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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $804 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $742 in Nam Dinh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,312 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,155 in Nam Dinh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,820 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,567 in Nam Dinh.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 8% more expensive than in Nam Dinh, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 40% lower, Nam Dinh 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ₫52.1K

$1.86 ₫49.0K

6.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.00 ₫604.6K

$26.96 ₫708.8K

-14.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 ₫123.0K

$4.51 ₫118.5K

3.77%

Cappuccino

$1.71 ₫45.1K

$1.85 ₫48.6K

-7.57%

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

$0.48 ₫12.6K

$0.45 ₫11.8K

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,340

$0.27 ₫7,126

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 ₫27.3K

$0.94 ₫24.6K

10.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₫41.5K

$1.95 ₫51.3K

-18.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 ₫40.1K

$1.43 ₫37.7K

6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ₫26.0K

$0.92 ₫24.1K

7.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₫24.7K

$0.84 ₫22.1K

11.90%

Eggs

$1.47 ₫38.8K

$1.51 ₫39.7K

-2.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.83 ₫311.0K

$9.16 ₫240.8K

29.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 ₫94.8K

$3.89 ₫102.3K

-7.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 ₫276.4K

$9.45 ₫248.5K

11.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 ₫70.0K

$3.26 ₫85.7K

-18.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 ₫29.3K

$1.05 ₫27.6K

5.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₫34.3K

$1.60 ₫42.0K

-18.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.8K

$1.13 ₫29.6K

3.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 ₫30.4K

$1.06 ₫27.9K

9.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 ₫32.4K

$1.01 ₫26.5K

21.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ₫18.7K

$0.56 ₫14.7K

26.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₫12.5K

$0.56 ₫14.8K

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.22 ₫32.2K

$1.30 ₫34.3K

-6.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.24 ₫295.4K

$13.39 ₫352.0K

-16.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₫22.8K

$0.95 ₫24.9K

-8.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ₫39.0K

$1.75 ₫45.9K

-15.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₫6,805

$0.34 ₫9,006

-23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.58 ₫278.2K

$6.43 ₫169.0K

64.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 ₫18.8K

$0.79 ₫20.9K

-10.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₫18.1K

$0.42 ₫10.9K

64.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 ₫80.3K

$1.66 ₫43.5K

84.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 ₫23.0K

$0.86 ₫22.6K

2.33%

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

$37.6K ₫988.9M

$38.4K ₫1.0B

-1.95%

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

$34.6K ₫910.5M

$31.5K ₫829.3M

9.80%

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

$85.8 ₫2.3M

$78.2 ₫2.1M

9.78%

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

$5.75 ₫151.2K

$5.25 ₫138.0K

9.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.21 ₫242.0K

$8.61 ₫226.4K

6.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.17 ₫556.5K

$21.41 ₫563.0K

-1.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.22 ₫242.5K

$7.90 ₫207.7K

16.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 ₫114.2K

$3.72 ₫97.7K

16.67%

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

$278 ₫7.3M

$266 ₫7.0M

4.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K ₫365.1M

$11.7K ₫308.3M

18.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.88 ₫1.1M

$43.87 ₫1.2M

-4.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.95 ₫708.4K

$22.86 ₫601.1K

17.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 ₫2.5M

$88.3 ₫2.3M

7.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.8 ₫2.2M

$71.6 ₫1.9M

18.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$525 ₫13.8M

$362 ₫9.5M

44.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 ₫7.9M

$251 ₫6.6M

18.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 ₫29.1M

$685 ₫18.0M

61.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 ₫17.4M

$470 ₫12.4M

40.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,542 ₫119.4M

$3,232 ₫85.0M

40.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,813 ₫47.7M

$1,291 ₫33.9M

40.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$487 ₫12.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.14

9.1

0.44%

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

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

Last update for Nam Dinh: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $525 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $362 in Nam Dinh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $27.00 in Nam Dinh. Groceries flip the comparison at $195 vs $192, with Nam Dinh cheaper for home cooking.

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 Nam Dinh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nam Dinh wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nam Dinh the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,206 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,113 in Nam Dinh 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: $525 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $362 in Nam Dinh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $804 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $742 in Nam Dinh – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Nam Dinh runs roughly 65% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Nam Dinh gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Nam Dinh 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 Nam Dinh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.