Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): $855 a month against $1,257 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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
60

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index

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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$855

/mo nomad

Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,257

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,257 in Makati.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $855
Makati $1,257

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,400 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $2,052 in Makati.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,400
Makati $2,052

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,944 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $2,847 in Makati.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,944
Makati $2,847

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs roughly 32% less than in Makati, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 36% lower, Makati 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.90 ₫49.2K

$6.56 ₱412

-71.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.32 ₫603.7K

$40.13 ₱2,524

-41.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 ₫121.0K

$4.75 ₱299

-1.68%

Cappuccino

$1.85 ₫48.0K

$2.65 ₱166

-30.19%

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

$0.56 ₫14.4K

$1.08 ₱67.8

-48.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₫8,860

$0.50 ₱31.56

-32.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ₫26.2K

$2.44 ₱153

-58.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₫43.7K

$3.10 ₱195

-45.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ₫40.8K

$1.83 ₱115

-13.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 ₫27.0K

$1.24 ₱77.9

-16.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₫25.7K

$1.01 ₱63.7

-1.98%

Eggs

$1.60 ₫41.5K

$2.37 ₱149

-32.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.23 ₫316.7K

$7.35 ₱462

66.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.54 ₫91.7K

$4.91 ₱309

-27.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.44 ₫270.3K

$6.81 ₱429

53.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 ₫79.9K

$4.09 ₱257

-24.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ₫32.5K

$2.00 ₱126

-37.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 ₫40.6K

$3.27 ₱206

-51.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 ₫32.5K

$2.29 ₱144

-44.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.4K

$3.59 ₱226

-67.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ₫29.7K

$3.45 ₱217

-66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ₫18.7K

$1.07 ₱67.2

-32.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₫14.0K

$1.11 ₱69.9

-51.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.22 ₫31.5K

$2.66 ₱167

-54.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.28 ₫317.9K

$8.01 ₱504

53.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 ₫25.4K

$1.35 ₱84.7

-27.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₫38.6K

$1.98 ₱125

-24.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,252

$0.99 ₱62.0

-71.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.62 ₫301.0K

$57.4 ₱3,609

-79.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 ₫18.9K

$0.66 ₱41.50

10.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₫16.7K

$0.23 ₱14.50

178.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ₫82.0K

$1.88 ₱118

68.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 ₫24.6K

$1.26 ₱79.2

-24.60%

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

$30.7K ₫795.9M

$21.5K ₱1.4M

43.17%

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

$30.6K ₫791.9M

$19.8K ₱1.2M

54.44%

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

$102 ₫2.6M

$155 ₱9,752

-34.03%

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

$5.65 ₫146.2K

$15.90 ₱1,000

-64.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.52 ₫272.3K

$32.67 ₱2,055

-67.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 ₫669.5K

$55.4 ₱3,482

-53.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.82 ₫306.1K

$14.51 ₱913

-18.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.39 ₫87.8K

$6.98 ₱439

-51.43%

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

$438 ₫11.3M

$783 ₱49.2K

-44.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₫603.3M

$7,340 ₱461.6K

217.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 ₫1.3M

$59.6 ₱3,748

-13.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.56 ₫894.6K

$37.48 ₱2,357

-7.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 ₫2.4M

$82.5 ₱5,185

10.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.9 ₫2.5M

$102 ₱6,400

-6.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 ₫14.9M

$828 ₱52.1K

-30.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 ₫7.6M

$416 ₱26.2K

-29.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 ₫33.5M

$2,318 ₱145.8K

-44.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$717 ₫18.6M

$1,067 ₱67.1K

-32.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,714 ₫122.0M

$6,082 ₱382.5K

-22.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,882 ₫48.7M

$3,765 ₱236.8K

-50.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$486 ₫12.6M

$616 ₱38.7K

-21.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

7.5

15.20%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): October 5, 2026

Last update for Makati: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$292 34.3%

Makati

$416 33.8% 42.5% $124

Groceries & Markets

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$206 24.1%

Makati

$230 18.7% 12% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$123 14.4%

Makati

$127 10.3% 3.3% $4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$118 13.9%

Makati

$204 16.5% 71.9% $85

Eating Out

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$63 7.5%

Makati

$123 10% 94.1% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$33 3.8%

Makati

$69 5.6% 112% $37

Getting Around

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$17 2%

Makati

$63 5.1% 278% $46

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $577 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $828 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 27% 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 $40.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $230 per month, with Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇵🇭 Makati

🕒 Local time

14:58 2:58 PM

15:58 3:58 PM

1 h ahead of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,456,700

582,602

💱 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 = 1.42 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,037 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.54 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Makati 1,610 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Makati

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 Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) wins on cost – living expenses run 47% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Makati. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $577 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $828 in Makati. 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 $1,257 in Makati – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) runs roughly 394% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,257 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $855 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Makati 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 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.