Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Kuta, Lombok

For one person, living is cheaper in Kuta, Lombok: $715 a month against $862 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Kuta, Lombok
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Kuta, Lombok Living Index

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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$862

/mo nomad

Kuta, Lombok

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$715

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and in Kuta, Lombok

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and in Kuta, Lombok actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $862 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $715 in Kuta, Lombok.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $862
Kuta, Lombok $715

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,410 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,191 in Kuta, Lombok.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,410
Kuta, Lombok $1,191

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,958 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,667 in Kuta, Lombok.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,958
Kuta, Lombok $1,667

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 21% more expensive than in Kuta, Lombok, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 36% lower, Kuta, Lombok 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ₫51.3K

$1.64 Rp 29.6K

20.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.14 ₫599.0K

$17.32 Rp 311.7K

33.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ₫123.2K

$2.87 Rp 51.6K

65.85%

Cappuccino

$1.86 ₫48.1K

$1.33 Rp 23.9K

39.85%

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

$0.51 ₫13.3K

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

-36.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,191

$0.39 Rp 6,940

-17.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₫26.7K

$1.29 Rp 23.3K

-20.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₫44.4K

$2.26 Rp 40.8K

-24.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ₫40.8K

$1.05 Rp 18.9K

50.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ₫28.3K

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

-28.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.2K

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

38.16%

Eggs

$1.64 ₫42.6K

$1.43 Rp 25.7K

14.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.33 ₫319.2K

$11.42 Rp 205.6K

7.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 ₫92.6K

$2.63 Rp 47.3K

36.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.56 ₫273.3K

$8.07 Rp 145.3K

30.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 ₫76.9K

$2.38 Rp 42.8K

24.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ₫32.7K

$1.05 Rp 18.9K

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₫42.0K

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

6.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 ₫33.8K

$1.32 Rp 23.8K

-0.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ₫30.8K

$1.23 Rp 22.2K

-3.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 ₫29.6K

$1.60 Rp 28.8K

-28.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ₫18.8K

$0.64 Rp 11.6K

14.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₫14.6K

$0.36 Rp 6,400

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.28 ₫33.0K

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

-15.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 ₫322.5K

$15.12 Rp 272.1K

-17.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₫24.9K

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

-38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ₫38.3K

$1.96 Rp 35.2K

-24.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₫6,704

$0.14 Rp 2,576

85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.43 ₫296.0K

$5.17 Rp 93.0K

121.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₫17.7K

$0.29 Rp 5,209

134.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₫16.1K

$0.28 Rp 5,031

121.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ₫77.7K

$3.95 Rp 71.1K

-24.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 ₫23.5K

$0.54 Rp 9,648

68.52%

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

$30.6K ₫791.4M

$15.8K Rp 284.1M

93.69%

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

$29.4K ₫760.1M

$20.9K Rp 376.4M

40.40%

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

$104 ₫2.7M

$61.1 Rp 1.1M

69.98%

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

$5.79 ₫149.9K

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

16.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.48 ₫271.3K

$13.94 Rp 251.0K

-24.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.08 ₫675.1K

$29.68 Rp 534.3K

-12.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.90 ₫308.1K

$9.66 Rp 173.8K

23.19%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 ₫100.7K

$2.35 Rp 42.3K

65.53%

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

$440 ₫11.4M

$314 Rp 5.7M

39.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K ₫622.7M

$3,692 Rp 66.5M

551.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 ₫1.3M

$34.78 Rp 626.1K

46.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.18 ₫910.8K

$27.09 Rp 487.7K

29.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 ₫2.4M

$61.2 Rp 1.1M

50.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.5 ₫2.5M

$60.5 Rp 1.1M

59.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 ₫15.1M

$436 Rp 7.9M

33.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₫7.7M

$265 Rp 4.8M

12.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 ₫33.6M

$1,392 Rp 25.1M

-6.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$727 ₫18.8M

$684 Rp 12.3M

6.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,782 ₫123.8M

$1,069 Rp 19.2M

347.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,853 ₫48.0M

$884 Rp 15.9M

109.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ₫12.7M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

13.78

-37.30%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): October 17, 2026

Last update for Kuta, Lombok: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$297 34.4%

Kuta, Lombok

$265 37% 10.7% $32

Groceries & Markets

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$208 24.1%

Kuta, Lombok

$193 26.9% 7.3% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$124 14.3%

Kuta, Lombok

$83 11.6% 33.1% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$120 13.9%

Kuta, Lombok

$80 11.2% 33.4% $40

Eating Out

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$64 7.5%

Kuta, Lombok

$53 7.5% 16.9% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$34 3.9%

Kuta, Lombok

$34 4.8% 1.5% $0.5

Getting Around

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$16 1.9%

Kuta, Lombok

$7.4 1% 54.4% $8.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $582 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $436 in Kuta, Lombok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $17.00 in Kuta, Lombok for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $193 per month, with Kuta, Lombok cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇮🇩 Kuta, Lombok

🕒 Local time

00:15 12:15 AM

01:15 1:15 AM

1 h ahead of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,456,700

2,000

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Dong (₫)

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,105 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Kuta, Lombok 2,430 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Kuta, Lombok

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kuta, Lombok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuta, Lombok wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kuta, Lombok the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,294 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,073 in Kuta, Lombok to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $582 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $436 in Kuta, Lombok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $862 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $715 in Kuta, Lombok – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kuta, Lombok runs roughly 121% 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 $715 in Kuta, Lombok versus $862 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kuta, Lombok but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Kuta, Lombok the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kuta, Lombok delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $715 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kuta, Lombok hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Kuta, Lombok 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 Kuta, Lombok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.