Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Binh Duong: $571 a month against $853 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Living Index
28

Cost of Living Index in Binh Duong
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Binh Duong Living Index

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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$853

/mo nomad

Binh Duong

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$571

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $853 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $571 in Binh Duong.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $853
Binh Duong $571

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,391 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $964 in Binh Duong.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,391
Binh Duong $964

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,930 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,357 in Binh Duong.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,930
Binh Duong $1,357

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 49% more expensive than in Binh Duong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 37% lower, Binh Duong 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 ₫49.4K

$1.92 ₫49.5K

-0.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.93 ₫592.9K

$22.91 ₫592.3K

0.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ₫121.2K

$3.38 ₫87.3K

38.76%

Cappuccino

$1.80 ₫46.5K

$1.63 ₫42.2K

10.43%

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

$0.55 ₫14.3K

$0.50 ₫12.9K

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₫8,819

$0.30 ₫7,768

13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₫26.8K

$0.73 ₫18.7K

41.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₫44.5K

$0.99 ₫25.6K

73.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ₫43.1K

$1.60 ₫41.3K

4.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ₫28.2K

$0.81 ₫21.0K

34.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₫27.3K

$0.62 ₫16.0K

70.97%

Eggs

$1.60 ₫41.3K

$1.50 ₫38.7K

6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 ₫312.4K

$11.66 ₫301.5K

3.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ₫94.6K

$3.48 ₫90.0K

5.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.35 ₫267.5K

$10.03 ₫259.2K

3.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 ₫77.8K

$2.17 ₫56.1K

38.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ₫32.6K

$0.61 ₫15.7K

106.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₫42.0K

$0.73 ₫18.9K

121.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ₫32.7K

$1.09 ₫28.2K

16.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ₫30.6K

$0.94 ₫24.2K

25.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ₫30.8K

$1.04 ₫27.0K

14.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 ₫20.2K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₫14.3K

$0.50 ₫12.8K

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.26 ₫32.6K

$0.81 ₫20.8K

55.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 ₫332.2K

$9.90 ₫256.0K

29.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₫23.2K

$0.60 ₫15.5K

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₫37.6K

$1.00 ₫25.9K

46.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,266

$0.31 ₫8,140

-9.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.42 ₫295.3K

$6.61 ₫170.8K

72.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 ₫18.2K

$0.37 ₫9,637

89.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₫16.3K

$0.60 ₫15.5K

5.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ₫79.9K

$3.10 ₫80.2K

-0.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 ₫24.6K

$0.82 ₫21.3K

15.85%

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

$30.5K ₫788.9M

$30.5K ₫789.8M

-0.11%

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

$29.7K ₫768.4M

$29.1K ₫751.5M

2.26%

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

$102 ₫2.6M

$38.54 ₫996.3K

165.23%

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

$5.65 ₫145.9K

$5.63 ₫145.5K

0.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.43 ₫269.7K

$6.38 ₫165.0K

63.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.30 ₫499.0K

$22.75 ₫588.2K

-15.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.81 ₫305.4K

$7.76 ₫200.7K

52.19%

Cinema Ticket

$3.83 ₫99.0K

$2.98 ₫77.0K

28.52%

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

$484 ₫12.5M

$393 ₫10.2M

23.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₫602.7M

$23.4K ₫603.9M

-0.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 ₫1.4M

$31.76 ₫821.0K

64.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.35 ₫888.0K

$15.53 ₫401.4K

121.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 ₫2.4M

$76.0 ₫2.0M

21.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.2 ₫2.4M

$70.2 ₫1.8M

34.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 ₫16.7M

$256 ₫6.6M

152.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₫7.7M

$163 ₫4.2M

82.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 ₫33.4M

$627 ₫16.2M

105.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 ₫18.6M

$390 ₫10.1M

84.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,327 ₫111.9M

$1,585 ₫41.0M

173.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,987 ₫51.4M

$959 ₫24.8M

107.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ₫12.7M

$342 ₫8.8M

43.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

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 Binh Duong: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$297 34.9%

Binh Duong

$163 28.6% 45.1% $134

Groceries & Markets

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$208 24.4%

Binh Duong

$177 30.9% 15% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$123 14.4%

Binh Duong

$87 15.2% 29.1% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$118 13.9%

Binh Duong

$51 8.9% 57.3% $68

Eating Out

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$63 7.4%

Binh Duong

$54 9.4% 14.7% $9.3

Sport & Entertainment

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$27 3.2%

Binh Duong

$29 5% 6.5% $1.8

Getting Around

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$16 1.9%

Binh Duong

$11 2% 31.5% $5.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $647 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $256 in Binh Duong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 44% 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 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $23 in Binh Duong. Groceries flip the comparison at $208 vs $177, with Binh Duong cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Binh Duong

🕒 Local time

15:24 3:24 PM

Same time as Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,456,700

373,105

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.87 USD

100,000 VND = 3.47 EUR

100,000 VND = 3.87 USD

100,000 VND = 3.47 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Binh Duong 23 km

From you

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Binh Duong

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 Binh Duong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $853 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $571 in Binh Duong, so Binh Duong is about 33% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 44% 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: $647 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $256 in Binh Duong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $853 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $571 in Binh Duong – Binh Duong is about 33% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Binh Duong gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Binh Duong are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Binh Duong wins on affordability, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.