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 $815 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $634 in Chongqing, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,295 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,031 in Chongqing, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,775 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,429 in Chongqing, rent included.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs about 29% 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) 39% lower, Chongqing 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.97 ₫51.8K

$2.73 ¥18.66

-27.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.83 ₫599.0K

$21.15 ¥145

7.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 ₫122.7K

$4.98 ¥34.09

-6.22%

Cappuccino

$1.71 ₫44.8K

$2.38 ¥16.25

-28.15%

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

$0.48 ₫12.6K

$0.44 ¥3.00

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,344

$0.29 ¥1.98

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 ₫26.1K

$0.95 ¥6.50

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ₫41.1K

$2.13 ¥14.57

-26.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ₫38.7K

$1.78 ¥12.16

-16.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ₫25.9K

$1.25 ¥8.52

-20.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₫26.7K

$0.73 ¥4.96

39.73%

Eggs

$1.47 ₫38.6K

$1.86 ¥12.70

-20.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.73 ₫307.9K

$15.87 ¥109

-26.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 ₫94.7K

$2.51 ¥17.14

43.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.64 ₫279.1K

$10.37 ¥70.9

2.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ₫70.4K

$1.48 ¥10.11

81.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 ₫29.1K

$1.31 ¥8.94

-15.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 ₫35.5K

$1.07 ¥7.34

26.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ₫29.6K

$1.13 ¥7.75

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.7K

$0.65 ¥4.44

80.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.8K

$0.90 ¥6.12

30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 ₫20.1K

$0.54 ¥3.67

42.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.3K

$0.63 ¥4.31

-19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.28 ₫33.7K

$3.15 ¥21.57

-59.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.97 ₫340.4K

$8.89 ¥60.8

45.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₫24.0K

$0.96 ¥6.56

-5.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ₫38.7K

$1.98 ¥13.55

-25.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,429

$0.27 ¥1.84

3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.38 ₫272.4K

$25.11 ¥172

-58.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₫17.8K

$1.41 ¥9.61

-51.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 ₫17.6K

$0.30 ¥2.03

123.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ₫79.9K

$2.71 ¥18.54

12.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ₫23.6K

$1.11 ¥7.59

-18.92%

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

$37.8K ₫991.6M

$18.3K ¥125.4K

106.13%

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

$33.9K ₫889.8M

$16.3K ¥111.5K

107.93%

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

$85.8 ₫2.3M

$35.98 ¥246

138.33%

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

$6.04 ₫158.5K

$6.04 ¥41.33

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.11 ₫239.0K

$8.45 ¥57.8

7.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.99 ₫550.9K

$21.73 ¥149

-3.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.72 ₫255.2K

$15.95 ¥109

-39.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 ₫109.3K

$5.46 ¥37.31

-23.81%

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

$270 ₫7.1M

$331 ¥2,264

-18.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ₫362.9M

$27.4K ¥187.5K

-49.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.54 ₫1.1M

$29.34 ¥201

41.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.25 ₫715.2K

$28.75 ¥197

-5.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 ₫2.5M

$58.5 ¥400

62.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.3 ₫2.2M

$60.0 ¥410

42.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 ₫14.1M

$266 ¥1,818

101.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₫8.1M

$158 ¥1,083

93.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 ₫29.6M

$582 ¥3,979

94.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 ₫17.0M

$324 ¥2,214

99.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,217 ₫110.7M

$2,569 ¥17.6K

64.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,843 ₫48.4M

$1,657 ¥11.3K

11.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$485 ₫12.7M

$1,041 ¥7,123

-53.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.14

3.74

144.39%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): April 22, 2026

Last update for Chongqing: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $536 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $266 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 115% 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 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $21 in Chongqing. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $197 – making Chongqing 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 29%, 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 $1,222 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $951 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 $270 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $331 in Chongqing. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $815 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $634 in Chongqing, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.