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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $825 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $551 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,301 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $860 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,169 in Kandy.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 50% more expensive than Kandy, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 39% lower, Kandy 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.97 ₫51.8K

$2.82 LKR 950

-30.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.39 ₫614.5K

$11.83 LKR 3,988

97.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ₫123.2K

$6.58 LKR 2,216

-28.72%

Cappuccino

$1.77 ₫46.5K

$2.56 LKR 861

-30.86%

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

$0.48 ₫12.5K

$0.65 LKR 217

-26.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,243

$0.33 LKR 110

-15.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₫26.1K

$2.15 LKR 726

-53.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ₫40.9K

$3.43 LKR 1,154

-54.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 ₫39.5K

$1.40 LKR 472

7.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₫25.7K

$0.52 LKR 175

88.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ₫25.2K

$0.85 LKR 287

12.94%

Eggs

$1.47 ₫38.6K

$2.19 LKR 737

-32.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.89 ₫312.3K

$8.48 LKR 2,859

40.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 ₫93.6K

$4.64 LKR 1,565

-23.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 ₫278.8K

$8.15 LKR 2,746

30.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 ₫70.2K

$4.42 LKR 1,491

-39.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 ₫30.2K

$1.02 LKR 345

12.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ₫35.6K

$3.63 LKR 1,222

-62.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 ₫31.1K

$1.21 LKR 408

-2.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 ₫30.2K

$1.16 LKR 390

-0.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 ₫32.4K

$1.30 LKR 439

-5.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ₫19.5K

$0.74 LKR 248

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₫12.4K

$0.55 LKR 186

-14.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.28 ₫33.6K

$9.30 LKR 3,134

-86.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.69 ₫333.4K

$11.32 LKR 3,815

12.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₫22.4K

$1.99 LKR 671

-57.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ₫38.7K

$2.77 LKR 934

-46.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₫6,801

$0.17 LKR 58.1

52.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.74 ₫282.1K

$14.86 LKR 5,009

-27.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₫17.7K

$0.39 LKR 130

71.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₫16.6K

$0.33 LKR 110

90.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 ₫82.1K

$0.44 LKR 148

611.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₫21.5K

$1.25 LKR 423

-34.40%

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

$38.2K ₫1.0B

$17.9K LKR 6.0M

112.76%

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

$34.0K ₫894.4M

$21.2K LKR 7.2M

60.46%

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

$85.0 ₫2.2M

$40.82 LKR 13.8K

108.30%

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

$5.85 ₫153.7K

$4.26 LKR 1,437

37.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.10 ₫239.1K

$15.41 LKR 5,194

-40.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.54 ₫539.5K

$14.86 LKR 5,006

38.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.70 ₫254.7K

$5.62 LKR 1,895

72.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.31 ₫113.2K

$3.33 LKR 1,122

29.43%

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

$274 ₫7.2M

$37.50 LKR 12.6K

630.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K ₫371.3M

$328 LKR 110.5K

4209.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.11 ₫1.1M

$27.01 LKR 9,102

55.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.32 ₫717.6K

$14.32 LKR 4,826

90.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 ₫2.5M

$56.9 LKR 19.2K

69.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.6 ₫2.3M

$29.20 LKR 9,841

196.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 ₫14.1M

$131 LKR 44.3K

307.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ₫8.1M

$83.3 LKR 28.1K

271.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,093 ₫28.7M

$217 LKR 73.0K

404.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₫17.1M

$160 LKR 53.8K

307.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,532 ₫119.1M

$401 LKR 135.2K

1029.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,820 ₫47.8M

$394 LKR 132.8K

362.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ₫13.3M

$260 LKR 87.6K

94.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.14

-39.07%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): June 9, 2026

Last update for Kandy: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $535 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $131 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 94% 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 $12.00 in Kandy. Groceries flip the comparison at $199 vs $207, with Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kandy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kandy wins on cost – living expenses run 50% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kandy the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 94% more on average, 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: $535 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $131 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $825 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $551 in Kandy – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 38% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $551 in Kandy versus $825 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kandy but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Kandy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kandy delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $551 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kandy hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Kandy 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 Kandy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.