Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Laoag City: $743 a month against $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Living Index
36

Cost of Living Index in Laoag City
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Laoag City Living Index

Jump to prices

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$859

/mo nomad

Laoag City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$743

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and in Laoag City

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 Laoag City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $743 in Laoag City.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $859
Laoag City $743

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,395 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,112 in Laoag City.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,395
Laoag City $1,112

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,931 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,480 in Laoag City.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,931
Laoag City $1,480

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 15% more expensive than in Laoag City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 36% lower, Laoag City 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 ₫49.6K

$3.41 ₱215

-43.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.84 ₫591.2K

$16.52 ₱1,041

38.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₫117.6K

$2.94 ₱185

54.42%

Cappuccino

$1.85 ₫48.0K

$2.54 ₱160

-27.17%

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

$0.56 ₫14.6K

$0.67 ₱42.13

-16.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,185

$0.33 ₱20.53

-3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ₫27.5K

$1.00 ₱63.3

6.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₫44.5K

$1.85 ₱117

-7.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₫42.9K

$1.63 ₱103

1.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 ₫28.7K

$1.17 ₱73.8

-5.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₫25.9K

$0.92 ₱58.1

8.70%

Eggs

$1.67 ₫43.1K

$1.95 ₱123

-14.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 ₫312.8K

$5.25 ₱331

130.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ₫95.2K

$4.30 ₱271

-14.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 ₫265.1K

$7.24 ₱456

41.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 ₫76.5K

$2.42 ₱152

22.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ₫32.2K

$1.63 ₱103

-23.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 ₫40.3K

$2.44 ₱154

-36.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ₫33.6K

$1.19 ₱74.7

9.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 ₫31.9K

$1.94 ₱122

-36.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ₫29.8K

$1.88 ₱119

-38.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ₫19.1K

$1.01 ₱63.4

-26.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₫14.4K

$0.54 ₱33.75

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.24 ₫32.1K

$2.89 ₱182

-57.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.60 ₫326.1K

$7.37 ₱464

70.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₫24.9K

$0.94 ₱59.5

2.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₫39.6K

$1.94 ₱122

-21.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₫6,694

$0.26 ₱16.39

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.51 ₫297.9K

$11.99 ₱756

-4.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₫19.5K

$0.73 ₱45.78

2.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 ₫17.4K

$0.24 ₱15.15

179.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ₫78.5K

$2.19 ₱138

38.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 ₫24.8K

$1.03 ₱64.6

-6.80%

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

$31.1K ₫804.3M

$21.6K ₱1.4M

43.54%

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

$30.4K ₫785.9M

$19.0K ₱1.2M

59.54%

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

$102 ₫2.6M

$136 ₱8,546

-24.83%

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

$5.89 ₫152.5K

$14.48 ₱912

-59.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.49 ₫271.6K

$24.79 ₱1,562

-57.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.54 ₫661.2K

$32.51 ₱2,048

-21.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.92 ₫308.5K

$5.10 ₱321

133.73%

Cinema Ticket

$3.53 ₫91.3K

$5.03 ₱317

-29.82%

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

$436 ₫11.3M

$133 ₱8,389

227.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₫602.8M

$8,190 ₱515.9K

184.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 ₫1.4M

$33.49 ₱2,109

57.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.15 ₫884.1K

$19.72 ₱1,242

73.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 ₫2.3M

$71.2 ₱4,484

26.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ₫2.5M

$55.3 ₱3,485

71.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 ₫15.3M

$270 ₱17.0K

118.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ₫7.7M

$171 ₱10.8K

73.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 ₫33.5M

$513 ₱32.3K

151.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$711 ₫18.4M

$330 ₱20.8K

115.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,676 ₫121.1M

$2,434 ₱153.3K

92.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,904 ₫49.3M

$1,087 ₱68.4K

75.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ₫12.7M

$162 ₱10.2K

202.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

6.79

27.25%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): October 10, 2026

Last update for Laoag City: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$298 34.7%

Laoag City

$171 23% 42.5% $126

Groceries & Markets

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$207 24.1%

Laoag City

$179 24.2% 13.4% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$122 14.3%

Laoag City

$81 10.9% 34% $42

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$118 13.8%

Laoag City

$175 23.5% 47.8% $57

Eating Out

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$63 7.4%

Laoag City

$79 10.7% 25% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$33 3.8%

Laoag City

$43 5.7% 30.6% $10

Getting Around

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$17 1.9%

Laoag City

$15 2% 10.1% $1.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $589 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $270 in Laoag City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 203% 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 $17.00 in Laoag City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $179 per month, with Laoag City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇵🇭 Laoag City

🕒 Local time

04:31 4:31 AM

05:31 5:31 AM

1 h ahead of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,456,700

112,117

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Dong (₫)

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,105 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.99 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.82 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Laoag City 1,710 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Laoag City

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 Laoag City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Laoag City wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Laoag City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 203% 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: $589 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $270 in Laoag City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $859 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $743 in Laoag City – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Laoag City runs roughly 4% 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 $743 in Laoag City versus $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $1,000 budget is realistic in Laoag City but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Laoag City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Laoag City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $743 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Laoag City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Laoag City 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 Laoag City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.