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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $742 in Mui Ne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,376 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,170 in Mui Ne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,898 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,598 in Mui Ne.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 15% more expensive than in Mui Ne, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower, Mui Ne 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 ₫55.5K

$1.89 ₫48.9K

13.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.88 ₫593.0K

$21.25 ₫550.9K

7.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.72 ₫122.3K

$4.64 ₫120.2K

1.72%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ₫47.5K

$1.76 ₫45.7K

3.98%

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

$0.56 ₫14.4K

$0.48 ₫12.4K

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,249

$0.30 ₫7,818

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 ₫30.7K

$1.00 ₫25.9K

18.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₫41.6K

$1.50 ₫38.9K

7.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ₫40.9K

$1.37 ₫35.5K

15.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 ₫27.4K

$1.02 ₫26.5K

3.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 ₫27.0K

$0.93 ₫24.1K

11.83%

Eggs

$1.63 ₫42.3K

$1.46 ₫37.9K

11.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.24 ₫317.1K

$11.62 ₫301.1K

5.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 ₫92.5K

$3.67 ₫95.2K

-2.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 ₫269.7K

$10.03 ₫259.9K

3.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 ₫81.7K

$2.76 ₫71.4K

14.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 ₫33.1K

$1.01 ₫26.3K

26.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ₫42.4K

$1.30 ₫33.7K

26.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 ₫32.2K

$1.07 ₫27.7K

15.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ₫31.7K

$1.08 ₫28.0K

12.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ₫30.9K

$1.02 ₫26.4K

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 ₫19.8K

$0.65 ₫16.9K

18.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₫14.3K

$0.52 ₫13.6K

5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.25 ₫32.4K

$1.32 ₫34.3K

-5.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.53 ₫324.8K

$11.36 ₫294.4K

10.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₫22.3K

$0.73 ₫19.0K

17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ₫39.3K

$1.64 ₫42.6K

-7.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,334

$0.34 ₫8,836

-17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.49 ₫297.9K

$6.51 ₫168.8K

76.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 ₫18.9K

$0.67 ₫17.3K

8.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₫15.6K

$0.61 ₫15.9K

-1.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 ₫77.4K

$2.76 ₫71.4K

8.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 ₫23.8K

$0.89 ₫23.0K

3.37%

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

$30.7K ₫795.3M

$35.2K ₫911.6M

-12.76%

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

$30.9K ₫800.4M

$31.6K ₫818.0M

-2.15%

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

$103 ₫2.7M

$73.9 ₫1.9M

38.83%

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

$5.95 ₫154.2K

$5.92 ₫153.4K

0.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.10 ₫261.7K

$8.62 ₫223.5K

17.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.51 ₫635.2K

$22.16 ₫574.5K

10.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₫311.7K

$7.79 ₫202.0K

54.43%

Cinema Ticket

$3.49 ₫90.5K

$3.11 ₫80.7K

12.22%

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

$471 ₫12.2M

$267 ₫6.9M

76.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₫593.0M

$11.5K ₫297.7M

99.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 ₫1.3M

$40.61 ₫1.1M

25.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.23 ₫887.3K

$22.89 ₫593.3K

49.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 ₫2.3M

$87.0 ₫2.3M

3.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.4 ₫2.5M

$75.4 ₫2.0M

26.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 ₫15.1M

$363 ₫9.4M

60.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ₫7.3M

$247 ₫6.4M

14.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 ₫32.5M

$739 ₫19.2M

69.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 ₫18.0M

$547 ₫14.2M

27.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,852 ₫125.8M

$2,137 ₫55.4M

127.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,871 ₫48.5M

$1,257 ₫32.6M

48.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ₫13.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

9.1

-5.05%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): September 6, 2026

Last update for Mui Ne: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $584 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $363 in Mui Ne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $21.00 in Mui Ne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $191 per month, with Mui Ne cheaper across the board.

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 Mui Ne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mui Ne 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 Mui Ne the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,282 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,113 in Mui Ne 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: $584 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $363 in Mui Ne. 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 $742 in Mui Ne – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mui Ne runs roughly 76% 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 $742 in Mui Ne versus $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mui Ne but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Mui Ne the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mui Ne delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $742 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mui Ne hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Mui Ne 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 Mui Ne 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.