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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $840 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $759 in Criciuma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,361 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,116 in Criciuma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,883 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,474 in Criciuma.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 11% more expensive than in Criciuma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 39% lower, Criciuma 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.07 ₫53.7K

$5.91 R$30.37

-64.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.52 ₫611.9K

$20.98 R$108

12.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₫118.2K

$5.88 R$30.21

-22.79%

Cappuccino

$1.90 ₫49.5K

$1.32 R$6.77

43.94%

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

$0.53 ₫13.9K

$1.06 R$5.47

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₫8,694

$0.77 R$3.98

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.11 ₫29.0K

$1.58 R$8.13

-29.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ₫42.3K

$1.91 R$9.80

-14.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₫43.3K

$0.95 R$4.91

74.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 ₫27.7K

$1.51 R$7.76

-29.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₫26.9K

$1.06 R$5.45

-2.83%

Eggs

$1.57 ₫40.9K

$1.96 R$10.06

-19.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.89 ₫309.4K

$8.18 R$42.07

45.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 ₫93.3K

$3.42 R$17.60

4.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.65 ₫277.0K

$8.35 R$42.95

27.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 ₫82.7K

$2.01 R$10.34

58.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ₫33.7K

$1.20 R$6.18

7.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₫42.3K

$0.94 R$4.81

72.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 ₫32.5K

$1.58 R$8.12

-20.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ₫31.3K

$1.23 R$6.34

-2.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ₫29.8K

$1.09 R$5.62

5.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ₫19.8K

$0.83 R$4.24

-8.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₫14.4K

$0.67 R$3.46

-17.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.22 ₫31.7K

$2.39 R$12.29

-48.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.56 ₫326.7K

$4.63 R$23.80

171.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₫22.5K

$1.12 R$5.78

-22.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₫39.6K

$1.43 R$7.34

6.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,344

$0.99 R$5.07

-71.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.34 ₫294.9K

$38.42 R$198

-70.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 ₫18.1K

$0.49 R$2.53

40.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 ₫17.0K

$0.83 R$4.26

-21.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 ₫82.0K

$2.28 R$11.71

38.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 ₫22.8K

$1.31 R$6.71

-32.82%

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

$30.8K ₫801.5M

$22.9K R$117.8K

34.47%

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

$30.4K ₫792.1M

$31.1K R$160.1K

-2.22%

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

$106 ₫2.7M

$71.8 R$369

47.02%

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

$5.66 ₫147.2K

$12.08 R$62.1

-53.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.96 ₫259.2K

$21.90 R$113

-54.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.43 ₫661.5K

$28.86 R$148

-11.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.90 ₫309.7K

$39.35 R$202

-69.76%

Cinema Ticket

$3.47 ₫90.4K

$6.83 R$35.14

-49.19%

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

$476 ₫12.4M

$163 R$836

192.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K ₫598.9M

$2,918 R$15.0K

688.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ₫1.4M

$49.65 R$255

4.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.55 ₫898.9K

$28.88 R$149

19.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 ₫2.4M

$81.7 R$420

12.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.6 ₫2.5M

$41.35 R$213

131.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 ₫14.9M

$241 R$1,237

138.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 ₫7.4M

$207 R$1,064

36.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 ₫32.7M

$397 R$2,039

216.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 ₫17.8M

$259 R$1,331

164.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,681 ₫121.8M

$1,191 R$6,123

293.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,907 ₫49.6M

$642 R$3,303

196.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$485 ₫12.6M

$304 R$1,561

59.76%

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): September 13, 2026

Last update for Criciuma: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $574 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $241 in Criciuma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 60% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $24.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $21.00 in Criciuma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $167 per month, with Criciuma 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 Criciuma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Criciuma is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 60% 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: $574 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $241 in Criciuma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Criciuma runs roughly 239% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $476 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $163 in Criciuma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $759 in Criciuma versus $840 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $1,500 budget is realistic in Criciuma but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Criciuma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Criciuma is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

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