Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Bien Hoa: $660 a month against $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Living Index
32

Cost of Living Index in Bien Hoa
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Bien Hoa Living Index

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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$859

/mo nomad

Bien Hoa

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$660

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $660 in Bien Hoa.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $859
Bien Hoa $660

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,395 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $916 in Bien Hoa.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,395
Bien Hoa $916

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,931 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,172 in Bien Hoa.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,931
Bien Hoa $1,172

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 30% more expensive than in Bien Hoa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 36% lower, Bien Hoa 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 ₫49.6K

$1.95 ₫50.4K

-2.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.84 ₫591.2K

$11.65 ₫301.5K

96.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₫117.6K

$4.50 ₫116.4K

0.89%

Cappuccino

$1.85 ₫48.0K

$1.13 ₫29.2K

63.72%

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

$0.56 ₫14.6K

$0.42 ₫10.8K

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,185

$0.23 ₫5,980

39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ₫27.5K

$0.52 ₫13.4K

103.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₫44.5K

$0.75 ₫19.4K

129.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₫42.9K

$1.28 ₫33.2K

29.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 ₫28.7K

$0.80 ₫20.8K

38.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₫25.9K

$0.86 ₫22.2K

16.28%

Eggs

$1.67 ₫43.1K

$1.37 ₫35.5K

21.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 ₫312.8K

$12.01 ₫311.0K

0.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ₫95.2K

$1.89 ₫48.8K

94.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 ₫265.1K

$9.39 ₫243.0K

9.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 ₫76.5K

$2.08 ₫53.8K

42.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ₫32.2K

$1.23 ₫31.9K

0.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 ₫40.3K

$1.14 ₫29.4K

36.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ₫33.6K

$0.92 ₫23.8K

41.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 ₫31.9K

$1.21 ₫31.4K

1.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ₫29.8K

$1.18 ₫30.5K

-2.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ₫19.1K

$0.44 ₫11.3K

68.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₫14.4K

$0.49 ₫12.7K

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.24 ₫32.1K

$1.26 ₫32.5K

-1.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.60 ₫326.1K

$7.62 ₫197.3K

65.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₫24.9K

$0.42 ₫10.9K

128.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₫39.6K

$0.74 ₫19.3K

106.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₫6,694

$0.32 ₫8,180

-18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.51 ₫297.9K

$6.62 ₫171.3K

73.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₫19.5K

$0.46 ₫11.8K

63.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 ₫17.4K

$0.55 ₫14.3K

21.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ₫78.5K

$1.17 ₫30.2K

158.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 ₫24.8K

$0.85 ₫21.9K

12.94%

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

$31.1K ₫804.3M

$30.5K ₫790.0M

1.80%

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

$30.4K ₫785.9M

$30.4K ₫787.3M

-0.18%

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

$102 ₫2.6M

$50.6 ₫1.3M

101.46%

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

$5.89 ₫152.5K

$4.21 ₫109.0K

39.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.49 ₫271.6K

$6.78 ₫175.4K

54.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.54 ₫661.2K

$10.83 ₫280.4K

135.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.92 ₫308.5K

$7.91 ₫204.7K

50.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.53 ₫91.3K

$3.38 ₫87.4K

4.44%

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

$436 ₫11.3M

$67.6 ₫1.8M

545.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₫602.8M

$14.2K ₫366.8M

64.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 ₫1.4M

$15.41 ₫399.1K

242.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.15 ₫884.1K

$15.53 ₫402.1K

119.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 ₫2.3M

$68.3 ₫1.8M

32.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ₫2.5M

$95.1 ₫2.5M

-0.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 ₫15.3M

$404 ₫10.4M

46.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ₫7.7M

$270 ₫7.0M

10.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 ₫33.5M

$415 ₫10.7M

211.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$711 ₫18.4M

$310 ₫8.0M

128.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,676 ₫121.1M

$2,888 ₫74.8M

61.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,904 ₫49.3M

$1,326 ₫34.3M

43.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ₫12.7M

$302 ₫7.8M

62.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

7.8

10.77%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): October 10, 2026

Last update for Bien Hoa: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$298 34.7%

Bien Hoa

$270 40.9% 9.4% $28

Groceries & Markets

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$207 24.1%

Bien Hoa

$163 24.7% 21.4% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$122 14.3%

Bien Hoa

$87 13.3% 28.6% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$118 13.8%

Bien Hoa

$62 9.3% 48% $57

Eating Out

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$63 7.4%

Bien Hoa

$49 7.5% 22.3% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$33 3.8%

Bien Hoa

$18 2.7% 46.1% $15

Getting Around

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$17 1.9%

Bien Hoa

$11 1.7% 33.3% $5.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $589 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $404 in Bien Hoa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 62% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $12.00 in Bien Hoa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $163 per month, with Bien Hoa cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Bien Hoa

🕒 Local time

16:08 4:08 PM

Same time as Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,456,700

1,272,235

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Bien Hoa 24 km

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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 Bien Hoa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bien Hoa is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 62% higher in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $589 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $404 in Bien Hoa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bien Hoa – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $660 in Bien Hoa versus $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bien Hoa but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Bien Hoa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bien Hoa is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Bien Hoa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bien Hoa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.