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: $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $516 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,376 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $736 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,898 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $956 in Kandy.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 66% more expensive than in Kandy, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower, Kandy 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 ₫55.5K

$2.75 LKR 904

-22.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.88 ₫593.0K

$12.92 LKR 4,246

77.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.72 ₫122.3K

$5.98 LKR 1,964

-21.07%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ₫47.5K

$1.99 LKR 654

-8.04%

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

$0.56 ₫14.4K

$0.51 LKR 167

9.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,249

$0.26 LKR 85.5

23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 ₫30.7K

$1.86 LKR 612

-36.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₫41.6K

$2.85 LKR 937

-43.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ₫40.9K

$1.16 LKR 383

36.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 ₫27.4K

$0.49 LKR 161

116.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 ₫27.0K

$0.78 LKR 258

33.33%

Eggs

$1.63 ₫42.3K

$1.60 LKR 527

1.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.24 ₫317.1K

$5.24 LKR 1,721

133.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 ₫92.5K

$4.30 LKR 1,412

-16.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 ₫269.7K

$6.89 LKR 2,265

50.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 ₫81.7K

$3.08 LKR 1,012

2.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 ₫33.1K

$0.89 LKR 292

43.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ₫42.4K

$1.72 LKR 564

-4.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 ₫32.2K

$1.27 LKR 418

-2.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ₫31.7K

$0.99 LKR 326

23.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ₫30.9K

$0.81 LKR 266

46.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 ₫19.8K

$0.48 LKR 158

60.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₫14.3K

$0.45 LKR 147

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.25 ₫32.4K

$7.75 LKR 2,548

-83.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.53 ₫324.8K

$11.53 LKR 3,788

8.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₫22.3K

$1.99 LKR 654

-56.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ₫39.3K

$2.04 LKR 669

-25.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,334

$0.16 LKR 53.3

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.49 ₫297.9K

$4.68 LKR 1,538

145.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 ₫18.9K

$0.42 LKR 138

73.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₫15.6K

$0.38 LKR 126

57.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 ₫77.4K

$0.47 LKR 156

536.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 ₫23.8K

$1.12 LKR 368

-17.86%

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

$30.7K ₫795.3M

$14.1K LKR 4.6M

116.85%

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

$30.9K ₫800.4M

$37.5K LKR 12.3M

-17.72%

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

$103 ₫2.7M

$55.1 LKR 18.1K

86.40%

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

$5.95 ₫154.2K

$4.11 LKR 1,351

44.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.10 ₫261.7K

$12.67 LKR 4,164

-20.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.51 ₫635.2K

$11.02 LKR 3,620

122.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₫311.7K

$6.68 LKR 2,193

80.09%

Cinema Ticket

$3.49 ₫90.5K

$2.89 LKR 950

20.76%

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

$471 ₫12.2M

$21.41 LKR 7,036

2098.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₫593.0M

$305 LKR 100.3K

7396.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 ₫1.3M

$20.30 LKR 6,671

151.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.23 ₫887.3K

$10.30 LKR 3,386

232.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 ₫2.3M

$68.8 LKR 22.6K

30.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.4 ₫2.5M

$26.80 LKR 8,805

256.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 ₫15.1M

$174 LKR 57.0K

236.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ₫7.3M

$116 LKR 38.1K

143.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 ₫32.5M

$177 LKR 58.2K

608.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 ₫18.0M

$97.0 LKR 31.9K

616.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,852 ₫125.8M

$414 LKR 135.9K

1072.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,871 ₫48.5M

$406 LKR 133.5K

360.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ₫13.0M

$263 LKR 86.5K

90.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

-28.00%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): September 6, 2026

Last update for Kandy: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $584 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $174 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 91% 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 $13.00 in Kandy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $167 per month, with Kandy 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 Kandy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kandy wins on cost – living expenses run 66% 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.

Average pay runs 91% 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: $584 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $174 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $855 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $516 in Kandy – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 146% 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 $516 in Kandy versus $855 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 $516 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 66% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.