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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $826 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $657 in Jiaxing.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,300 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,095 in Jiaxing.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,773 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,533 in Jiaxing.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 26% more expensive than Jiaxing, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower, Jiaxing 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ₫53.3K

$2.86 ¥19.35

-29.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.91 ₫602.2K

$20.78 ¥141

10.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ₫123.3K

$4.86 ¥32.89

-3.50%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ₫44.5K

$3.20 ¥21.64

-47.19%

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

$0.50 ₫13.2K

$0.45 ¥3.03

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,267

$0.26 ¥1.77

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₫26.0K

$0.68 ¥4.63

45.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₫39.3K

$1.79 ¥12.10

-16.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ₫38.9K

$2.34 ¥15.85

-36.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ₫27.0K

$1.94 ¥13.10

-46.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₫25.9K

$0.53 ¥3.61

84.91%

Eggs

$1.41 ₫36.9K

$1.53 ¥10.35

-7.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 ₫312.3K

$6.99 ¥47.31

69.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 ₫94.7K

$2.74 ¥18.56

31.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.55 ₫277.4K

$9.02 ¥61.0

16.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ₫72.6K

$1.62 ¥10.96

70.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ₫28.9K

$1.27 ¥8.60

-13.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₫34.1K

$1.18 ¥7.99

10.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ₫30.6K

$1.14 ¥7.68

1.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.7K

$0.59 ¥4.01

98.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.9K

$0.96 ¥6.48

21.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ₫18.4K

$0.80 ¥5.40

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.4K

$0.56 ¥3.82

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.27 ₫33.3K

$3.57 ¥24.17

-64.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.32 ₫323.8K

$11.03 ¥74.6

11.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₫22.3K

$0.69 ¥4.64

23.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₫39.1K

$1.47 ¥9.98

1.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,437

$0.29 ¥1.97

-3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.75 ₫282.6K

$15.41 ¥104

-30.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₫17.7K

$1.13 ¥7.62

-40.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₫18.2K

$0.38 ¥2.57

81.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 ₫78.7K

$6.76 ¥45.77

-55.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₫21.7K

$1.12 ¥7.58

-26.79%

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

$37.5K ₫986.5M

$16.8K ¥113.6K

123.62%

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

$33.6K ₫882.4M

$14.5K ¥98.2K

131.33%

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

$84.8 ₫2.2M

$34.35 ¥233

146.93%

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

$6.06 ₫159.4K

$11.13 ¥75.3

-45.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.14 ₫240.3K

$4.76 ¥32.23

92.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.73 ₫544.9K

$34.36 ¥233

-39.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.37 ₫246.5K

$7.14 ¥48.31

31.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 ₫111.9K

$5.44 ¥36.81

-21.69%

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

$273 ₫7.2M

$401 ¥2,715

-32.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ₫362.4M

$11.7K ¥79.0K

18.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.85 ₫1.1M

$43.33 ¥293

-1.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.36 ₫719.2K

$32.67 ¥221

-16.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 ₫2.6M

$69.0 ¥467

41.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 ₫2.3M

$82.6 ¥559

5.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 ₫13.8M

$267 ¥1,810

96.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₫8.1M

$169 ¥1,147

81.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 ₫28.7M

$711 ¥4,810

53.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 ₫17.6M

$418 ¥2,830

59.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,497 ₫118.2M

$4,230 ¥28.6K

6.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,791 ₫47.1M

$1,959 ¥13.3K

-8.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$509 ₫13.4M

$825 ¥5,586

-38.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.14

3.87

136.18%

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 Jiaxing: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $526 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $267 in Jiaxing. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jiaxing pays 62% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $21.00 in Jiaxing for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $181 per month, with Jiaxing 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 Jiaxing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jiaxing wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Jiaxing the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Jiaxing earns 62% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $526 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $267 in Jiaxing. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $826 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $657 in Jiaxing – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jiaxing runs roughly 43% 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 $800 a month, though Jiaxing 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 Jiaxing delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $657 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Jiaxing hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Jiaxing 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 Jiaxing gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.