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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $840 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $734 in Ninh Binh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,361 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,164 in Ninh Binh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,883 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,595 in Ninh Binh.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 39% lower, Ninh Binh 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.07 ₫53.7K

$1.94 ₫50.4K

6.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.52 ₫611.9K

$20.92 ₫544.2K

12.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₫118.2K

$4.50 ₫117.0K

0.89%

Cappuccino

$1.90 ₫49.5K

$1.71 ₫44.4K

11.11%

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

$0.53 ₫13.9K

$0.47 ₫12.2K

12.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₫8,694

$0.28 ₫7,281

17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.11 ₫29.0K

$1.01 ₫26.2K

9.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ₫42.3K

$1.51 ₫39.3K

7.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₫43.3K

$1.39 ₫36.1K

19.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 ₫27.7K

$1.00 ₫26.0K

7.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₫26.9K

$0.94 ₫24.6K

9.57%

Eggs

$1.57 ₫40.9K

$1.48 ₫38.5K

6.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.89 ₫309.4K

$11.71 ₫304.8K

1.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 ₫93.3K

$3.76 ₫97.7K

-4.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.65 ₫277.0K

$9.74 ₫253.5K

9.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 ₫82.7K

$2.73 ₫71.1K

16.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ₫33.7K

$1.07 ₫27.8K

20.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₫42.3K

$1.35 ₫35.2K

20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 ₫32.5K

$1.12 ₫29.0K

11.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ₫31.3K

$1.03 ₫26.7K

16.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ₫29.8K

$1.00 ₫26.0K

15.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ₫19.8K

$0.68 ₫17.8K

11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₫14.4K

$0.52 ₫13.4K

5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.22 ₫31.7K

$1.32 ₫34.4K

-7.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.56 ₫326.7K

$11.31 ₫294.3K

11.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₫22.5K

$0.78 ₫20.3K

11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₫39.6K

$1.61 ₫41.9K

-5.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,344

$0.32 ₫8,211

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.34 ₫294.9K

$6.68 ₫173.9K

69.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 ₫18.1K

$0.72 ₫18.6K

-4.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 ₫17.0K

$0.61 ₫16.0K

6.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 ₫82.0K

$2.75 ₫71.6K

14.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 ₫22.8K

$0.88 ₫22.9K

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

$30.8K ₫801.5M

$34.9K ₫909.0M

-11.83%

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

$30.4K ₫792.1M

$31.9K ₫829.3M

-4.49%

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

$106 ₫2.7M

$74.0 ₫1.9M

42.67%

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

$5.66 ₫147.2K

$5.94 ₫154.4K

-4.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.96 ₫259.2K

$8.70 ₫226.4K

14.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.43 ₫661.5K

$22.30 ₫580.2K

14.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.90 ₫309.7K

$7.59 ₫197.5K

56.79%

Cinema Ticket

$3.47 ₫90.4K

$3.11 ₫80.9K

11.58%

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

$476 ₫12.4M

$271 ₫7.0M

75.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K ₫598.9M

$11.7K ₫304.8M

96.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ₫1.4M

$40.70 ₫1.1M

27.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.55 ₫898.9K

$23.37 ₫608.0K

47.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 ₫2.4M

$88.0 ₫2.3M

4.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.6 ₫2.5M

$75.6 ₫2.0M

26.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 ₫14.9M

$351 ₫9.1M

63.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 ₫7.4M

$245 ₫6.4M

15.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 ₫32.7M

$728 ₫18.9M

72.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 ₫17.8M

$532 ₫13.8M

28.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,681 ₫121.8M

$2,065 ₫53.7M

126.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,907 ₫49.6M

$1,263 ₫32.9M

50.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$485 ₫12.6M

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 13, 2026

Last update for Ninh Binh: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $574 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $351 in Ninh Binh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $21.00 in Ninh Binh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $192 per month, with Ninh Binh 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 Ninh Binh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ninh Binh 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 Ninh Binh the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,260 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,100 in Ninh Binh 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: $574 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $351 in Ninh Binh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $840 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $734 in Ninh Binh – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ninh Binh runs roughly 70% 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 $734 in Ninh Binh versus $840 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ninh Binh but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Ninh Binh the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ninh Binh delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $734 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ninh Binh hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Ninh Binh 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 Ninh Binh 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.