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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $804 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $651 in Guarapuava.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,312 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,079 in Guarapuava.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,820 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,508 in Guarapuava.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 23% more expensive than in Guarapuava, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 40% lower, Guarapuava 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ₫52.1K

$3.68 R$18.65

-46.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.00 ₫604.6K

$21.24 R$108

8.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 ₫123.0K

$5.77 R$29.28

-18.89%

Cappuccino

$1.71 ₫45.1K

$2.03 R$10.31

-15.76%

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

$0.48 ₫12.6K

$1.03 R$5.23

-53.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,340

$0.63 R$3.22

-55.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 ₫27.3K

$1.93 R$9.77

-46.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₫41.5K

$2.77 R$14.07

-42.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 ₫40.1K

$0.91 R$4.61

67.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ₫26.0K

$1.48 R$7.49

-33.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₫24.7K

$1.21 R$6.13

-22.31%

Eggs

$1.47 ₫38.8K

$1.51 R$7.67

-2.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.83 ₫311.0K

$8.61 R$43.68

37.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 ₫94.8K

$3.46 R$17.54

4.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 ₫276.4K

$7.65 R$38.83

37.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 ₫70.0K

$1.64 R$8.33

62.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 ₫29.3K

$0.50 R$2.53

122.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₫34.3K

$0.91 R$4.61

42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.8K

$1.24 R$6.31

-5.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 ₫30.4K

$1.02 R$5.15

13.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 ₫32.4K

$0.87 R$4.44

41.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ₫18.7K

$0.55 R$2.80

29.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₫12.5K

$0.67 R$3.39

-28.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.22 ₫32.2K

$1.99 R$10.11

-38.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.24 ₫295.4K

$8.03 R$40.76

39.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₫22.8K

$1.23 R$6.22

-29.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ₫39.0K

$1.75 R$8.90

-15.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₫6,805

$0.92 R$4.66

-71.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.58 ₫278.2K

$38.59 R$196

-72.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 ₫18.8K

$1.07 R$5.44

-33.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₫18.1K

$0.65 R$3.28

6.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 ₫80.3K

$6.29 R$31.92

-51.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 ₫23.0K

$0.99 R$5.05

-11.11%

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

$37.6K ₫988.9M

$18.8K R$95.3K

100.22%

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

$34.6K ₫910.5M

$26.9K R$136.4K

28.80%

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

$85.8 ₫2.3M

$73.3 R$372

17.04%

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

$5.75 ₫151.2K

$8.23 R$41.74

-30.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.21 ₫242.0K

$18.72 R$95.0

-50.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.17 ₫556.5K

$24.61 R$125

-13.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.22 ₫242.5K

$21.45 R$109

-57.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 ₫114.2K

$5.29 R$26.84

-17.96%

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

$278 ₫7.3M

$216 R$1,095

28.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K ₫365.1M

$3,291 R$16.7K

321.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.88 ₫1.1M

$30.15 R$153

38.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.95 ₫708.4K

$29.17 R$148

-7.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 ₫2.5M

$71.0 R$360

33.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.8 ₫2.2M

$34.18 R$173

148.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$525 ₫13.8M

$211 R$1,072

148.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 ₫7.9M

$145 R$735

106.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 ₫29.1M

$504 R$2,555

119.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 ₫17.4M

$371 R$1,883

78.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,542 ₫119.4M

$1,656 R$8,402

174.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,813 ₫47.7M

$596 R$3,024

204.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$487 ₫12.8M

$472 R$2,397

3.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.14

-16.91%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): July 26, 2026

Last update for Guarapuava: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $525 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $211 in Guarapuava. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 3% 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 $21.00 in Guarapuava for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $163 per month, with Guarapuava 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 Guarapuava: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guarapuava wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Guarapuava the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 3% 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: $525 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $211 in Guarapuava. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $278 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $216 in Guarapuava. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Guarapuava gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Guarapuava delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $651 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Guarapuava hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Guarapuava 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 Guarapuava gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.