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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $850 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $668 in Nabeul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,385 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,058 in Nabeul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,920 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,448 in Nabeul.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 27% more expensive than in Nabeul, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower, Nabeul 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 ₫55.8K

$4.21 TND 12.22

-49.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.91 ₫597.3K

$21.78 TND 63.2

5.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 ₫121.9K

$5.21 TND 15.12

-10.36%

Cappuccino

$1.78 ₫46.3K

$1.15 TND 3.35

54.78%

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

$0.53 ₫13.8K

$0.59 TND 1.71

-10.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₫9,013

$0.54 TND 1.56

-35.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ₫30.6K

$1.60 TND 4.64

-26.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ₫43.3K

$1.67 TND 4.84

-0.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₫41.0K

$0.47 TND 1.36

234.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 ₫27.1K

$0.23 TND 0.66

352.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₫26.1K

$1.39 TND 4.03

-28.06%

Eggs

$1.61 ₫42.0K

$1.59 TND 4.61

1.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.27 ₫319.8K

$12.11 TND 35.14

1.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.54 ₫92.2K

$5.78 TND 16.77

-38.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 ₫271.8K

$14.44 TND 41.91

-27.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 ₫81.3K

$1.99 TND 5.77

56.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 ₫33.2K

$3.72 TND 10.80

-65.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₫42.1K

$1.07 TND 3.10

51.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 ₫31.5K

$0.75 TND 2.17

61.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ₫31.9K

$0.65 TND 1.88

87.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ₫31.1K

$0.83 TND 2.40

43.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ₫18.7K

$0.51 TND 1.49

41.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.2K

$0.32 TND 0.94

59.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.25 ₫32.5K

$3.53 TND 10.26

-64.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.47 ₫325.0K

$6.67 TND 19.38

86.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₫24.4K

$1.16 TND 3.35

-19.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ₫38.5K

$1.12 TND 3.24

32.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,359

$0.81 TND 2.35

-65.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ₫295.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 ₫18.0K

$0.30 TND 0.88

130.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₫15.7K

$0.36 TND 1.03

66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ₫80.5K

$7.54 TND 21.89

-59.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 ₫24.5K

$0.83 TND 2.41

13.25%

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

$30.8K ₫802.5M

$41.5K TND 120.4K

-25.80%

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

$30.6K ₫797.2M

$36.4K TND 105.7K

-15.98%

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

$101 ₫2.6M

$46.20 TND 134

119.05%

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

$5.95 ₫155.0K

$9.62 TND 27.94

-38.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.16 ₫264.9K

$20.71 TND 60.1

-50.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.64 ₫642.4K

$30.42 TND 88.3

-19.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.67 ₫304.3K

$14.22 TND 41.28

-17.93%

Cinema Ticket

$3.54 ₫92.4K

$4.72 TND 13.71

-25.00%

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

$464 ₫12.1M

$84.4 TND 245

450.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K ₫592.2M

$2,464 TND 7,153

821.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ₫1.3M

$39.13 TND 114

32.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.93 ₫910.5K

$37.13 TND 108

-5.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 ₫2.4M

$98.4 TND 286

-7.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 ₫2.4M

$68.4 TND 198

35.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 ₫15.2M

$234 TND 679

148.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 ₫7.4M

$160 TND 464

76.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 ₫33.1M

$381 TND 1,105

233.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 ₫17.6M

$279 TND 810

141.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,704 ₫122.6M

$870 TND 2,527

440.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,909 ₫49.8M

$830 TND 2,410

129.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$488 ₫12.7M

$268 TND 777

82.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

10.33

-16.36%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): August 31, 2026

Last update for Nabeul: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $582 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $234 in Nabeul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 82% 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 $22.00 in Nabeul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $199 per month, with Nabeul 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 Nabeul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nabeul wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nabeul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 82% 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: $582 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $234 in Nabeul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $850 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $668 in Nabeul – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $668 in Nabeul versus $850 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nabeul but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Nabeul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Nabeul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $668 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nabeul hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Nabeul 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 Nabeul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.