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: $822 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $535 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,303 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $854 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,784 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,173 in Kandy.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 53% more expensive than in Kandy, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 39% lower, Kandy 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.99 ₫52.5K

$2.75 LKR 924

-27.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.39 ₫615.7K

$11.88 LKR 3,992

96.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ₫119.3K

$6.36 LKR 2,138

-28.77%

Cappuccino

$1.70 ₫44.9K

$2.63 LKR 885

-35.36%

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

$0.51 ₫13.4K

$0.60 LKR 201

-15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,255

$0.32 LKR 109

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ₫26.5K

$2.13 LKR 716

-52.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₫40.2K

$3.37 LKR 1,134

-54.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 ₫39.7K

$1.41 LKR 473

7.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ₫26.8K

$0.52 LKR 173

96.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₫26.1K

$0.86 LKR 289

15.12%

Eggs

$1.45 ₫38.3K

$2.17 LKR 729

-33.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.79 ₫310.4K

$8.61 LKR 2,894

36.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ₫96.3K

$4.53 LKR 1,524

-19.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.47 ₫275.6K

$7.97 LKR 2,680

31.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 ₫69.9K

$4.48 LKR 1,507

-40.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 ₫29.3K

$0.97 LKR 327

14.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 ₫35.5K

$3.77 LKR 1,266

-64.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ₫29.9K

$1.21 LKR 405

-6.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 ₫29.4K

$1.16 LKR 391

-3.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.8K

$1.25 LKR 420

-6.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ₫20.1K

$0.78 LKR 262

-2.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.5K

$0.56 LKR 188

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.23 ₫32.5K

$9.28 LKR 3,119

-86.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.61 ₫305.6K

$11.47 LKR 3,854

1.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₫24.2K

$2.10 LKR 705

-56.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ₫37.5K

$2.74 LKR 921

-47.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,397

$0.18 LKR 59.6

55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.38 ₫273.2K

$15.28 LKR 5,136

-32.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 ₫17.3K

$0.39 LKR 130

69.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 ₫17.7K

$0.33 LKR 110

103.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 ₫79.3K

$0.43 LKR 146

600.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 ₫23.5K

$1.25 LKR 421

-28.80%

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

$36.9K ₫971.7M

$17.8K LKR 6.0M

107.86%

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

$34.4K ₫905.2M

$21.7K LKR 7.3M

58.74%

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

$83.1 ₫2.2M

$40.58 LKR 13.6K

104.83%

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

$5.84 ₫153.8K

$4.37 LKR 1,470

33.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.55 ₫251.4K

$15.38 LKR 5,170

-37.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.95 ₫551.4K

$14.79 LKR 4,970

41.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.30 ₫244.9K

$5.71 LKR 1,919

62.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 ₫107.9K

$3.42 LKR 1,150

19.88%

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

$279 ₫7.4M

$36.45 LKR 12.3K

666.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K ₫372.1M

$324 LKR 108.9K

4261.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.90 ₫1.1M

$27.66 LKR 9,298

55.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.60 ₫726.5K

$14.38 LKR 4,833

91.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 ₫2.6M

$56.1 LKR 18.8K

73.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.7 ₫2.2M

$30.16 LKR 10.1K

180.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$525 ₫13.8M

$136 LKR 45.9K

284.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ₫8.2M

$83.4 LKR 28.0K

271.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 ₫28.7M

$219 LKR 73.6K

397.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 ₫17.1M

$161 LKR 54.2K

303.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,593 ₫120.9M

$392 LKR 131.9K

1070.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,809 ₫47.6M

$399 LKR 134.2K

353.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$481 ₫12.7M

$261 LKR 87.6K

84.52%

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): July 19, 2026

Last update for Kandy: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $525 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $136 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 85% 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 $197 vs $208, 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 53% 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 85% 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: $525 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $136 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $822 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $535 in Kandy – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 47% 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 $1,000 a month, though Kandy 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 Kandy delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $535 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 53% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.