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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $850 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $752 in Dong Hoi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,385 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,217 in Dong Hoi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,920 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,681 in Dong Hoi.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 13% more expensive than in Dong Hoi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower, Dong Hoi 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 ₫55.8K

$2.03 ₫53.0K

5.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.91 ₫597.3K

$18.84 ₫491.1K

21.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 ₫121.9K

$3.63 ₫94.7K

28.65%

Cappuccino

$1.78 ₫46.3K

$1.03 ₫26.7K

72.82%

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

$0.53 ₫13.8K

$0.34 ₫8,974

55.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₫9,013

$0.32 ₫8,273

9.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ₫30.6K

$0.53 ₫13.9K

120.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ₫43.3K

$2.31 ₫60.2K

-28.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₫41.0K

$1.46 ₫38.2K

7.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 ₫27.1K

$0.85 ₫22.1K

22.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₫26.1K

$1.08 ₫28.2K

-7.41%

Eggs

$1.61 ₫42.0K

$1.53 ₫39.9K

5.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.27 ₫319.8K

$12.95 ₫337.6K

-5.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.54 ₫92.2K

$3.41 ₫88.9K

3.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 ₫271.8K

$9.45 ₫246.4K

10.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 ₫81.3K

$2.64 ₫68.9K

18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 ₫33.2K

$1.10 ₫28.6K

16.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₫42.1K

$1.28 ₫33.3K

26.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 ₫31.5K

$1.40 ₫36.6K

-13.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ₫31.9K

$1.13 ₫29.3K

7.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ₫31.1K

$1.25 ₫32.6K

-4.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ₫18.7K

$1.00 ₫26.1K

-28.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.2K

$0.49 ₫12.9K

4.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.25 ₫32.5K

$1.50 ₫39.1K

-16.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.47 ₫325.0K

$7.50 ₫195.6K

66.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₫24.4K

$0.82 ₫21.4K

13.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ₫38.5K

$2.11 ₫54.9K

-29.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,359

$0.31 ₫8,059

-9.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ₫295.4K

$6.32 ₫164.6K

79.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 ₫18.0K

$1.07 ₫28.0K

-35.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₫15.7K

$0.65 ₫16.9K

-7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ₫80.5K

$2.34 ₫61.1K

32.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 ₫24.5K

$0.86 ₫22.3K

9.30%

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

$30.8K ₫802.5M

$31.0K ₫807.6M

-0.63%

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

$30.6K ₫797.2M

$28.0K ₫730.4M

9.16%

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

$101 ₫2.6M

$65.4 ₫1.7M

54.65%

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

$5.95 ₫155.0K

$6.04 ₫157.6K

-1.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.16 ₫264.9K

$7.92 ₫206.4K

28.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.64 ₫642.4K

$22.48 ₫586.0K

9.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.67 ₫304.3K

$7.78 ₫202.9K

50.00%

Cinema Ticket

$3.54 ₫92.4K

$3.10 ₫80.9K

14.19%

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

$464 ₫12.1M

$162 ₫4.2M

187.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K ₫592.2M

$15.2K ₫395.6M

49.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ₫1.3M

$44.87 ₫1.2M

15.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.93 ₫910.5K

$27.91 ₫727.6K

25.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 ₫2.4M

$98.9 ₫2.6M

-8.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 ₫2.4M

$79.6 ₫2.1M

16.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 ₫15.2M

$410 ₫10.7M

41.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 ₫7.4M

$275 ₫7.2M

2.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 ₫33.1M

$740 ₫19.3M

71.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 ₫17.6M

$619 ₫16.1M

8.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,704 ₫122.6M

$2,837 ₫74.0M

65.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,909 ₫49.8M

$1,308 ₫34.1M

45.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$488 ₫12.7M

$405 ₫10.6M

20.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

23.43%

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 Dong Hoi: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $582 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $410 in Dong Hoi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 21% 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: $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $19.00 in Dong Hoi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $189 per month, with Dong Hoi 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 Dong Hoi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Dong Hoi differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($850 vs $752 including rent). Dong Hoi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 21% 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: $582 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $410 in Dong Hoi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $850 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $752 in Dong Hoi – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dong Hoi runs roughly 79% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $752 in Dong Hoi versus $850 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dong Hoi but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Dong Hoi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Dong Hoi 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 Dong Hoi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.