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: $826 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $805 in Popayan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,300 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,223 in Popayan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,773 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,640 in Popayan.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 3% more expensive than Popayan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower, Popayan 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ₫53.2K

$3.98 COP 14.2K

-48.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.91 ₫601.9K

$24.01 COP 85.7K

-4.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ₫123.3K

$7.18 COP 25.6K

-34.68%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ₫44.5K

$1.51 COP 5,406

11.92%

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

$0.50 ₫13.2K

$0.86 COP 3,073

-41.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,263

$0.58 COP 2,069

-51.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₫26.0K

$1.15 COP 4,101

-13.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₫39.3K

$2.12 COP 7,573

-29.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ₫38.9K

$1.05 COP 3,757

40.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ₫26.9K

$1.25 COP 4,447

-17.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₫25.9K

$1.18 COP 4,199

-16.95%

Eggs

$1.41 ₫36.9K

$2.21 COP 7,887

-36.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 ₫312.1K

$4.54 COP 16.2K

161.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 ₫94.6K

$5.18 COP 18.5K

-30.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.55 ₫277.3K

$7.14 COP 25.5K

47.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ₫72.5K

$2.43 COP 8,678

13.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ₫28.9K

$1.07 COP 3,818

2.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₫34.1K

$1.36 COP 4,843

-4.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ₫30.6K

$0.85 COP 3,022

36.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.7K

$1.11 COP 3,980

5.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.9K

$1.12 COP 4,009

4.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ₫18.4K

$0.88 COP 3,149

-20.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.4K

$0.64 COP 2,279

-20.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.27 ₫33.2K

$2.31 COP 8,264

-45.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.32 ₫323.6K

$10.38 COP 37.1K

18.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₫22.3K

$1.13 COP 4,046

-24.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₫39.1K

$1.80 COP 6,437

-17.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,433

$0.69 COP 2,461

-59.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.75 ₫282.5K

$29.66 COP 105.9K

-63.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₫17.7K

$1.46 COP 5,214

-54.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₫18.2K

$1.71 COP 6,104

-59.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 ₫78.7K

$6.15 COP 21.9K

-51.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₫21.7K

$0.99 COP 3,543

-17.17%

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

$37.5K ₫985.9M

$17.9K COP 63.9M

109.84%

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

$33.6K ₫881.9M

$25.5K COP 91.2M

31.41%

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

$84.8 ₫2.2M

$83.5 COP 298.2K

1.57%

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

$6.06 ₫159.3K

$8.86 COP 31.6K

-31.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.14 ₫240.2K

$22.84 COP 81.6K

-59.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.73 ₫544.6K

$23.53 COP 84.0K

-11.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.37 ₫246.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 ₫111.8K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

8.40%

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

$273 ₫7.2M

$241 COP 861.1K

13.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ₫362.2M

$6,042 COP 21.6M

128.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.85 ₫1.1M

$58.4 COP 208.4K

-26.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.36 ₫718.8K

$32.94 COP 117.6K

-16.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 ₫2.6M

$82.9 COP 296.0K

17.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 ₫2.3M

$72.8 COP 259.8K

19.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 ₫13.8M

$284 COP 1.0M

85.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₫8.1M

$242 COP 863.9K

27.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 ₫28.6M

$525 COP 1.9M

107.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 ₫17.6M

$423 COP 1.5M

57.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,497 ₫118.2M

$1,434 COP 5.1M

213.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,791 ₫47.1M

$1,260 COP 4.5M

42.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$509 ₫13.4M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.14

13.18

-30.65%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): May 30, 2026

Last update for Popayan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $526 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $284 in Popayan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $24.00 in Popayan. Groceries flip the comparison at $198 vs $172, with Popayan cheaper for home cooking.

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

Popayan wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Popayan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,240 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,207 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: $526 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $284 in Popayan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $826 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $805 in Popayan – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Popayan runs roughly 176% 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 $1,200 a month, though Popayan 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 Popayan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $805 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Popayan 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 Popayan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.