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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $808 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $658 in Pampanga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,306 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,101 in Pampanga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,803 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,543 in Pampanga.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 23% more expensive than in Pampanga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 40% lower, Pampanga 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.07 ₫54.3K

$3.17 ₱195

-34.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.64 ₫595.2K

$17.59 ₱1,083

28.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.72 ₫124.2K

$3.21 ₱198

47.04%

Cappuccino

$1.79 ₫46.9K

$2.62 ₱161

-31.68%

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

$0.47 ₫12.5K

$0.43 ₱26.19

9.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,257

$0.35 ₱21.72

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 ₫26.4K

$1.15 ₱70.6

-13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₫41.6K

$2.45 ₱151

-35.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ₫40.2K

$1.49 ₱91.7

2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ₫26.0K

$1.14 ₱70.0

-13.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₫26.7K

$0.85 ₱52.6

20.00%

Eggs

$1.43 ₫37.5K

$1.51 ₱92.7

-5.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.46 ₫301.4K

$4.41 ₱272

159.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 ₫95.1K

$2.96 ₱182

22.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.56 ₫277.6K

$7.15 ₱440

47.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ₫71.6K

$2.19 ₱135

24.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ₫28.9K

$1.04 ₱63.9

5.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₫34.2K

$2.33 ₱144

-44.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ₫29.8K

$1.00 ₱61.4

14.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 ₫29.6K

$1.65 ₱101

-32.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 ₫31.1K

$1.73 ₱107

-31.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ₫18.4K

$0.96 ₱58.9

-27.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₫12.4K

$0.63 ₱38.58

-25.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.28 ₫33.6K

$2.17 ₱134

-41.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 ₫297.1K

$5.93 ₱365

90.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₫23.9K

$0.79 ₱48.91

15.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 ₫37.5K

$1.45 ₱89.2

-2.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,399

$0.29 ₱17.93

-3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.74 ₫282.5K

$11.58 ₱713

-7.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₫17.8K

$0.81 ₱50.0

-16.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₫16.5K

$0.27 ₱16.53

133.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ₫79.4K

$2.19 ₱135

37.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₫21.6K

$1.10 ₱67.7

-25.45%

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

$37.7K ₫990.5M

$18.0K ₱1.1M

108.77%

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

$33.5K ₫881.9M

$17.6K ₱1.1M

90.06%

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

$83.2 ₫2.2M

$129 ₱7,924

-35.37%

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

$5.76 ₫151.6K

$26.34 ₱1,622

-78.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.26 ₫243.6K

$27.12 ₱1,670

-65.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.01 ₫552.3K

$50.6 ₱3,117

-58.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.72 ₫255.4K

$4.37 ₱269

122.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 ₫112.4K

$4.55 ₱280

-5.93%

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

$280 ₫7.4M

$123 ₱7,599

126.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K ₫369.7M

$1,770 ₱109.0K

694.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.71 ₫1.1M

$28.88 ₱1,778

47.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.93 ₫708.0K

$26.76 ₱1,647

0.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 ₫2.6M

$60.6 ₱3,733

60.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.8 ₫2.2M

$42.33 ₱2,606

100.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$539 ₫14.2M

$149 ₱9,148

262.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 ₫8.0M

$98.1 ₱6,038

211.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 ₫29.2M

$594 ₱36.6K

86.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$645 ₫17.0M

$412 ₱25.4K

56.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,555 ₫119.8M

$2,354 ₱144.9K

93.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,818 ₫47.8M

$964 ₱59.3K

88.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$495 ₫13.0M

$302 ₱18.6K

63.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.14

6.17

48.14%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): July 14, 2026

Last update for Pampanga: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $539 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $149 in Pampanga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 64% 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 $18.00 in Pampanga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $155 per month, with Pampanga 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 Pampanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pampanga wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pampanga the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 64% 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: $539 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $149 in Pampanga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $808 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $658 in Pampanga – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Pampanga runs roughly 8% 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 $800 a month, though Pampanga 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 Pampanga delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $658 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Pampanga hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Pampanga 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 Pampanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.