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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $840 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $768 in Ha Dong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,361 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,241 in Ha Dong, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,883 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,715 in Ha Dong, rent included.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs about 9% more than Ha Dong, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Ha Dong are more affordable than the global median – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 39% lower, Ha Dong 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.07 ₫53.7K

$2.05 ₫53.3K

0.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.52 ₫611.9K

$20.97 ₫545.7K

12.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₫118.2K

$4.45 ₫115.7K

2.02%

Cappuccino

$1.90 ₫49.5K

$1.85 ₫48.2K

2.70%

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

$0.53 ₫13.9K

$0.46 ₫11.9K

15.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₫8,694

$0.28 ₫7,219

17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.11 ₫29.0K

$1.16 ₫30.2K

-4.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ₫42.3K

$1.97 ₫51.3K

-17.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₫43.3K

$1.54 ₫40.2K

7.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 ₫27.7K

$1.02 ₫26.6K

4.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₫26.9K

$0.81 ₫21.1K

27.16%

Eggs

$1.57 ₫40.9K

$1.47 ₫38.3K

6.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.89 ₫309.4K

$10.55 ₫274.6K

12.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 ₫93.3K

$3.74 ₫97.4K

-4.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.65 ₫277.0K

$9.90 ₫257.5K

7.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 ₫82.7K

$3.09 ₫80.3K

2.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ₫33.7K

$1.06 ₫27.6K

21.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₫42.3K

$1.38 ₫35.9K

17.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 ₫32.5K

$1.11 ₫28.8K

12.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ₫31.3K

$0.93 ₫24.2K

29.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ₫29.8K

$1.09 ₫28.4K

5.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ₫19.8K

$0.56 ₫14.5K

35.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₫14.4K

$0.55 ₫14.2K

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.22 ₫31.7K

$1.36 ₫35.4K

-10.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.56 ₫326.7K

$12.34 ₫321.1K

1.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₫22.5K

$0.94 ₫24.5K

-7.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₫39.6K

$1.67 ₫43.4K

-8.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,344

$0.32 ₫8,210

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.34 ₫294.9K

$6.72 ₫174.8K

68.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 ₫18.1K

$0.78 ₫20.4K

-11.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 ₫17.0K

$0.60 ₫15.7K

8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 ₫82.0K

$2.28 ₫59.3K

38.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 ₫22.8K

$0.89 ₫23.2K

-1.12%

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

$30.8K ₫801.5M

$31.3K ₫813.8M

-1.51%

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

$30.4K ₫792.1M

$30.5K ₫792.9M

-0.11%

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

$106 ₫2.7M

$82.6 ₫2.1M

27.82%

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

$5.66 ₫147.2K

$4.92 ₫127.9K

15.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.96 ₫259.2K

$8.87 ₫230.8K

12.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.43 ₫661.5K

$21.87 ₫569.1K

16.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.90 ₫309.7K

$7.88 ₫205.1K

51.02%

Cinema Ticket

$3.47 ₫90.4K

$4.15 ₫108.0K

-16.39%

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

$476 ₫12.4M

$239 ₫6.2M

99.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K ₫598.9M

$12.6K ₫326.6M

83.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ₫1.4M

$48.82 ₫1.3M

6.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.55 ₫898.9K

$26.94 ₫700.9K

28.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 ₫2.4M

$82.8 ₫2.2M

10.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.6 ₫2.5M

$82.4 ₫2.1M

16.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 ₫14.9M

$403 ₫10.5M

42.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 ₫7.4M

$276 ₫7.2M

2.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 ₫32.7M

$739 ₫19.2M

70.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 ₫17.8M

$605 ₫15.7M

13.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,681 ₫121.8M

$2,802 ₫72.9M

67.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,907 ₫49.6M

$1,303 ₫33.9M

46.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$485 ₫12.6M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

8.45

2.25%

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 Ha Dong: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $574 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $403 in Ha Dong. 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 $24.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $21.00 in Ha Dong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $208 vs $194 – making Ha Dong 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 Ha Dong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs about 9% more than Ha Dong, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,260 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,151 in Ha Dong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $21.00 in Ha Dong. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $840 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $768 in Ha Dong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ha Dong, where all-in costs run around $768, than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) at $840. In Ha Dong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ha Dong costs $768 versus $840 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Ha Dong. 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.