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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $850 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $732 in Chongqing, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,164 in Chongqing, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,920 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,596 in Chongqing, rent included.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs about 16% more than Chongqing, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Chongqing are more affordable than the global median – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower, Chongqing 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 ₫55.8K

$2.70 ¥18.07

-20.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.91 ₫596.9K

$22.67 ¥152

1.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 ₫121.8K

$4.79 ¥32.12

-2.51%

Cappuccino

$1.78 ₫46.3K

$2.01 ¥13.49

-11.44%

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

$0.53 ₫13.8K

$0.46 ¥3.10

15.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₫9,007

$0.31 ¥2.11

12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ₫30.5K

$1.22 ¥8.14

-4.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ₫43.2K

$1.75 ¥11.73

-5.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₫40.9K

$1.92 ¥12.85

-18.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 ₫27.1K

$1.58 ¥10.60

-34.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₫26.0K

$0.64 ¥4.26

56.25%

Eggs

$1.61 ₫42.0K

$2.13 ¥14.26

-24.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.27 ₫319.7K

$18.11 ¥121

-32.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.54 ₫92.1K

$3.31 ¥22.16

6.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 ₫271.6K

$10.09 ¥67.6

3.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 ₫81.2K

$1.54 ¥10.31

102.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 ₫33.2K

$1.31 ¥8.79

-2.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₫42.1K

$1.18 ¥7.93

37.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 ₫31.5K

$1.20 ¥8.05

0.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ₫31.8K

$0.64 ¥4.30

90.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ₫31.1K

$0.93 ¥6.21

27.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ₫18.7K

$0.86 ¥5.79

-16.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.2K

$0.60 ¥4.05

-15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.25 ₫32.5K

$2.89 ¥19.34

-56.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.47 ₫324.8K

$8.73 ¥58.5

42.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₫24.3K

$0.76 ¥5.07

22.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ₫38.5K

$1.62 ¥10.88

-8.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,355

$0.36 ¥2.41

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ₫295.2K

$21.96 ¥147

-48.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 ₫18.0K

$1.50 ¥10.08

-54.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₫15.7K

$0.29 ¥1.93

106.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ₫80.5K

$3.00 ¥20.07

3.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 ₫24.5K

$1.27 ¥8.51

-25.98%

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

$30.8K ₫802.0M

$19.1K ¥128.0K

61.21%

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

$30.6K ₫796.7M

$16.9K ¥113.0K

81.36%

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

$101 ₫2.6M

$43.83 ¥294

130.89%

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

$5.95 ₫154.9K

$6.95 ¥46.54

-14.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.16 ₫264.8K

$6.87 ¥46.01

47.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.64 ₫642.0K

$48.77 ¥327

-49.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.67 ₫304.1K

$10.54 ¥70.7

10.72%

Cinema Ticket

$3.54 ₫92.3K

$5.83 ¥39.04

-39.28%

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

$464 ₫12.1M

$283 ¥1,900

63.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K ₫591.9M

$25.2K ¥169.1K

-9.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ₫1.3M

$39.61 ¥265

30.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.93 ₫910.0K

$29.50 ¥198

18.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 ₫2.4M

$64.5 ¥432

40.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 ₫2.4M

$64.4 ¥431

44.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 ₫15.2M

$420 ¥2,814

38.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 ₫7.4M

$202 ¥1,353

40.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 ₫33.1M

$861 ¥5,768

47.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 ₫17.6M

$415 ¥2,778

62.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,704 ₫122.6M

$2,682 ¥18.0K

75.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,909 ₫49.7M

$1,703 ¥11.4K

12.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$488 ₫12.7M

$1,119 ¥7,500

-56.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

3.34

158.68%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): August 31, 2026

Last update for Chongqing: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $582 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $420 in Chongqing. 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 129% higher in Chongqing, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $23.00 in Chongqing. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $212 – making Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 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 Chongqing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,275 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,097 in Chongqing. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $464 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $283 in Chongqing. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Chongqing, where all-in costs run around $732, than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) at $850. In Chongqing it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chongqing – 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 Chongqing. 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.