Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Criciuma: $711 a month against $850 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in Criciuma
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Criciuma Living Index

Jump to prices

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$850

/mo nomad

Criciuma

🇧🇷 Brazil

$711

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $850 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $711 in Criciuma.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $850
Criciuma $711

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,386 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,060 in Criciuma.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,386
Criciuma $1,060

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,921 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,410 in Criciuma.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,921
Criciuma $1,410

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 20% more expensive than in Criciuma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 37% lower, Criciuma 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ₫54.8K

$5.38 R$29.53

-60.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.43 ₫603.7K

$20.36 R$112

15.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.55 ₫117.1K

$5.48 R$30.07

-16.97%

Cappuccino

$1.78 ₫45.9K

$1.23 R$6.75

44.72%

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

$0.53 ₫13.6K

$1.04 R$5.71

-49.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,213

$0.68 R$3.73

-52.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ₫27.8K

$1.50 R$8.24

-28.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₫43.6K

$1.83 R$10.02

-7.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₫42.8K

$0.84 R$4.62

97.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ₫30.6K

$1.35 R$7.43

-11.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₫26.4K

$1.02 R$5.61

0.98%

Eggs

$1.67 ₫43.1K

$1.90 R$10.42

-12.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.24 ₫315.2K

$7.59 R$41.68

61.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.54 ₫91.1K

$3.38 R$18.55

4.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.25 ₫264.1K

$8.00 R$43.88

28.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 ₫80.2K

$1.96 R$10.78

58.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ₫31.5K

$1.08 R$5.95

12.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 ₫37.0K

$0.94 R$5.18

52.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 ₫31.5K

$1.48 R$8.15

-17.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ₫30.9K

$1.15 R$6.33

4.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ₫31.0K

$1.03 R$5.66

16.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ₫18.8K

$0.74 R$4.06

-1.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₫13.5K

$0.61 R$3.33

-14.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.23 ₫31.6K

$2.35 R$12.88

-47.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 ₫297.6K

$4.38 R$24.05

163.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₫24.0K

$1.08 R$5.94

-13.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ₫38.0K

$1.33 R$7.32

11.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,233

$0.95 R$5.19

-70.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.62 ₫299.2K

$36.40 R$200

-68.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₫19.5K

$0.45 R$2.49

68.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₫15.8K

$0.72 R$3.97

-13.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ₫80.3K

$2.27 R$12.43

37.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ₫23.3K

$1.22 R$6.68

-26.23%

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

$30.9K ₫796.1M

$21.7K R$119.1K

42.46%

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

$29.6K ₫762.3M

$28.5K R$156.3K

3.87%

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

$99.8 ₫2.6M

$66.5 R$365

50.11%

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

$5.75 ₫148.1K

$11.38 R$62.5

-49.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.29 ₫265.0K

$20.08 R$110

-48.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.18 ₫468.3K

$26.76 R$147

-32.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.16 ₫313.2K

$37.06 R$203

-67.19%

Cinema Ticket

$3.90 ₫100.4K

$6.77 R$37.14

-42.39%

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

$530 ₫13.7M

$154 R$846

243.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.6K ₫686.2M

$2,747 R$15.1K

869.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 ₫1.4M

$46.99 R$258

12.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.88 ₫898.5K

$27.95 R$153

24.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 ₫2.5M

$75.9 R$417

25.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 ₫2.5M

$40.62 R$223

134.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$617 ₫15.9M

$222 R$1,216

178.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₫7.7M

$192 R$1,054

54.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ₫33.8M

$378 R$2,075

246.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$708 ₫18.2M

$248 R$1,362

185.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,430 ₫114.1M

$1,096 R$6,015

304.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,011 ₫51.8M

$594 R$3,261

238.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ₫13.0M

$288 R$1,580

75.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

10.74

-19.55%

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

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

Last update for Criciuma: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$297 35%

Criciuma

$192 27% 35.4% $105

Groceries & Markets

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$205 24.1%

Criciuma

$157 22.2% 23.2% $48

Clothing & Footwear

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$125 14.7%

Criciuma

$86 12.1% 31.2% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$116 13.6%

Criciuma

$98 13.8% 15.5% $18

Eating Out

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$64 7.6%

Criciuma

$92 13% 43.8% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$26 3.1%

Criciuma

$40 5.7% 55.1% $14

Getting Around

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$17 2%

Criciuma

$44 6.2% 167% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $617 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $222 in Criciuma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 75% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $23 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $20 in Criciuma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $157 per month, with Criciuma cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇧🇷 Criciuma

🕒 Local time

15:57 3:57 PM

05:57 5:57 AM

10 h behind Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,456,700

214,493

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.88 USD

100,000 VND = 3.46 EUR

1 BRL = 0.182 USD

1 BRL = 0.163 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Dong (₫)

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 25,761 VND (100,000 VND = 3.88 USD). 1 EUR = 28,880 VND (100,000 VND = 3.46 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 5.49 BRL (1 BRL = 0.182 USD). 1 EUR = 6.15 BRL (1 BRL = 0.163 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Criciuma 16,830 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Criciuma

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 Criciuma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Criciuma is about 16% cheaper overall, especially in groceries and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 75% 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: $617 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $222 in Criciuma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) runs roughly 68% less than in Criciuma. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $530 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $154 in Criciuma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Criciuma gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Criciuma wins on affordability, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.