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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $826 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $728 in Ha Long, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,300 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,134 in Ha Long, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,773 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $1,540 in Ha Long, rent included.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs about 14% more than Ha Long, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Ha Long are more affordable than the global median – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower, Ha Long 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ₫53.2K

$1.96 ₫51.5K

3.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.91 ₫601.9K

$20.78 ₫546.1K

10.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ₫123.3K

$4.25 ₫111.7K

10.35%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ₫44.5K

$1.56 ₫41.0K

8.33%

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

$0.50 ₫13.2K

$0.47 ₫12.3K

6.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,263

$0.30 ₫7,975

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₫26.0K

$1.00 ₫26.4K

-1.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₫39.3K

$1.50 ₫39.5K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ₫38.9K

$1.36 ₫35.8K

8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ₫26.9K

$0.94 ₫24.6K

9.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₫25.9K

$1.01 ₫26.5K

-2.97%

Eggs

$1.41 ₫36.9K

$1.48 ₫38.8K

-4.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 ₫312.1K

$11.90 ₫312.7K

-0.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 ₫94.6K

$3.65 ₫96.0K

-1.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.55 ₫277.3K

$9.92 ₫260.7K

6.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ₫72.5K

$2.65 ₫69.7K

4.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ₫28.9K

$1.06 ₫27.9K

3.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₫34.1K

$1.29 ₫33.8K

0.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ₫30.6K

$1.07 ₫28.1K

8.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.7K

$1.04 ₫27.3K

12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.9K

$1.00 ₫26.3K

17.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ₫18.4K

$0.64 ₫16.8K

9.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.4K

$0.52 ₫13.6K

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.27 ₫33.2K

$1.38 ₫36.1K

-7.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.32 ₫323.6K

$10.17 ₫267.1K

21.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₫22.3K

$0.75 ₫19.7K

13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₫39.1K

$1.66 ₫43.6K

-10.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,433

$0.32 ₫8,331

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.75 ₫282.5K

$6.35 ₫166.9K

69.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₫17.7K

$0.80 ₫21.1K

-16.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₫18.2K

$0.62 ₫16.2K

11.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 ₫78.7K

$2.77 ₫72.7K

7.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₫21.7K

$0.90 ₫23.6K

-8.89%

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

$37.5K ₫985.9M

$35.8K ₫940.7M

4.81%

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

$33.6K ₫881.9M

$31.4K ₫825.1M

6.89%

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

$84.8 ₫2.2M

$75.3 ₫2.0M

12.58%

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

$6.06 ₫159.3K

$5.79 ₫152.2K

4.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.14 ₫240.2K

$8.76 ₫230.2K

4.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.73 ₫544.6K

$21.72 ₫570.6K

-4.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.37 ₫246.3K

$7.56 ₫198.6K

23.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 ₫111.8K

$3.02 ₫79.4K

41.06%

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

$273 ₫7.2M

$262 ₫6.9M

4.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ₫362.2M

$11.8K ₫310.1M

16.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.85 ₫1.1M

$41.28 ₫1.1M

3.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.36 ₫718.8K

$23.66 ₫621.6K

15.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 ₫2.6M

$85.6 ₫2.2M

14.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 ₫2.3M

$76.2 ₫2.0M

14.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 ₫13.8M

$357 ₫9.4M

47.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₫8.1M

$253 ₫6.6M

21.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 ₫28.6M

$674 ₫17.7M

61.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 ₫17.6M

$462 ₫12.1M

44.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,497 ₫118.2M

$3,805 ₫100.0M

18.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,791 ₫47.1M

$1,605 ₫42.2M

11.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$509 ₫13.4M

$224 ₫5.9M

127.04%

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): May 30, 2026

Last update for Ha Long: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $526 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $357 in Ha Long. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 127% higher in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $21.00 in Ha Long. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $188 – making Ha Long 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 Long: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $826 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), $728 in Ha Long – roughly 14% apart. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,240 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,091 in Ha Long. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 5% more in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $21.00 in Ha Long. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $826 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $728 in Ha Long, 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 $728 in Ha Long to $826 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 Ha Long. 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.