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 $826 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $531 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,300 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,030 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,773 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,530 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs about 56% more than Cabanatuan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Cabanatuan are more affordable than the global median – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower, Cabanatuan 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ₫53.2K

$4.55 ₱280

-55.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.91 ₫601.9K

$34.83 ₱2,147

-34.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ₫123.3K

$3.44 ₱212

36.34%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ₫44.5K

$2.94 ₱181

-42.52%

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

$0.50 ₫13.2K

$0.86 ₱53.2

-41.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,263

$0.46 ₱28.26

-39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₫26.0K

$1.43 ₱88.4

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₫39.3K

$2.60 ₱161

-42.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ₫38.9K

$2.03 ₱125

-27.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ₫26.9K

$1.63 ₱101

-36.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₫25.9K

$0.99 ₱61.1

-1.01%

Eggs

$1.41 ₫36.9K

$1.98 ₱122

-28.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 ₫312.1K

$3.60 ₱222

230.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 ₫94.6K

$3.11 ₱192

15.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.55 ₫277.3K

$6.63 ₱409

59.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ₫72.5K

$4.05 ₱250

-31.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ₫28.9K

$1.22 ₱75.1

-9.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₫34.1K

$2.00 ₱123

-35.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ₫30.6K

$0.81 ₱50.2

43.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.7K

$1.47 ₱90.4

-20.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.9K

$1.40 ₱86.3

-16.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ₫18.4K

$1.04 ₱64.3

-32.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.4K

$0.83 ₱51.3

-38.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.27 ₫33.2K

$2.91 ₱180

-56.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.32 ₫323.6K

$5.70 ₱351

116.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₫22.3K

$0.71 ₱43.61

19.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₫39.1K

$1.75 ₱108

-14.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,433

$0.26 ₱15.82

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.75 ₫282.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₫17.7K

$0.74 ₱45.93

-9.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₫18.2K

$0.24 ₱14.84

187.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 ₫78.7K

$0.85 ₱52.5

251.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₫21.7K

$1.17 ₱71.9

-29.91%

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

$37.5K ₫985.9M

$28.8K ₱1.8M

30.14%

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

$33.6K ₫881.9M

$17.9K ₱1.1M

87.50%

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

$84.8 ₫2.2M

$58.1 ₱3,580

46.09%

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

$6.06 ₫159.3K

$21.34 ₱1,316

-71.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.14 ₫240.2K

$25.27 ₱1,558

-63.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.73 ₫544.6K

$12.25 ₱755

69.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.37 ₫246.3K

$2.59 ₱160

261.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 ₫111.8K

$6.87 ₱423

-37.99%

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

$273 ₫7.2M

$151 ₱9,306

80.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ₫362.2M

$4,308 ₱265.7K

219.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.85 ₫1.1M

$26.79 ₱1,652

59.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.36 ₫718.8K

$33.73 ₱2,080

-18.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 ₫2.6M

$62.6 ₱3,862

55.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 ₫2.3M

$47.62 ₱2,936

82.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 ₫13.8M

$261 ₱16.1K

101.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₫8.1M

$44.20 ₱2,726

595.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 ₫28.6M

$588 ₱36.2K

85.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 ₫17.6M

$396 ₱24.4K

68.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,497 ₫118.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,791 ₫47.1M

$225 ₱13.9K

694.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$509 ₫13.4M

$198 ₱12.2K

156.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.14

6.17

48.14%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): May 30, 2026

Last update for Cabanatuan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $526 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $261 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 157% 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 $35.00 in Cabanatuan. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $174 in Cabanatuan – so Cabanatuan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $826 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), $531 in Cabanatuan – roughly 56% apart. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,240 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $796 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 $35.00 in Cabanatuan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $826 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $531 in Cabanatuan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $531 in Cabanatuan to $826 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.