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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $808 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $763 in Hoi An.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,306 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,058 in Hoi An.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,803 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,353 in Hoi An.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 6% more expensive than in Hoi An, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 40% lower, Hoi An 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.07 ₫54.3K

$1.51 ₫39.7K

37.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.64 ₫595.2K

$16.91 ₫444.5K

33.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.72 ₫124.2K

$3.84 ₫101.1K

22.92%

Cappuccino

$1.79 ₫46.9K

$1.53 ₫40.3K

16.99%

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

$0.47 ₫12.5K

$0.53 ₫14.0K

-11.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,257

$0.31 ₫8,266

-9.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 ₫26.4K

$0.95 ₫25.0K

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₫41.6K

$1.36 ₫35.7K

16.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ₫40.2K

$1.44 ₫37.7K

6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ₫26.0K

$0.94 ₫24.7K

5.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₫26.7K

$1.10 ₫28.9K

-7.27%

Eggs

$1.43 ₫37.5K

$1.47 ₫38.6K

-2.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.46 ₫301.4K

$12.63 ₫332.1K

-9.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 ₫95.1K

$3.73 ₫98.1K

-2.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.56 ₫277.6K

$10.03 ₫263.7K

5.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ₫71.6K

$2.62 ₫68.8K

3.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ₫28.9K

$0.86 ₫22.6K

27.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₫34.2K

$0.97 ₫25.6K

34.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ₫29.8K

$1.09 ₫28.6K

4.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 ₫29.6K

$1.13 ₫29.7K

-0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 ₫31.1K

$0.82 ₫21.5K

43.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ₫18.4K

$0.40 ₫10.4K

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₫12.4K

$0.51 ₫13.4K

-7.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.28 ₫33.6K

$1.17 ₫30.7K

9.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 ₫297.1K

$7.73 ₫203.2K

46.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₫23.9K

$0.77 ₫20.1K

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 ₫37.5K

$1.55 ₫40.8K

-8.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,399

$0.22 ₫5,761

27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.74 ₫282.5K

$3.88 ₫102.1K

176.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₫17.8K

$0.83 ₫21.7K

-18.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₫16.5K

$0.64 ₫16.9K

-1.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ₫79.4K

$2.86 ₫75.1K

5.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₫21.6K

$0.86 ₫22.7K

-4.65%

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

$37.7K ₫990.5M

$32.6K ₫857.3M

15.54%

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

$33.5K ₫881.9M

$28.3K ₫744.8M

18.40%

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

$83.2 ₫2.2M

$60.7 ₫1.6M

36.98%

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

$5.76 ₫151.6K

$5.69 ₫149.7K

1.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.26 ₫243.6K

$7.63 ₫200.6K

21.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.01 ₫552.3K

$15.35 ₫403.6K

36.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.72 ₫255.4K

$4.90 ₫128.7K

98.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 ₫112.4K

$2.83 ₫74.5K

51.24%

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

$280 ₫7.4M

$154 ₫4.1M

81.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K ₫369.7M

$14.7K ₫387.2M

-4.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.71 ₫1.1M

$23.30 ₫612.5K

83.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.93 ₫708.0K

$15.57 ₫409.4K

72.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 ₫2.6M

$52.8 ₫1.4M

83.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.8 ₫2.2M

$77.0 ₫2.0M

10.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$539 ₫14.2M

$389 ₫10.2M

38.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 ₫8.0M

$334 ₫8.8M

-8.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 ₫29.2M

$427 ₫11.2M

159.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$645 ₫17.0M

$455 ₫12.0M

41.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,555 ₫119.8M

$1,535 ₫40.4M

196.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,818 ₫47.8M

$936 ₫24.6M

94.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$495 ₫13.0M

$289 ₫7.6M

71.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.14

10.34

-11.61%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): July 14, 2026

Last update for Hoi An: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $539 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $389 in Hoi An. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 71% 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 $17.00 in Hoi An for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $183 per month, with Hoi An 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 Hoi An: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hoi An wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hoi An the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 71% 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: $539 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $389 in Hoi An. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $808 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $763 in Hoi An – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Hoi An runs roughly 177% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Hoi An 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 Hoi An delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $763 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Hoi An hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Hoi An 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 Hoi An gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.