607
-0.22%
Cappuccino
$1.90₫49.5K
$0.25DZD 33.44
660.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53₫13.9K
$0.62DZD 83.5
-14.52%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33₫8,687
$0.18DZD 23.59
83.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.11₫29.0K
$0.66DZD 88.0
68.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63₫42.3K
$1.10DZD 147
48.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.66₫43.3K
$0.91DZD 122
82.42%
White Bread(500g)
$1.07₫27.7K
$0.13DZD 17.19
723.08%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.03₫26.9K
$1.15DZD 154
-10.43%
Eggs
$1.57₫40.9K
$1.40DZD 187
12.14%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.89₫309.2K
$6.39DZD 854
86.07%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.58₫93.2K
$4.08DZD 544
-12.25%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.65₫276.8K
$14.79DZD 1,976
-27.99%
Apples(1kg)
$3.18₫82.6K
$2.17DZD 290
46.54%
Banana(1kg)
$1.29₫33.6K
$2.09DZD 279
-38.28%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.62₫42.2K
$1.16DZD 155
39.66%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.25₫32.5K
$0.99DZD 133
26.26%
Potato(1kg)
$1.20₫31.3K
$0.64DZD 85.9
87.50%
Onion(1kg)
$1.15₫29.8K
$0.39DZD 52.7
194.87%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.76₫19.8K
$0.84DZD 112
-9.52%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55₫14.3K
$0.28DZD 37.86
96.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.22₫31.6K
$2.59DZD 346
-52.90%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.56₫326.4K
$6.97DZD 931
80.20%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.87₫22.5K
$1.27DZD 170
-31.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52₫39.6K
$1.13DZD 151
34.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.28₫7,338
$0.40DZD 53.6
-30.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.34₫294.7K
$17.80DZD 2,378
-36.29%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.69₫18.1K
$0.59DZD 79.1
16.95%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.65₫17.0K
$0.48DZD 64.6
35.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.15₫81.9K
$5.62DZD 751
-43.95%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.88₫22.8K
$0.36DZD 48.58
144.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.8K₫800.8M
$36.0KDZD 4.8M
-14.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.4K₫791.4M
$35.2KDZD 4.7M
-13.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$106₫2.7M
$45.71DZD 6,106
131.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.66₫147.1K
$10.84DZD 1,449
-47.79%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.96₫258.9K
$12.69DZD 1,695
-21.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.43₫661.0K
$16.82DZD 2,247
51.19%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.90₫309.4K
$5.79DZD 774
105.53%
Cinema Ticket
$3.47₫90.3K
$3.21DZD 429
8.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$476₫12.4M
$118DZD 15.8K
301.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.0K₫598.4M
$2,381DZD 318.0K
867.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.9₫1.3M
$33.38DZD 4,459
55.45%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.55₫898.1K
$35.96DZD 4,804
-3.92%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$91.7₫2.4M
$58.7DZD 7,842
56.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.6₫2.5M
$58.9DZD 7,864
62.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$574₫14.9M
$97.6DZD 13.0K
487.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$283₫7.4M
$56.1DZD 7,496
404.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,256₫32.7M
$234DZD 31.3K
437.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$685₫17.8M
$198DZD 26.5K
245.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,681₫121.7M
$4,594DZD 613.7K
1.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,907₫49.6M
$4,034DZD 538.9K
-52.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$485₫12.6M
$217DZD 29.0K
123.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.64
5.3
63.02%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): September 13, 2026
Last update for Bejaia: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $574 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $97.6 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 123% 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 $24.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $14.00 in Bejaia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $208 vs $170 – 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 78% 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) and in Bejaia?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,260 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $710 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) compared to Bejaia?
Public transport costs about 57% 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 in Bejaia?
Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $118 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 in Bejaia?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bejaia, where all-in costs run around $473, than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) at $840. 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 $473 versus $840 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 to 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