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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $855 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $631 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,376 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $976 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,898 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,321 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs about 36% more than Cabanatuan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Cabanatuan are more affordable than the global median – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower, Cabanatuan 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 ₫55.5K

$4.01 ₱252

-46.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.88 ₫593.0K

$16.57 ₱1,039

38.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.72 ₫122.3K

$2.84 ₱178

66.20%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ₫47.5K

$1.79 ₱112

2.23%

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

$0.56 ₫14.4K

$0.60 ₱37.67

-6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,249

$0.32 ₱19.93

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 ₫30.7K

$0.99 ₱61.9

19.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₫41.6K

$1.58 ₱99.0

1.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ₫40.9K

$1.70 ₱106

-7.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 ₫27.4K

$1.12 ₱70.3

-5.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 ₫27.0K

$0.90 ₱56.3

15.56%

Eggs

$1.63 ₫42.3K

$2.08 ₱130

-21.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.24 ₫317.1K

$5.03 ₱315

143.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 ₫92.5K

$3.41 ₱214

4.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 ₫269.7K

$7.74 ₱485

34.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 ₫81.7K

$2.33 ₱146

35.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 ₫33.1K

$1.06 ₱66.3

20.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ₫42.4K

$2.39 ₱150

-31.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 ₫32.2K

$0.77 ₱48.29

61.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ₫31.7K

$1.76 ₱111

-30.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ₫30.9K

$1.74 ₱109

-31.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 ₫19.8K

$0.62 ₱38.65

24.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₫14.3K

$0.49 ₱30.54

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.25 ₫32.4K

$2.92 ₱183

-57.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.53 ₫324.8K

$8.77 ₱550

42.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₫22.3K

$0.93 ₱58.2

-7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ₫39.3K

$2.01 ₱126

-24.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,334

$0.27 ₱17.09

3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.49 ₫297.9K

$11.32 ₱709

1.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 ₫18.9K

$0.77 ₱48.01

-5.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₫15.6K

$0.25 ₱15.73

140.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 ₫77.4K

$1.88 ₱118

59.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 ₫23.8K

$1.00 ₱62.4

-8.00%

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

$30.7K ₫795.3M

$21.6K ₱1.4M

41.98%

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

$30.9K ₫800.4M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

58.90%

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

$103 ₫2.7M

$54.4 ₱3,408

88.80%

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

$5.95 ₫154.2K

$17.28 ₱1,083

-65.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.10 ₫261.7K

$21.47 ₱1,346

-52.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.51 ₫635.2K

$11.04 ₱692

122.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₫311.7K

$4.72 ₱296

154.87%

Cinema Ticket

$3.49 ₫90.5K

$5.11 ₱321

-31.70%

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

$471 ₫12.2M

$134 ₱8,423

250.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₫593.0M

$10.5K ₱660.7K

117.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 ₫1.3M

$24.27 ₱1,521

110.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.23 ₫887.3K

$19.70 ₱1,235

73.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 ₫2.3M

$61.2 ₱3,836

46.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.4 ₫2.5M

$55.1 ₱3,454

73.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 ₫15.1M

$265 ₱16.6K

120.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ₫7.3M

$170 ₱10.6K

66.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 ₫32.5M

$506 ₱31.7K

147.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 ₫18.0M

$350 ₱21.9K

98.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,852 ₫125.8M

$2,631 ₱164.9K

84.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,871 ₫48.5M

$1,028 ₱64.4K

82.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ₫13.0M

$161 ₱10.1K

211.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

6.75

28.00%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): September 6, 2026

Last update for Cabanatuan: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $584 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $265 in Cabanatuan. 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 212% 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 $17.00 in Cabanatuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $170 – making Cabanatuan 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 Cabanatuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), $631 in Cabanatuan – roughly 36% apart. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,282 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $946 in Cabanatuan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cabanatuan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $17.00 in Cabanatuan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $631 in Cabanatuan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cabanatuan, where all-in costs run around $631, than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) at $855. In Cabanatuan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $631 in Cabanatuan to $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Cabanatuan. 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.