Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Bogo City: $735 a month against $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Rent and utilities 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
37

Cost of Living Index in Bogo City
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Bogo City Living Index

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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$859

/mo nomad

Bogo City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$735

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $735 in Bogo City.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $859
Bogo City $735

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,395 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,158 in Bogo City.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,395
Bogo City $1,158

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,931 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,580 in Bogo City.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,931
Bogo City $1,580

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 17% more expensive than in Bogo City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 36% lower, Bogo City 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 ₫49.6K

$3.00 ₱189

-36.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.84 ₫591.2K

$23.52 ₱1,481

-2.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₫117.6K

$4.02 ₱253

12.94%

Cappuccino

$1.85 ₫48.0K

$2.51 ₱158

-26.29%

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

$0.56 ₫14.6K

$1.54 ₱97.2

-63.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,185

$0.54 ₱33.69

-40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ₫27.5K

$1.73 ₱109

-38.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₫44.5K

$2.20 ₱139

-21.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₫42.9K

$1.36 ₱85.9

22.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 ₫28.7K

$1.16 ₱73.3

-4.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₫25.9K

$0.93 ₱58.4

7.53%

Eggs

$1.67 ₫43.1K

$1.97 ₱124

-15.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 ₫312.8K

$10.04 ₱632

20.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ₫95.2K

$3.12 ₱197

17.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 ₫265.1K

$5.50 ₱346

86.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 ₫76.5K

$3.32 ₱209

-10.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ₫32.2K

$1.39 ₱87.7

-10.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 ₫40.3K

$2.32 ₱146

-32.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ₫33.6K

$1.49 ₱93.6

-12.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 ₫31.9K

$2.37 ₱150

-48.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ₫29.8K

$1.96 ₱124

-41.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ₫19.1K

$1.19 ₱75.0

-37.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₫14.4K

$0.62 ₱39.11

-9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.24 ₫32.1K

$2.88 ₱181

-56.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.60 ₫326.1K

$6.27 ₱395

100.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₫24.9K

$1.28 ₱80.4

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₫39.6K

$1.65 ₱104

-7.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₫6,694

$0.28 ₱17.64

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.51 ₫297.9K

$11.91 ₱750

-3.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₫19.5K

$0.77 ₱48.56

-2.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 ₫17.4K

$0.23 ₱14.54

191.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ₫78.5K

$1.93 ₱122

56.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 ₫24.8K

$1.38 ₱87.1

-30.43%

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

$31.1K ₫804.3M

$21.0K ₱1.3M

47.66%

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

$30.4K ₫785.9M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

56.31%

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

$102 ₫2.6M

$119 ₱7,493

-14.31%

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

$5.89 ₫152.5K

$14.21 ₱895

-58.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.49 ₫271.6K

$27.87 ₱1,754

-62.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.54 ₫661.2K

$27.57 ₱1,736

-7.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.92 ₫308.5K

$4.79 ₱302

148.85%

Cinema Ticket

$3.53 ₫91.3K

$5.68 ₱358

-37.85%

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

$436 ₫11.3M

$132 ₱8,316

230.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₫602.8M

$8,080 ₱508.7K

188.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 ₫1.4M

$32.64 ₱2,055

61.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.15 ₫884.1K

$19.38 ₱1,220

76.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 ₫2.3M

$76.2 ₱4,797

18.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ₫2.5M

$58.1 ₱3,660

63.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 ₫15.3M

$282 ₱17.8K

108.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ₫7.7M

$163 ₱10.2K

83.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 ₫33.5M

$453 ₱28.5K

185.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$711 ₫18.4M

$385 ₱24.2K

84.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,676 ₫121.1M

$2,767 ₱174.2K

68.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,904 ₫49.3M

$984 ₱62.0K

93.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ₫12.7M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

7.2

20.00%

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 Bogo City: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$298 34.7%

Bogo City

$163 22.1% 45.4% $135

Groceries & Markets

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$207 24.1%

Bogo City

$186 25.3% 10.1% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$122 14.3%

Bogo City

$84 11.4% 31.5% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$118 13.8%

Bogo City

$161 21.9% 36.1% $43

Eating Out

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$63 7.4%

Bogo City

$87 11.9% 37.8% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$33 3.8%

Bogo City

$39 5.3% 19.4% $6.3

Getting Around

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$17 1.9%

Bogo City

$15 2% 10.2% $1.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $589 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $282 in Bogo City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $24.00 in Bogo City. Groceries flip the comparison at $207 vs $186, with Bogo City cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇵🇭 Bogo City

🕒 Local time

11:27 11:27 AM

12:27 12:27 PM

1 h ahead of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,456,700

23,562

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Dong (₫)

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,105 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Bogo City 1,890 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Bogo City

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 Bogo City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bogo City is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and transport. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,288 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,103 in Bogo City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $589 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $282 in Bogo City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $859 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $735 in Bogo City – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bogo City runs roughly 3% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $735 in Bogo City versus $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bogo City but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Bogo City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bogo City 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 Bogo City 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 Bogo City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.