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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $815 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $736 in Phu Quoc.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,295 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,181 in Phu Quoc.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,775 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,626 in Phu Quoc.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 11% more expensive than Phu Quoc, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 39% lower, Phu Quoc 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.97 ₫51.8K

$1.94 ₫50.9K

1.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.83 ₫599.0K

$20.90 ₫548.6K

9.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 ₫122.7K

$4.46 ₫117.0K

4.71%

Cappuccino

$1.71 ₫44.8K

$1.78 ₫46.7K

-3.93%

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

$0.48 ₫12.6K

$0.47 ₫12.3K

2.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,344

$0.28 ₫7,270

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 ₫26.1K

$0.93 ₫24.4K

7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ₫41.1K

$1.50 ₫39.4K

4.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ₫38.7K

$1.37 ₫35.9K

8.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ₫25.9K

$0.97 ₫25.4K

2.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₫26.7K

$0.96 ₫25.2K

6.25%

Eggs

$1.47 ₫38.6K

$1.43 ₫37.5K

2.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.73 ₫307.9K

$11.84 ₫310.7K

-0.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 ₫94.7K

$3.78 ₫99.2K

-4.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.64 ₫279.1K

$9.94 ₫261.0K

7.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ₫70.4K

$2.79 ₫73.1K

-3.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 ₫29.1K

$1.02 ₫26.8K

8.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 ₫35.5K

$1.30 ₫34.2K

3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ₫29.6K

$1.09 ₫28.5K

3.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.7K

$1.02 ₫26.8K

14.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.8K

$1.02 ₫26.7K

14.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 ₫20.1K

$0.66 ₫17.3K

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.3K

$0.48 ₫12.7K

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.28 ₫33.7K

$1.32 ₫34.6K

-3.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.97 ₫340.4K

$11.22 ₫294.5K

15.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₫24.0K

$0.80 ₫21.0K

13.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ₫38.7K

$1.58 ₫41.5K

-6.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,429

$0.34 ₫8,980

-17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.38 ₫272.4K

$6.43 ₫168.6K

61.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₫17.8K

$0.67 ₫17.6K

1.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 ₫17.6K

$0.61 ₫16.1K

9.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ₫79.9K

$2.75 ₫72.1K

10.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ₫23.6K

$0.84 ₫22.2K

7.14%

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

$37.8K ₫991.6M

$34.8K ₫913.8M

8.51%

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

$33.9K ₫889.8M

$31.6K ₫830.3M

7.16%

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

$85.8 ₫2.3M

$74.9 ₫2.0M

14.55%

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

$6.04 ₫158.5K

$5.73 ₫150.3K

5.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.11 ₫239.0K

$8.77 ₫230.2K

3.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.99 ₫550.9K

$22.28 ₫584.6K

-5.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.72 ₫255.2K

$7.54 ₫198.0K

28.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 ₫109.3K

$3.03 ₫79.4K

37.29%

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

$270 ₫7.1M

$261 ₫6.9M

3.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ₫362.9M

$11.7K ₫305.9M

18.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.54 ₫1.1M

$41.32 ₫1.1M

0.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.25 ₫715.2K

$22.83 ₫599.2K

19.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 ₫2.5M

$85.5 ₫2.2M

11.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.3 ₫2.2M

$74.6 ₫2.0M

14.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 ₫14.1M

$354 ₫9.3M

51.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₫8.1M

$250 ₫6.6M

22.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 ₫29.6M

$735 ₫19.3M

53.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 ₫17.0M

$536 ₫14.1M

20.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,217 ₫110.7M

$2,057 ₫54.0M

105.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,843 ₫48.4M

$1,227 ₫32.2M

50.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$485 ₫12.7M

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): April 22, 2026

Last update for Phu Quoc: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $536 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $354 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 $199 vs $191 per month, with Phu Quoc 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 Phu Quoc: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phu Quoc wins on cost – living expenses run 11% 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 $1,222 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,105 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: $536 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $354 in Phu Quoc. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $815 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $736 in Phu Quoc – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phu Quoc runs roughly 61% 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 Phu Quoc 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 Phu Quoc delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $736 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phu Quoc hard to pass up.

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 11% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.