Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Bejaia: $450 a month against $853 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam
Bejaia, Algeria
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
🇻🇳 Vietnam
$853
/mo nomad
Bejaia
🇩🇿 Algeria
$450
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $853 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $450 in Bejaia, rent included.

  • Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $853
  • Bejaia $450

A couple spends around $1,391 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $759 in Bejaia, rent included.

  • Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,391
  • Bejaia $759

A family of three spends $1,930 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,067 in Bejaia, rent included.

  • Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,930
  • Bejaia $1,067

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs about 89% more than Bejaia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Bejaia are more affordable than the global median – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 37% lower, Bejaia 67% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.91 ₫49.3K
$2.26 DZD 306
-15.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.93 ₫591.8K
$13.51 DZD 1,826
69.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.69 ₫121.0K
$4.29 DZD 580
9.32%
Cappuccino
$1.80 ₫46.4K
$0.24 DZD 32.60
650.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 ₫14.2K
$0.62 DZD 83.5
-11.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34 ₫8,802
$0.18 DZD 23.80
88.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.03 ₫26.7K
$0.68 DZD 92.2
51.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ₫44.4K
$1.09 DZD 148
57.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.67 ₫43.0K
$0.82 DZD 111
103.66%
White Bread (500g)
$1.09 ₫28.2K
$0.13 DZD 17.69
738.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.06 ₫27.2K
$1.16 DZD 156
-8.62%
Eggs
$1.60 ₫41.2K
$1.24 DZD 168
29.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.08 ₫311.8K
$6.21 DZD 840
94.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.66 ₫94.4K
$3.98 DZD 537
-8.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.35 ₫267.0K
$14.18 DZD 1,917
-27.01%
Apples (1kg)
$3.01 ₫77.7K
$2.08 DZD 281
44.71%
Banana (1kg)
$1.26 ₫32.5K
$1.94 DZD 262
-35.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.62 ₫41.9K
$1.12 DZD 151
44.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.27 ₫32.7K
$0.89 DZD 121
42.70%
Potato (1kg)
$1.18 ₫30.5K
$0.61 DZD 82.6
93.44%
Onion (1kg)
$1.19 ₫30.7K
$0.39 DZD 52.4
205.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.78 ₫20.1K
$0.79 DZD 107
-1.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ₫14.2K
$0.25 DZD 33.43
120.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.26 ₫32.5K
$2.64 DZD 357
-52.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.85 ₫331.5K
$6.82 DZD 922
88.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 ₫23.1K
$1.29 DZD 174
-30.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 ₫37.6K
$1.13 DZD 153
29.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.28 ₫7,252
$0.40 DZD 53.6
-30.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.42 ₫294.7K
$17.01 DZD 2,299
-32.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.70 ₫18.1K
$0.54 DZD 72.9
29.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.63 ₫16.2K
$0.43 DZD 57.8
46.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 ₫79.7K
$5.54 DZD 749
-44.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 ₫24.5K
$0.33 DZD 44.40
187.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.5K ₫787.4M
$35.0K DZD 4.7M
-12.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.7K ₫767.0M
$34.0K DZD 4.6M
-12.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$102 ₫2.6M
$44.76 DZD 6,050
128.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.65 ₫145.7K
$9.89 DZD 1,337
-42.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.43 ₫269.2K
$12.27 DZD 1,658
-15.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.30 ₫498.1K
$16.23 DZD 2,193
18.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.81 ₫304.8K
$5.55 DZD 750
112.79%
Cinema Ticket
$3.83 ₫98.8K
$2.97 DZD 402
28.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$484 ₫12.5M
$115 DZD 15.6K
320.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.3K ₫601.6M
$2,266 DZD 306.3K
928.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.3 ₫1.3M
$31.82 DZD 4,301
64.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.35 ₫886.3K
$34.15 DZD 4,615
0.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.3 ₫2.4M
$56.9 DZD 7,686
62.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.2 ₫2.4M
$56.1 DZD 7,586
67.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$647 ₫16.7M
$97.4 DZD 13.2K
563.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$297 ₫7.7M
$54.5 DZD 7,368
445.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,291 ₫33.3M
$232 DZD 31.3K
456.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$719 ₫18.6M
$186 DZD 25.2K
286.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,327 ₫111.6M
$4,448 DZD 601.2K
-2.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,987 ₫51.3M
$3,804 DZD 514.1K
-47.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$490 ₫12.6M
$215 DZD 29.0K
128.49%
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): October 26, 2026

Last update for Bejaia: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$297
Bejaia
$55 81.7% $243
Groceries & Markets
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$208
Bejaia
$162 22% $46
Clothing & Footwear
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$123
Bejaia
$81 34.5% $42
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$118
Bejaia
$67 43.4% $51
Eating Out
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$63
Bejaia
$43 32.4% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$27
Bejaia
$22 17.8% $4.8
Getting Around
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$16
Bejaia
$21 29.8% $4.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $647 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $97 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 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) are about 2.3 times higher. 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 $14 in Bejaia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $208 vs $162 – making Bejaia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
🇩🇿 Bejaia
🕒 Local time
11:16 11:16 AM
05:16 5:16 AM
6 h behind Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,456,700
177,988
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

DZD, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 25,802 VND (100,000 VND = 3.88 USD). 1 EUR = 28,810 VND (100,000 VND = 3.47 EUR).

Algerian Dinar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 135 DZD (1,000 DZD = 7.4 USD). 1 EUR = 151 DZD (1,000 DZD = 6.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Bejaia 10,310 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
  • Bejaia

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 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 89% more than Bejaia, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. 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 $1,279 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $675 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $97 there versus $647 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).
How expensive is transport in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) compared to Bejaia?
Public transport costs about 33% less in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). 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 $484 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $115 in Bejaia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $800/month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) or in Bejaia?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Bejaia, where all-in costs run around $450, than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) at $853. 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 families?
Families tend to lean toward Bejaia – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) compared to Bejaia?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) or to Bejaia?
If budget matters most, go with Bejaia. If higher salaries 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.

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