Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): $853 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$853

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $853 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,278 in Phuket.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $853
Phuket $1,278

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,391 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $2,216 in Phuket.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,391
Phuket $2,216

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,930 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $3,154 in Phuket.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,930
Phuket $3,154

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs roughly 33% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 37% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 ₫49.3K

$4.47 ฿151

-57.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.93 ₫592.4K

$32.41 ฿1,094

-29.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ₫121.2K

$8.81 ฿297

-46.77%

Cappuccino

$1.80 ₫46.5K

$2.83 ฿95.5

-36.40%

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

$0.55 ₫14.3K

$0.87 ฿29.43

-36.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₫8,812

$0.49 ฿16.67

-30.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₫26.7K

$2.56 ฿86.4

-59.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₫44.4K

$3.68 ฿124

-53.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ₫43.1K

$1.66 ฿56.0

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ₫28.2K

$1.46 ฿49.35

-25.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₫27.3K

$1.50 ฿50.6

-29.33%

Eggs

$1.60 ₫41.3K

$2.09 ฿70.5

-23.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 ₫312.1K

$19.07 ฿644

-36.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ₫94.5K

$3.30 ฿111

10.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.35 ₫267.3K

$10.91 ฿368

-5.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 ₫77.7K

$2.93 ฿99.0

2.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ₫32.6K

$1.69 ฿57.1

-25.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₫41.9K

$2.25 ฿75.8

-28.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ₫32.7K

$2.08 ฿70.1

-38.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ₫30.5K

$1.51 ฿51.0

-21.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ₫30.7K

$1.38 ฿46.56

-13.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 ₫20.1K

$1.07 ฿35.99

-27.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₫14.3K

$0.52 ฿17.52

5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.26 ₫32.5K

$4.20 ฿142

-70.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 ₫331.9K

$18.79 ฿634

-31.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₫23.1K

$1.82 ฿61.5

-50.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₫37.6K

$2.84 ฿95.9

-48.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,260

$1.45 ฿49.03

-80.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.42 ₫295.0K

$56.7 ฿1,913

-79.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 ₫18.2K

$3.02 ฿102

-76.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₫16.3K

$1.02 ฿34.36

-38.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ₫79.8K

$3.69 ฿125

-16.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 ₫24.6K

$1.47 ฿49.81

-35.37%

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

$30.5K ₫788.3M

$26.8K ฿904.3K

13.96%

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

$29.7K ₫767.8M

$26.7K ฿901.3K

11.37%

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

$102 ₫2.6M

$96.4 ฿3,254

6.09%

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

$5.65 ₫145.8K

$11.26 ฿380

-49.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.43 ₫269.5K

$16.85 ฿569

-38.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.30 ₫498.7K

$67.2 ฿2,270

-71.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.81 ₫305.1K

$10.73 ฿362

10.07%

Cinema Ticket

$3.83 ₫98.9K

$7.50 ฿253

-48.93%

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

$484 ₫12.5M

$476 ฿16.1K

1.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₫602.3M

$11.3K ฿380.4K

106.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 ₫1.4M

$62.4 ฿2,106

-16.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.35 ₫887.3K

$28.41 ฿959

20.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 ₫2.4M

$94.3 ฿3,184

-2.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.2 ₫2.4M

$85.8 ฿2,898

9.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 ₫16.7M

$716 ฿24.2K

-9.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₫7.7M

$491 ฿16.6K

-39.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 ₫33.3M

$1,927 ฿65.1K

-33.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 ₫18.6M

$1,431 ฿48.3K

-49.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,327 ₫111.8M

$4,175 ฿141.0K

3.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,987 ₫51.3M

$3,045 ฿102.8K

-34.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ₫12.7M

$502 ฿17.0K

-2.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

5.57

55.12%

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 Phuket: 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%

Phuket

$491 38.4% 65.2% $194

Groceries & Markets

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$208 24.4%

Phuket

$266 20.8% 28% $58

Clothing & Footwear

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$123 14.4%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 0.8% $1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$118 13.9%

Phuket

$124 9.7% 5.2% $6.2

Eating Out

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$63 7.4%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 92.8% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$27 3.2%

Phuket

$82 6.4% 205% $55

Getting Around

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$16 1.9%

Phuket

$71 5.5% 330% $54

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $647 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $716 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $32 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $266 per month, with Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

21:09 9:09 PM

Same time as Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,456,700

79,308

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.87 USD

100,000 VND = 3.48 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Dong (₫)

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 25,832 VND (100,000 VND = 3.87 USD). 1 EUR = 28,750 VND (100,000 VND = 3.48 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Phuket 970 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Phuket

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

You’d need roughly $1,279 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,917 in Phuket 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 $716 in Phuket. 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 $1,278 in Phuket – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) runs roughly 80% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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