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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $826 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $747 in Cam Ranh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,300 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,168 in Cam Ranh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,773 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,588 in Cam Ranh.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 11% more expensive than Cam Ranh, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower, Cam Ranh 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ₫53.2K

$3.04 ₫80.0K

-33.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.91 ₫601.9K

$20.83 ₫547.4K

9.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ₫123.3K

$3.91 ₫102.6K

19.95%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ₫44.5K

$1.80 ₫47.3K

-6.11%

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

$0.50 ₫13.2K

$0.42 ₫10.9K

19.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,263

$0.22 ₫5,777

27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₫26.0K

$0.56 ₫14.8K

76.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₫39.3K

$1.17 ₫30.8K

28.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ₫38.9K

$1.30 ₫34.0K

13.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ₫26.9K

$0.49 ₫12.8K

110.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₫25.9K

$1.61 ₫42.4K

-39.13%

Eggs

$1.41 ₫36.9K

$1.38 ₫36.2K

2.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 ₫312.1K

$18.51 ₫486.3K

-35.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 ₫94.6K

$3.02 ₫79.2K

19.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.55 ₫277.3K

$11.18 ₫293.7K

-5.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ₫72.5K

$1.84 ₫48.2K

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ₫28.9K

$0.79 ₫20.6K

39.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₫34.1K

$0.48 ₫12.5K

170.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ₫30.6K

$1.00 ₫26.3K

16.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.7K

$0.67 ₫17.6K

74.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.9K

$0.61 ₫16.1K

91.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ₫18.4K

$0.62 ₫16.3K

12.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.4K

$0.40 ₫10.4K

27.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.27 ₫33.2K

$1.49 ₫39.2K

-14.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.32 ₫323.6K

$11.22 ₫294.9K

9.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₫22.3K

$0.53 ₫14.0K

60.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₫39.1K

$1.42 ₫37.3K

4.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,433

$0.35 ₫9,103

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.75 ₫282.5K

$6.51 ₫171.0K

65.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₫17.7K

$0.40 ₫10.4K

67.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₫18.2K

$0.60 ₫15.8K

15.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 ₫78.7K

$2.80 ₫73.5K

6.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₫21.7K

$0.90 ₫23.6K

-8.89%

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

$37.5K ₫985.9M

$21.4K ₫563.3M

75.02%

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

$33.6K ₫881.9M

$40.8K ₫1.1B

-17.82%

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

$84.8 ₫2.2M

$83.1 ₫2.2M

2.11%

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

$6.06 ₫159.3K

$5.72 ₫150.4K

5.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.14 ₫240.2K

$9.05 ₫237.8K

0.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.73 ₫544.6K

$21.36 ₫561.2K

-2.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.37 ₫246.3K

$7.47 ₫196.3K

25.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 ₫111.8K

$2.91 ₫76.5K

46.39%

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

$273 ₫7.2M

$288 ₫7.6M

-5.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ₫362.2M

$11.7K ₫306.9M

18.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.85 ₫1.1M

$34.20 ₫898.7K

25.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.36 ₫718.8K

$30.05 ₫789.7K

-8.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 ₫2.6M

$85.3 ₫2.2M

14.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 ₫2.3M

$76.3 ₫2.0M

14.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 ₫13.8M

$354 ₫9.3M

48.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₫8.1M

$245 ₫6.4M

25.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 ₫28.6M

$687 ₫18.1M

58.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 ₫17.6M

$468 ₫12.3M

42.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,497 ₫118.2M

$3,275 ₫86.1M

37.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,791 ₫47.1M

$1,343 ₫35.3M

33.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$509 ₫13.4M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.14

9.1

0.44%

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 Cam Ranh: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $526 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $354 in Cam Ranh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $21.00 in Cam Ranh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $193 per month, with Cam Ranh cheaper across the board.

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 Cam Ranh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cam Ranh wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cam Ranh the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,240 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,121 in Cam Ranh 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: $526 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $354 in Cam Ranh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $826 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $747 in Cam Ranh – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cam Ranh runs roughly 65% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Cam Ranh gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cam Ranh delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $747 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cam Ranh hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Cam Ranh 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 Cam Ranh 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.