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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $825 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,451 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,301 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $2,210 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,778 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $2,969 in Budapest, rent included.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is about 43% cheaper than Budapest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) sits 39% below the global median, while Budapest is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.97 ₫51.7K

$11.64 Ft 3,535

-83.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.39 ₫614.1K

$58.5 Ft 17.8K

-60.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ₫123.1K

$8.61 Ft 2,615

-45.53%

Cappuccino

$1.77 ₫46.4K

$2.83 Ft 861

-37.46%

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

$0.48 ₫12.5K

$1.81 Ft 550

-73.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,237

$1.35 Ft 411

-79.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₫26.1K

$2.96 Ft 900

-66.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ₫40.9K

$2.92 Ft 887

-46.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 ₫39.5K

$1.27 Ft 386

18.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₫25.7K

$1.66 Ft 506

-40.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ₫25.2K

$2.04 Ft 621

-52.94%

Eggs

$1.47 ₫38.6K

$3.16 Ft 959

-53.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.89 ₫312.1K

$9.88 Ft 3,000

20.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 ₫93.6K

$6.17 Ft 1,875

-42.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 ₫278.6K

$13.46 Ft 4,089

-21.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 ₫70.2K

$1.86 Ft 565

43.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 ₫30.2K

$1.91 Ft 581

-39.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ₫35.6K

$2.08 Ft 631

-34.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 ₫31.0K

$3.61 Ft 1,097

-67.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 ₫30.2K

$1.14 Ft 346

0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 ₫32.4K

$1.22 Ft 369

0.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ₫19.5K

$1.54 Ft 469

-51.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₫12.4K

$0.53 Ft 162

-11.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.28 ₫33.6K

$6.88 Ft 2,090

-81.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.69 ₫333.2K

$5.98 Ft 1,815

112.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₫22.4K

$1.20 Ft 364

-29.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ₫38.6K

$1.65 Ft 503

-10.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₫6,796

$1.31 Ft 399

-80.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.74 ₫281.9K

$25.92 Ft 7,875

-58.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₫17.7K

$3.23 Ft 982

-79.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₫16.6K

$1.13 Ft 343

-44.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 ₫82.0K

$18.91 Ft 5,745

-83.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₫21.5K

$1.75 Ft 530

-53.14%

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

$38.2K ₫1.0B

$25.5K Ft 7.7M

49.90%

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

$34.0K ₫893.7M

$31.6K Ft 9.6M

7.64%

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

$85.0 ₫2.2M

$145 Ft 44.2K

-41.51%

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

$5.85 ₫153.6K

$26.44 Ft 8,034

-77.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.10 ₫238.9K

$19.87 Ft 6,037

-54.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.54 ₫539.1K

$63.7 Ft 19.3K

-67.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.70 ₫254.5K

$22.23 Ft 6,752

-56.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.31 ₫113.1K

$9.09 Ft 2,761

-52.59%

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

$274 ₫7.2M

$460 Ft 139.8K

-40.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K ₫371.0M

$12.2K Ft 3.7M

15.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.11 ₫1.1M

$87.3 Ft 26.5K

-51.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.32 ₫717.0K

$42.04 Ft 12.8K

-35.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 ₫2.5M

$97.7 Ft 29.7K

-1.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.6 ₫2.3M

$104 Ft 31.5K

-16.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 ₫14.0M

$743 Ft 225.7K

-28.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ₫8.1M

$543 Ft 164.9K

-42.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,093 ₫28.7M

$1,353 Ft 411.1K

-19.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₫17.1M

$977 Ft 296.7K

-33.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,532 ₫119.0M

$6,134 Ft 1.9M

-26.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,820 ₫47.8M

$4,404 Ft 1.3M

-58.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ₫13.3M

$1,800 Ft 546.7K

-71.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.14

7.03

30.01%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): June 9, 2026

Last update for Budapest: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $535 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $743 in Budapest. 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 256% higher in Budapest, 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 $59.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $238 – making Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 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 Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 76%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,237 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $2,177 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 141% less in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $274 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $460 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), where all-in costs run around $825, than in Budapest at $1,451. In Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.