Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Phu Quoc: $728 a month against $853 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Phu Quoc
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Phu Quoc Living Index

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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$853

/mo nomad

Phu Quoc

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$728

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and in Phu Quoc

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and in Phu Quoc actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $853 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $728 in Phu Quoc.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $853
Phu Quoc $728

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,391 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,173 in Phu Quoc.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,391
Phu Quoc $1,173

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,930 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,617 in Phu Quoc.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,930
Phu Quoc $1,617

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 17% more expensive than in Phu Quoc, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 37% lower, Phu Quoc 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 ₫49.3K

$1.89 ₫48.7K

1.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.93 ₫592.4K

$20.69 ₫534.4K

10.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ₫121.2K

$4.60 ₫118.7K

1.96%

Cappuccino

$1.80 ₫46.5K

$1.71 ₫44.1K

5.26%

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

$0.55 ₫14.3K

$0.48 ₫12.3K

14.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₫8,812

$0.28 ₫7,173

21.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₫26.7K

$0.98 ₫25.3K

5.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₫44.4K

$1.57 ₫40.7K

9.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ₫43.1K

$1.39 ₫35.8K

20.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ₫28.2K

$0.99 ₫25.6K

10.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₫27.3K

$1.00 ₫25.7K

6.00%

Eggs

$1.60 ₫41.3K

$1.48 ₫38.3K

8.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 ₫312.1K

$11.86 ₫306.4K

1.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ₫94.5K

$3.63 ₫93.7K

0.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.35 ₫267.3K

$10.03 ₫259.2K

3.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 ₫77.7K

$2.69 ₫69.6K

11.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ₫32.6K

$1.07 ₫27.7K

17.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₫41.9K

$1.34 ₫34.7K

20.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ₫32.7K

$1.12 ₫28.9K

13.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ₫30.5K

$1.07 ₫27.5K

10.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ₫30.7K

$1.00 ₫25.8K

19.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 ₫20.1K

$0.70 ₫18.0K

11.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₫14.3K

$0.48 ₫12.5K

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.26 ₫32.5K

$1.36 ₫35.3K

-7.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 ₫331.9K

$11.51 ₫297.4K

11.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₫23.1K

$0.79 ₫20.4K

13.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₫37.6K

$1.64 ₫42.4K

-10.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,260

$0.34 ₫8,908

-17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.42 ₫295.0K

$6.40 ₫165.2K

78.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 ₫18.2K

$0.71 ₫18.3K

-1.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₫16.3K

$0.66 ₫17.0K

-4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ₫79.8K

$2.84 ₫73.4K

8.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 ₫24.6K

$0.90 ₫23.4K

5.56%

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

$30.5K ₫788.3M

$35.7K ₫921.0M

-14.41%

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

$29.7K ₫767.8M

$31.5K ₫814.1M

-5.69%

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

$102 ₫2.6M

$74.7 ₫1.9M

36.79%

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

$5.65 ₫145.8K

$5.68 ₫146.8K

-0.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.43 ₫269.5K

$8.82 ₫227.9K

18.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.30 ₫498.7K

$22.20 ₫573.4K

-13.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.81 ₫305.1K

$7.87 ₫203.4K

50.06%

Cinema Ticket

$3.83 ₫98.9K

$3.01 ₫77.8K

27.24%

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

$484 ₫12.5M

$271 ₫7.0M

78.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₫602.3M

$11.7K ₫302.7M

98.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 ₫1.4M

$39.94 ₫1.0M

30.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.35 ₫887.3K

$22.80 ₫589.1K

50.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 ₫2.4M

$87.3 ₫2.3M

5.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.2 ₫2.4M

$74.3 ₫1.9M

26.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 ₫16.7M

$358 ₫9.3M

80.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₫7.7M

$245 ₫6.3M

21.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 ₫33.3M

$722 ₫18.7M

78.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 ₫18.6M

$547 ₫14.1M

31.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,327 ₫111.8M

$2,119 ₫54.7M

104.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,987 ₫51.3M

$1,256 ₫32.4M

58.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ₫12.7M

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): October 26, 2026

Last update for Phu Quoc: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$297 34.9%

Phu Quoc

$245 33.6% 17.6% $52

Groceries & Markets

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$208 24.4%

Phu Quoc

$192 26.4% 7.5% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$123 14.4%

Phu Quoc

$101 13.9% 17.9% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$118 13.9%

Phu Quoc

$89 12.3% 24.6% $29

Eating Out

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$63 7.4%

Phu Quoc

$60 8.3% 4.3% $2.7

Sport & Entertainment

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$27 3.2%

Phu Quoc

$28 3.9% 4.7% $1.3

Getting Around

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$16 1.9%

Phu Quoc

$12 1.6% 28.3% $4.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $647 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $358 in Phu Quoc. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $21 in Phu Quoc for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $192 per month, with Phu Quoc cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Phu Quoc

🕒 Local time

17:40 5:40 PM

Same time as Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,456,700

144,460

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.87 USD

100,000 VND = 3.48 EUR

100,000 VND = 3.87 USD

100,000 VND = 3.48 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Phu Quoc 310 km

From you

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Phu Quoc

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Phu Quoc: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phu Quoc 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 Phu Quoc the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $1,279 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,092 in Phu Quoc 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: $647 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $358 in Phu Quoc. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $853 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $728 in Phu Quoc – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phu Quoc runs roughly 44% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

For families, Phu Quoc is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Phu Quoc 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 Phu Quoc 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.