Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Cagayan de Oro City

For one person, living is cheaper in Cagayan de Oro City: $771 a month against $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Other living expenses 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 Cagayan de Oro City
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Cagayan de Oro City Living Index

Jump to prices

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$859

/mo nomad

Cagayan de Oro City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$771

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and in Cagayan de Oro 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 Cagayan de Oro 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 $771 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $859
Cagayan de Oro City $771

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,395 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,141 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,395
Cagayan de Oro City $1,141

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,931 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,511 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,931
Cagayan de Oro City $1,511

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 11% more expensive than in Cagayan de Oro 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, Cagayan de Oro City 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 ₫49.6K

$3.68 ₱231

-48.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.84 ₫591.2K

$12.80 ₱806

78.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₫117.6K

$3.05 ₱192

48.85%

Cappuccino

$1.85 ₫48.0K

$2.33 ₱147

-20.60%

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

$0.56 ₫14.6K

$0.76 ₱47.91

-26.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,185

$0.64 ₱39.98

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ₫27.5K

$1.38 ₱86.9

-23.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₫44.5K

$1.98 ₱124

-13.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₫42.9K

$1.48 ₱93.4

12.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 ₫28.7K

$0.89 ₱56.2

24.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₫25.9K

$0.92 ₱58.0

8.70%

Eggs

$1.67 ₫43.1K

$2.17 ₱137

-23.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 ₫312.8K

$8.67 ₱546

39.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ₫95.2K

$3.29 ₱207

11.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 ₫265.1K

$5.76 ₱363

77.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 ₫76.5K

$2.05 ₱129

44.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ₫32.2K

$1.08 ₱68.3

14.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 ₫40.3K

$2.38 ₱150

-34.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ₫33.6K

$1.14 ₱71.9

14.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 ₫31.9K

$1.92 ₱121

-35.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ₫29.8K

$2.53 ₱159

-54.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ₫19.1K

$0.76 ₱47.87

-2.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₫14.4K

$0.48 ₱30.30

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.24 ₫32.1K

$3.02 ₱190

-58.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.60 ₫326.1K

$3.97 ₱250

217.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₫24.9K

$1.22 ₱77.0

-21.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₫39.6K

$1.93 ₱122

-20.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₫6,694

$0.41 ₱25.99

-36.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.51 ₫297.9K

$9.84 ₱620

16.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₫19.5K

$0.63 ₱39.57

19.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 ₫17.4K

$0.21 ₱13.18

219.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ₫78.5K

$1.94 ₱122

56.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 ₫24.8K

$1.08 ₱67.8

-11.11%

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

$31.1K ₫804.3M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

46.91%

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

$30.4K ₫785.9M

$18.9K ₱1.2M

60.68%

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

$102 ₫2.6M

$137 ₱8,600

-25.34%

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

$5.89 ₫152.5K

$22.77 ₱1,433

-74.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.49 ₫271.6K

$30.51 ₱1,921

-65.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.54 ₫661.2K

$20.70 ₱1,303

23.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.92 ₫308.5K

$2.87 ₱181

315.33%

Cinema Ticket

$3.53 ₫91.3K

$4.55 ₱286

-22.42%

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

$436 ₫11.3M

$66.4 ₱4,181

557.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₫602.8M

$2,257 ₱142.1K

931.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 ₫1.4M

$31.71 ₱1,997

66.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.15 ₫884.1K

$13.08 ₱824

161.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 ₫2.3M

$52.4 ₱3,300

72.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ₫2.5M

$39.65 ₱2,496

139.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 ₫15.3M

$377 ₱23.8K

56.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ₫7.7M

$229 ₱14.4K

30.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 ₫33.5M

$693 ₱43.7K

86.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$711 ₫18.4M

$452 ₱28.5K

57.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,676 ₫121.1M

$1,604 ₱101.0K

191.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,904 ₫49.3M

$951 ₱59.9K

100.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ₫12.7M

$302 ₱19.0K

61.94%

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): October 10, 2026

Last update for Cagayan de Oro City: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$298 34.7%

Cagayan de Oro City

$229 29.6% 23.3% $69

Groceries & Markets

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$207 24.1%

Cagayan de Oro City

$165 21.4% 20.2% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$122 14.3%

Cagayan de Oro City

$62 8% 49.7% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$118 13.8%

Cagayan de Oro City

$190 24.6% 60.4% $72

Eating Out

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$63 7.4%

Cagayan de Oro City

$83 10.8% 30.7% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$33 3.8%

Cagayan de Oro City

$30 3.9% 8.6% $2.8

Getting Around

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$17 1.9%

Cagayan de Oro City

$13 1.7% 20.9% $3.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $589 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $377 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 62% 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: $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $13.00 in Cagayan de Oro City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $165 per month, with Cagayan de Oro City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇵🇭 Cagayan de Oro City

🕒 Local time

06:11 6:11 AM

07:11 7:11 AM

1 h ahead of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,456,700

728,402

💱 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 17, 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 17, 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) Cagayan de Oro City 1,980 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Cagayan de Oro 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 Cagayan de Oro City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Cagayan de Oro City differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($859 vs $771 including rent). Cagayan de Oro City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 62% 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: $589 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $377 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cagayan de Oro City – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $771 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cagayan de Oro City but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Cagayan de Oro City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Cagayan de Oro 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 Cagayan de Oro City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.