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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $839 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $740 in Dong Xoai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,328 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,134 in Dong Xoai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,817 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,528 in Dong Xoai, rent included.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs about 13% more than Dong Xoai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Dong Xoai are more affordable than the global median – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 37% lower, Dong Xoai 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.97 ₫51.6K

$1.91 ₫50.1K

3.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.04 ₫605.2K

$21.48 ₫564.2K

7.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 ₫122.8K

$4.41 ₫115.9K

6.12%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ₫44.5K

$1.58 ₫41.4K

6.96%

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

$0.51 ₫13.5K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₫7,960

$0.30 ₫7,996

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₫27.1K

$0.99 ₫26.0K

4.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₫40.0K

$1.50 ₫39.4K

1.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 ₫38.2K

$1.43 ₫37.6K

1.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₫25.7K

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₫25.9K

$0.92 ₫24.2K

6.52%

Eggs

$1.41 ₫37.1K

$1.43 ₫37.4K

-1.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.86 ₫311.5K

$11.54 ₫303.1K

2.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ₫97.6K

$3.60 ₫94.6K

3.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 ₫275.9K

$9.98 ₫262.0K

5.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 ₫71.8K

$2.74 ₫72.0K

-0.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 ₫30.0K

$1.06 ₫27.9K

7.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 ₫35.4K

$1.36 ₫35.7K

-0.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.7K

$1.12 ₫29.3K

4.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 ₫30.5K

$1.07 ₫28.0K

8.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.6K

$1.00 ₫26.3K

17.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ₫20.0K

$0.59 ₫15.4K

28.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₫13.2K

$0.49 ₫12.8K

2.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.21 ₫31.9K

$1.35 ₫35.5K

-10.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.93 ₫339.6K

$10.15 ₫266.6K

27.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₫23.6K

$0.76 ₫19.9K

18.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 ₫37.2K

$1.57 ₫41.3K

-9.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₫6,799

$0.34 ₫8,976

-23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.73 ₫281.9K

$6.43 ₫169.0K

66.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 ₫18.8K

$0.75 ₫19.7K

-4.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 ₫16.9K

$0.63 ₫16.4K

3.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ₫83.0K

$2.71 ₫71.3K

16.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 ₫23.2K

$0.88 ₫23.1K

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

$37.9K ₫994.3M

$35.6K ₫934.2M

6.43%

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

$33.7K ₫884.1M

$31.9K ₫837.5M

5.57%

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

$85.5 ₫2.2M

$75.5 ₫2.0M

13.36%

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

$5.97 ₫156.8K

$5.75 ₫150.9K

3.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.41 ₫247.2K

$8.85 ₫232.5K

6.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.92 ₫549.5K

$21.63 ₫568.2K

-3.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.18 ₫241.2K

$7.65 ₫200.9K

20.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 ₫107.5K

$3.15 ₫82.8K

29.84%

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

$276 ₫7.2M

$270 ₫7.1M

2.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₫374.1M

$11.6K ₫305.9M

22.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.67 ₫1.1M

$41.06 ₫1.1M

1.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.51 ₫722.5K

$23.14 ₫607.8K

18.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ₫2.5M

$87.9 ₫2.3M

9.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.7 ₫2.3M

$74.3 ₫2.0M

15.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$532 ₫14.0M

$356 ₫9.3M

49.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 ₫8.0M

$249 ₫6.5M

23.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 ₫29.1M

$697 ₫18.3M

58.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$657 ₫17.3M

$475 ₫12.5M

38.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,113 ₫108.0M

$3,805 ₫99.9M

8.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,909 ₫50.1M

$1,593 ₫41.8M

19.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$481 ₫12.6M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.14

9.1

0.44%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): April 28, 2026

Last update for Dong Xoai: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $532 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $356 in Dong Xoai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $21.00 in Dong Xoai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $188 – making Dong Xoai 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 Dong Xoai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $839 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), $740 in Dong Xoai – roughly 13% apart. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,259 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,110 in Dong Xoai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $839 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $740 in Dong Xoai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 67% less in Dong Xoai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $839 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $740 in Dong Xoai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $740 in Dong Xoai to $839 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Dong Xoai. 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.