Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): $853 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Living Index
78

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index

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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$853

/mo nomad

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,608

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and in Mexico 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 Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $853 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,608 in Mexico City.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $853
Mexico City $1,608

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,391 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $2,549 in Mexico City.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,391
Mexico City $2,549

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,930 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $3,490 in Mexico City.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,930
Mexico City $3,490

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs roughly 47% less than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is 37% below, Mexico City is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 ₫49.3K

$10.62 MX$199

-82.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.93 ₫591.8K

$48.35 MX$908

-52.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ₫121.0K

$10.35 MX$194

-54.69%

Cappuccino

$1.80 ₫46.4K

$3.69 MX$69.3

-51.22%

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

$0.55 ₫14.2K

$1.67 MX$31.29

-67.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₫8,802

$1.27 MX$23.76

-73.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₫26.7K

$3.19 MX$59.9

-67.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₫44.4K

$5.31 MX$99.6

-67.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ₫43.0K

$1.72 MX$32.38

-2.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ₫28.2K

$3.04 MX$57.1

-64.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₫27.2K

$1.94 MX$36.44

-45.36%

Eggs

$1.60 ₫41.2K

$2.89 MX$54.2

-44.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 ₫311.8K

$10.97 MX$206

10.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ₫94.4K

$9.25 MX$174

-60.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.35 ₫267.0K

$15.13 MX$284

-31.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 ₫77.7K

$3.05 MX$57.2

-1.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ₫32.5K

$1.94 MX$36.45

-35.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₫41.9K

$2.03 MX$38.02

-20.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ₫32.7K

$2.31 MX$43.46

-45.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ₫30.5K

$2.04 MX$38.21

-42.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ₫30.7K

$1.80 MX$33.79

-33.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 ₫20.1K

$1.48 MX$27.77

-47.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₫14.2K

$1.27 MX$23.80

-56.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.26 ₫32.5K

$5.30 MX$99.6

-76.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 ₫331.5K

$16.10 MX$302

-20.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₫23.1K

$1.98 MX$37.23

-54.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₫37.6K

$4.25 MX$79.8

-65.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,252

$0.31 MX$5.73

-9.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.42 ₫294.7K

$19.73 MX$371

-42.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 ₫18.1K

$1.84 MX$34.50

-61.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₫16.2K

$0.53 MX$10.02

18.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ₫79.7K

$5.30 MX$99.4

-41.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 ₫24.5K

$1.51 MX$28.36

-37.09%

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

$30.5K ₫787.4M

$21.8K MX$408.4K

40.28%

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

$29.7K ₫767.0M

$24.0K MX$450.3K

23.92%

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

$102 ₫2.6M

$63.0 MX$1,182

62.31%

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

$5.65 ₫145.7K

$27.39 MX$514

-79.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.43 ₫269.2K

$35.67 MX$670

-70.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.30 ₫498.1K

$58.9 MX$1,107

-67.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.81 ₫304.8K

$23.64 MX$444

-50.04%

Cinema Ticket

$3.83 ₫98.8K

$6.40 MX$120

-40.16%

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

$484 ₫12.5M

$432 MX$8,103

12.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₫601.6M

$11.4K MX$214.5K

104.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 ₫1.3M

$68.2 MX$1,281

-23.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.35 ₫886.3K

$53.1 MX$997

-35.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 ₫2.4M

$108 MX$2,023

-14.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.2 ₫2.4M

$117 MX$2,202

-19.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 ₫16.7M

$1,113 MX$20.9K

-41.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₫7.7M

$710 MX$13.3K

-58.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 ₫33.3M

$2,588 MX$48.6K

-50.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 ₫18.6M

$1,406 MX$26.4K

-48.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,327 ₫111.6M

$3,631 MX$68.2K

19.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,987 ₫51.3M

$2,135 MX$40.1K

-6.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ₫12.6M

$946 MX$17.8K

-48.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

11.35

-23.88%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): October 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$297 34.9%

Mexico City

$710 44.2% 139% $413

Groceries & Markets

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$208 24.4%

Mexico City

$320 19.9% 53.6% $112

Clothing & Footwear

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$123 14.4%

Mexico City

$156 9.7% 26.8% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$118 13.9%

Mexico City

$126 7.8% 6.5% $7.7

Eating Out

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$63 7.4%

Mexico City

$199 12.4% 215% $135

Sport & Entertainment

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$27 3.2%

Mexico City

$72 4.5% 166% $45

Getting Around

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$16 1.9%

Mexico City

$25 1.6% 55.2% $9.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $647 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,113 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 93% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $23 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $48 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $320 per month, with Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🕒 Local time

18:51 6:51 PM

05:51 5:51 AM

13 h behind Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,456,700

9,209,944 Capital

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.88 USD

100,000 VND = 3.47 EUR

100 MXN = 5.33 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Dong (₫)

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 25,802 VND (100,000 VND = 3.88 USD). 1 EUR = 28,810 VND (100,000 VND = 3.47 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Mexico City 15,620 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Mexico 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) wins on cost – living expenses run 47% lower than in Mexico City. 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 48% lower in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). 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: $647 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,113 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $853 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,608 in Mexico City – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is about 47% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) runs roughly 42% less than in Mexico City. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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