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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $825 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $622 in Phan Thiet.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,301 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $984 in Phan Thiet.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,347 in Phan Thiet.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 33% more expensive than Phan Thiet, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 39% lower, Phan Thiet 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.97 ₫51.7K

$2.58 ₫67.6K

-23.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.39 ₫614.1K

$21.30 ₫559.1K

9.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ₫123.1K

$3.89 ₫102.1K

20.57%

Cappuccino

$1.77 ₫46.4K

$1.02 ₫26.9K

73.53%

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

$0.48 ₫12.5K

$0.41 ₫10.9K

17.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,237

$0.24 ₫6,333

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₫26.1K

$0.62 ₫16.2K

59.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ₫40.9K

$1.17 ₫30.8K

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 ₫39.5K

$1.22 ₫32.0K

23.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₫25.7K

$0.37 ₫9,628

164.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ₫25.2K

$0.93 ₫24.4K

3.23%

Eggs

$1.47 ₫38.6K

$1.16 ₫30.5K

26.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.89 ₫312.1K

$15.04 ₫394.7K

-20.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 ₫93.6K

$3.08 ₫80.7K

15.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 ₫278.6K

$8.26 ₫216.7K

28.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 ₫70.2K

$1.84 ₫48.2K

45.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 ₫30.2K

$0.73 ₫19.3K

57.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ₫35.6K

$1.35 ₫35.5K

0.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 ₫31.0K

$0.99 ₫25.9K

19.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 ₫30.2K

$0.62 ₫16.3K

85.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 ₫32.4K

$0.66 ₫17.4K

86.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ₫19.5K

$0.56 ₫14.8K

32.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₫12.4K

$0.52 ₫13.6K

-9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.28 ₫33.6K

$1.51 ₫39.6K

-15.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.69 ₫333.2K

$9.40 ₫246.8K

35.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₫22.4K

$0.40 ₫10.4K

112.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ₫38.6K

$1.45 ₫38.1K

1.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₫6,796

$0.32 ₫8,398

-18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.74 ₫281.9K

$6.34 ₫166.3K

69.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₫17.7K

$0.40 ₫10.4K

67.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₫16.6K

$0.60 ₫15.9K

5.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 ₫82.0K

$2.75 ₫72.2K

13.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₫21.5K

$0.91 ₫23.9K

-9.89%

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

$38.2K ₫1.0B

$21.2K ₫556.0M

80.26%

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

$34.0K ₫893.7M

$41.0K ₫1.1B

-16.89%

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

$85.0 ₫2.2M

$43.64 ₫1.1M

94.84%

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

$5.85 ₫153.6K

$5.92 ₫155.5K

-1.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.10 ₫238.9K

$9.14 ₫239.9K

-0.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.54 ₫539.1K

$21.35 ₫560.5K

-3.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.70 ₫254.5K

$7.51 ₫197.0K

29.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.31 ₫113.1K

$2.90 ₫76.0K

48.62%

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

$274 ₫7.2M

$287 ₫7.5M

-4.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K ₫371.0M

$11.5K ₫301.5M

23.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.11 ₫1.1M

$22.69 ₫595.7K

85.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.32 ₫717.0K

$23.39 ₫614.0K

16.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 ₫2.5M

$38.71 ₫1.0M

149.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.6 ₫2.3M

$57.0 ₫1.5M

52.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 ₫14.0M

$357 ₫9.4M

49.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ₫8.1M

$250 ₫6.6M

23.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,093 ₫28.7M

$689 ₫18.1M

58.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₫17.1M

$473 ₫12.4M

37.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,532 ₫119.0M

$3,789 ₫99.5M

19.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,820 ₫47.8M

$1,301 ₫34.2M

39.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ₫13.3M

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): June 9, 2026

Last update for Phan Thiet: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $535 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $357 in Phan Thiet. 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 Phan Thiet for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $169 per month, with Phan Thiet 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 Phan Thiet: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phan Thiet wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phan Thiet the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,237 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $933 in Phan Thiet 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: $535 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $357 in Phan Thiet. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $825 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $622 in Phan Thiet – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phan Thiet runs roughly 69% 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 $622 in Phan Thiet versus $825 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $2,000 budget is realistic in Phan Thiet but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Phan Thiet the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phan Thiet delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $622 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phan Thiet hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Phan Thiet 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 Phan Thiet gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.