Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): $859 a month against $1,130 in Cheras, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Living Index
55

Cost of Living Index in Cheras
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Cheras Living Index

Jump to prices

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$859

/mo nomad

Cheras

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$1,130

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and in Cheras

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 Cheras actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $859 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,130 in Cheras, rent included.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $859
Cheras $1,130

A couple spends around $1,395 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,541 in Cheras, rent included.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,395
Cheras $1,541

A family of three spends $1,931 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,952 in Cheras, rent included.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,931
Cheras $1,952

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is about 24% cheaper than Cheras, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Cheras are more affordable than the global median – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 36% lower, Cheras 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 ₫49.6K

$3.58 MYR 14.62

-46.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.84 ₫591.2K

$24.28 MYR 99.1

-5.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₫117.6K

$4.80 MYR 19.57

-5.42%

Cappuccino

$1.85 ₫48.0K

$3.08 MYR 12.55

-39.94%

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

$0.56 ₫14.6K

$0.93 MYR 3.79

-39.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,185

$0.60 MYR 2.44

-46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ₫27.5K

$4.35 MYR 17.75

-75.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₫44.5K

$6.25 MYR 25.50

-72.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₫42.9K

$1.93 MYR 7.88

-13.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 ₫28.7K

$1.02 MYR 4.18

8.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₫25.9K

$1.44 MYR 5.89

-30.56%

Eggs

$1.67 ₫43.1K

$1.77 MYR 7.23

-5.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 ₫312.8K

$17.85 MYR 72.8

-32.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ₫95.2K

$4.56 MYR 18.60

-19.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 ₫265.1K

$10.81 MYR 44.09

-5.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 ₫76.5K

$3.55 MYR 14.50

-16.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ₫32.2K

$1.94 MYR 7.91

-36.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 ₫40.3K

$2.63 MYR 10.73

-40.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ₫33.6K

$1.67 MYR 6.80

-22.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 ₫31.9K

$2.08 MYR 8.48

-40.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ₫29.8K

$1.65 MYR 6.72

-30.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ₫19.1K

$1.38 MYR 5.63

-46.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₫14.4K

$0.51 MYR 2.07

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.24 ₫32.1K

$4.24 MYR 17.30

-70.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.60 ₫326.1K

$13.88 MYR 56.6

-9.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₫24.9K

$2.77 MYR 11.30

-65.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₫39.6K

$3.15 MYR 12.83

-51.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₫6,694

$0.70 MYR 2.87

-62.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.51 ₫297.9K

$12.03 MYR 49.08

-4.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₫19.5K

$1.01 MYR 4.13

-25.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 ₫17.4K

$0.35 MYR 1.44

91.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ₫78.5K

$8.96 MYR 36.57

-66.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 ₫24.8K

$0.88 MYR 3.58

9.09%

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

$31.1K ₫804.3M

$40.9K MYR 167.0K

-24.12%

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

$30.4K ₫785.9M

$34.0K MYR 138.7K

-10.71%

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

$102 ₫2.6M

$49.67 MYR 203

105.32%

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

$5.89 ₫152.5K

$11.06 MYR 45.10

-46.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.49 ₫271.6K

$27.31 MYR 111

-61.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.54 ₫661.2K

$39.42 MYR 161

-35.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.92 ₫308.5K

$7.14 MYR 29.13

66.95%

Cinema Ticket

$3.53 ₫91.3K

$4.99 MYR 20.36

-29.26%

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

$436 ₫11.3M

$164 MYR 667

166.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₫602.8M

$4,451 MYR 18.2K

423.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 ₫1.4M

$54.3 MYR 221

-2.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.15 ₫884.1K

$29.39 MYR 120

16.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 ₫2.3M

$81.5 MYR 332

10.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ₫2.5M

$98.6 MYR 402

-3.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 ₫15.3M

$409 MYR 1,669

44.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ₫7.7M

$467 MYR 1,906

-36.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 ₫33.5M

$687 MYR 2,803

88.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$711 ₫18.4M

$485 MYR 1,977

46.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,676 ₫121.1M

$2,052 MYR 8,372

127.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,904 ₫49.3M

$1,103 MYR 4,501

72.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ₫12.7M

$1,189 MYR 4,851

-58.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

4.06

112.81%

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 Cheras: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$298 34.7%

Cheras

$467 41.4% 56.8% $169

Groceries & Markets

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$207 24.1%

Cheras

$268 23.8% 29.5% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$122 14.3%

Cheras

$119 10.5% 3.1% $3.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$118 13.8%

Cheras

$88 7.8% 25.6% $30

Eating Out

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$63 7.4%

Cheras

$120 10.7% 89.6% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$33 3.8%

Cheras

$49 4.4% 51.5% $17

Getting Around

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$17 1.9%

Cheras

$18 1.6% 5.8% $1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $589 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $409 in Cheras. 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 143% higher in Cheras, 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 $24.00 in Cheras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $268 – making Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇲🇾 Cheras

🕒 Local time

14:01 2:01 PM

15:01 3:01 PM

1 h ahead of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,456,700

440,000

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Dong (₫)

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,105 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Cheras 1,010 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Cheras

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 Cheras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cheras is pricier by about 32%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,288 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,695 in Cheras. 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.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Cheras, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $24.00 in Cheras. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), where all-in costs run around $859, than in Cheras at $1,130. In Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cheras 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, Cheras makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.