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: $815 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $549 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,295 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $862 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,775 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,175 in Kandy.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 48% 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

$2.77 LKR 877

-28.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.83 ₫599.0K

$11.69 LKR 3,700

95.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 ₫122.7K

$6.60 LKR 2,087

-29.24%

Cappuccino

$1.71 ₫44.8K

$2.61 LKR 825

-34.48%

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

$0.48 ₫12.6K

$0.61 LKR 193

-21.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,344

$0.30 LKR 94.5

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 ₫26.1K

$2.12 LKR 670

-52.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ₫41.1K

$3.37 LKR 1,067

-53.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ₫38.7K

$1.45 LKR 458

2.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ₫25.9K

$0.56 LKR 177

76.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₫26.7K

$0.87 LKR 275

17.24%

Eggs

$1.47 ₫38.6K

$2.13 LKR 674

-30.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.73 ₫307.9K

$8.95 LKR 2,832

31.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 ₫94.7K

$4.77 LKR 1,511

-24.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.64 ₫279.1K

$8.12 LKR 2,570

31.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ₫70.4K

$4.64 LKR 1,467

-42.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 ₫29.1K

$1.02 LKR 324

8.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 ₫35.5K

$3.63 LKR 1,150

-62.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ₫29.6K

$1.26 LKR 398

-10.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.7K

$1.14 LKR 362

2.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.8K

$1.23 LKR 390

-4.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 ₫20.1K

$0.77 LKR 245

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.3K

$0.56 LKR 177

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.28 ₫33.7K

$9.25 LKR 2,928

-86.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.97 ₫340.4K

$12.05 LKR 3,814

7.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₫24.0K

$2.06 LKR 652

-55.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ₫38.7K

$2.71 LKR 858

-45.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,429

$0.17 LKR 55.3

64.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.38 ₫272.4K

$15.20 LKR 4,810

-31.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₫17.8K

$0.42 LKR 132

61.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 ₫17.6K

$0.35 LKR 111

91.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ₫79.9K

$0.40 LKR 128

660.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ₫23.6K

$1.21 LKR 384

-25.62%

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

$37.8K ₫991.6M

$17.7K LKR 5.6M

113.75%

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

$33.9K ₫889.8M

$21.2K LKR 6.7M

60.25%

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

$85.8 ₫2.3M

$40.48 LKR 12.8K

111.83%

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

$6.04 ₫158.5K

$4.27 LKR 1,353

41.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.11 ₫239.0K

$14.97 LKR 4,737

-39.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.99 ₫550.9K

$15.12 LKR 4,784

38.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.72 ₫255.2K

$5.82 LKR 1,841

67.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 ₫109.3K

$3.40 LKR 1,077

22.35%

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

$270 ₫7.1M

$36.64 LKR 11.6K

637.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ₫362.9M

$321 LKR 101.5K

4213.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.54 ₫1.1M

$27.83 LKR 8,808

49.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.25 ₫715.2K

$14.44 LKR 4,569

88.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 ₫2.5M

$57.1 LKR 18.1K

66.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.3 ₫2.2M

$29.77 LKR 9,423

186.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 ₫14.1M

$132 LKR 41.9K

305.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₫8.1M

$85.3 LKR 27.0K

259.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 ₫29.6M

$221 LKR 69.8K

411.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 ₫17.0M

$161 LKR 51.0K

301.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,217 ₫110.7M

$428 LKR 135.3K

886.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,843 ₫48.4M

$417 LKR 132.0K

341.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$485 ₫12.7M

$277 LKR 87.6K

75.25%

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): April 22, 2026

Last update for Kandy: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $536 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $132 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 75% 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 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $12 in Kandy. Groceries flip the comparison at $199 vs $213, 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 48% 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 75% 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: $536 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $132 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $815 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $549 in Kandy – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 46% 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 $549 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 48% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.