😐A single person spends $839 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $584 in Bejaia, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,328 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $880 in Bejaia, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $1,817 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,175 in Bejaia, rent included.
😐Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs about 44% 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)37% lower, Bejaia56% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.97₫51.6K
$2.42DZD 320
-18.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.04₫604.6K
$7.81DZD 1,035
195.01%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.68₫122.7K
$4.66DZD 617
0.43%
Cappuccino
$1.69₫44.4K
$0.23DZD 30.43
634.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.51₫13.5K
$0.60DZD 79.8
-15.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30₫7,952
$0.23DZD 30.59
30.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.03₫27.0K
$1.92DZD 255
-46.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52₫40.0K
$1.17DZD 155
29.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.45₫38.1K
$1.00DZD 133
45.00%
White Bread(500g)
$0.98₫25.7K
$0.16DZD 20.97
512.50%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.98₫25.8K
$1.61DZD 213
-39.13%
Eggs
$1.41₫37.1K
$1.79DZD 237
-21.23%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.86₫311.2K
$6.13DZD 813
93.47%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.72₫97.5K
$5.40DZD 715
-31.11%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.51₫275.7K
$16.31DZD 2,161
-35.56%
Apples(1kg)
$2.73₫71.7K
$3.05DZD 404
-10.49%
Banana(1kg)
$1.14₫30.0K
$1.86DZD 246
-38.71%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.35₫35.3K
$1.78DZD 236
-24.16%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.17₫30.6K
$0.92DZD 122
27.17%
Potato(1kg)
$1.16₫30.4K
$0.59DZD 78.1
96.61%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17₫30.6K
$0.50DZD 65.8
134.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.76₫20.0K
$0.67DZD 89.4
13.43%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50₫13.2K
$0.28DZD 36.58
78.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.21₫31.9K
$2.68DZD 356
-54.85%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.93₫339.3K
$6.84DZD 906
89.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.90₫23.5K
$1.33DZD 177
-32.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42₫37.2K
$2.09DZD 277
-32.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.26₫6,792
$0.18DZD 23.32
44.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$10.73₫281.6K
$22.78DZD 3,019
-52.90%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.72₫18.8K
$0.71DZD 94.4
1.41%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.65₫16.9K
$0.34DZD 44.82
91.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.16₫82.9K
$3.86DZD 511
-18.13%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.88₫23.2K
$0.37DZD 48.60
137.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.9K₫993.3M
$35.1KDZD 4.7M
7.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.7K₫883.2M
$33.4KDZD 4.4M
0.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$85.5₫2.2M
$40.63DZD 5,383
110.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.97₫156.7K
$9.63DZD 1,276
-38.01%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.41₫247.0K
$17.62DZD 2,335
-46.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$20.92₫549.0K
$20.96DZD 2,777
-0.19%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.18₫240.9K
$5.83DZD 772
57.46%
Cinema Ticket
$4.09₫107.4K
$4.53DZD 600
-9.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$276₫7.2M
$93.6DZD 12.4K
194.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.2K₫373.8M
$2,380DZD 315.4K
498.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.67₫1.1M
$31.58DZD 4,185
31.95%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.51₫721.8K
$45.65DZD 6,048
-39.74%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.0₫2.5M
$63.3DZD 8,388
51.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.7₫2.2M
$75.9DZD 10.1K
13.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$532₫14.0M
$196DZD 26.0K
171.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$306₫8.0M
$115DZD 15.2K
166.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,107₫29.0M
$269DZD 35.7K
310.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$657₫17.2M
$180DZD 23.8K
265.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,113₫107.9M
$4,679DZD 620.0K
-12.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,909₫50.1M
$4,078DZD 540.4K
-53.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bejaia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$481₫12.6M
$327DZD 43.3K
47.17%
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): April 28, 2026
Last update for Bejaia: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $532 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $196 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 47% 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 $191 – 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 44% 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 $1,259 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $877 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 112% 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 $276 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $93.6 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 Bejaia?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $839 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $584 in Bejaia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) or Bejaia?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bejaia costs $584 versus $839 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