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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $850 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,308 in Popayan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,385 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $2,043 in Popayan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,920 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $2,778 in Popayan.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs roughly 35% less than in Popayan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower, Popayan 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 ₫55.8K

$6.52 COP 20.5K

-67.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.91 ₫597.3K

$38.39 COP 120.9K

-40.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 ₫121.9K

$8.90 COP 28.0K

-47.53%

Cappuccino

$1.78 ₫46.3K

$2.94 COP 9,247

-39.46%

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

$0.53 ₫13.8K

$1.46 COP 4,604

-63.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₫9,013

$0.83 COP 2,612

-57.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ₫30.6K

$2.33 COP 7,333

-49.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ₫43.3K

$4.17 COP 13.1K

-60.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₫41.0K

$1.39 COP 4,392

12.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 ₫27.1K

$2.52 COP 7,950

-58.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₫26.1K

$1.37 COP 4,311

-27.01%

Eggs

$1.61 ₫42.0K

$2.93 COP 9,220

-45.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.27 ₫319.8K

$7.39 COP 23.3K

66.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.54 ₫92.2K

$10.91 COP 34.4K

-67.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 ₫271.8K

$13.10 COP 41.2K

-20.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 ₫81.3K

$3.56 COP 11.2K

-12.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 ₫33.2K

$1.53 COP 4,828

-16.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₫42.1K

$1.96 COP 6,157

-17.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 ₫31.5K

$2.02 COP 6,373

-40.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ₫31.9K

$1.44 COP 4,537

-15.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ₫31.1K

$1.61 COP 5,058

-26.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ₫18.7K

$1.00 COP 3,141

-28.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.2K

$1.00 COP 3,135

-49.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.25 ₫32.5K

$4.10 COP 12.9K

-69.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.47 ₫325.0K

$15.24 COP 48.0K

-18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₫24.4K

$1.32 COP 4,170

-29.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ₫38.5K

$2.82 COP 8,866

-47.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,359

$0.98 COP 3,080

-71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ₫295.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 ₫18.0K

$1.76 COP 5,533

-60.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₫15.7K

$2.08 COP 6,535

-71.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ₫80.5K

$8.81 COP 27.7K

-64.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 ₫24.5K

$1.35 COP 4,258

-30.37%

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

$30.8K ₫802.5M

$22.1K COP 69.6M

39.24%

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

$30.6K ₫797.2M

$34.8K COP 109.7M

-12.20%

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

$101 ₫2.6M

$117 COP 368.4K

-13.50%

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

$5.95 ₫155.0K

$11.88 COP 37.4K

-49.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.16 ₫264.9K

$34.04 COP 107.2K

-70.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.64 ₫642.4K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-22.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.67 ₫304.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.54 ₫92.4K

$6.68 COP 21.0K

-47.01%

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

$464 ₫12.1M

$676 COP 2.1M

-31.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K ₫592.2M

$6,426 COP 20.2M

253.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ₫1.3M

$88.8 COP 279.7K

-41.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.93 ₫910.5K

$56.2 COP 177.0K

-37.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 ₫2.4M

$133 COP 418.8K

-31.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 ₫2.4M

$97.9 COP 308.4K

-5.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 ₫15.2M

$708 COP 2.2M

-17.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 ₫7.4M

$444 COP 1.4M

-36.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 ₫33.1M

$930 COP 2.9M

36.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 ₫17.6M

$861 COP 2.7M

-21.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,704 ₫122.6M

$2,137 COP 6.7M

120.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,909 ₫49.8M

$1,654 COP 5.2M

15.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$488 ₫12.7M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

11.58

-25.39%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): August 31, 2026

Last update for Popayan: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $582 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $708 in Popayan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $38.00 in Popayan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $284 per month, with Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 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 Popayan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) wins on cost – living expenses run 54% lower than in Popayan. 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 $1,275 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,962 in Popayan 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: $582 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $708 in Popayan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Popayan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $850 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,308 in Popayan – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $850 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,308 in Popayan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) but tight or insufficient in Popayan. The gap between the two cities makes Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $850 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Popayan 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 54% less than in Popayan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.