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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $825 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $630 in Purwokerto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,301 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $964 in Purwokerto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,298 in Purwokerto.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 31% more expensive than Purwokerto, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 39% lower, Purwokerto 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.97 ₫51.7K

$1.32 Rp 23.6K

49.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.39 ₫614.1K

$9.35 Rp 167.4K

150.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ₫123.1K

$3.33 Rp 59.7K

40.84%

Cappuccino

$1.77 ₫46.4K

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

28.26%

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

$0.48 ₫12.5K

$0.38 Rp 6,870

26.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,237

$0.18 Rp 3,314

55.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₫26.1K

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

-42.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ₫40.9K

$3.47 Rp 62.1K

-55.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 ₫39.5K

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

27.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₫25.7K

$1.10 Rp 19.7K

-10.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ₫25.2K

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

20.00%

Eggs

$1.47 ₫38.6K

$1.54 Rp 27.6K

-4.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.89 ₫312.1K

$9.29 Rp 166.4K

27.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 ₫93.6K

$3.12 Rp 55.8K

14.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 ₫278.6K

$7.69 Rp 137.7K

37.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 ₫70.2K

$2.39 Rp 42.8K

11.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 ₫30.2K

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

-14.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ₫35.6K

$1.70 Rp 30.5K

-20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 ₫31.0K

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

-22.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 ₫30.2K

$1.41 Rp 25.3K

-18.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 ₫32.4K

$2.62 Rp 47.0K

-53.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ₫19.5K

$0.97 Rp 17.3K

-23.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₫12.4K

$0.33 Rp 5,830

42.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.28 ₫33.6K

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

-47.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.69 ₫333.2K

$21.58 Rp 386.5K

-41.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₫22.4K

$2.09 Rp 37.5K

-59.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ₫38.6K

$3.47 Rp 62.1K

-57.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₫6,796

$0.26 Rp 4,701

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.74 ₫281.9K

$9.56 Rp 171.3K

12.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₫17.7K

$0.71 Rp 12.7K

-5.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₫16.6K

$0.71 Rp 12.8K

-11.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 ₫82.0K

$2.58 Rp 46.1K

21.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₫21.5K

$0.62 Rp 11.2K

32.26%

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

$38.2K ₫1.0B

$24.5K Rp 438.2M

56.12%

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

$34.0K ₫893.7M

$26.2K Rp 469.5M

29.93%

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

$85.0 ₫2.2M

$44.79 Rp 802.4K

89.84%

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

$5.85 ₫153.6K

$4.60 Rp 82.4K

27.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.10 ₫238.9K

$23.04 Rp 412.8K

-60.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.54 ₫539.1K

$18.73 Rp 335.6K

9.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.70 ₫254.5K

$6.31 Rp 113.1K

53.72%

Cinema Ticket

$4.31 ₫113.1K

$2.68 Rp 48.0K

60.82%

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

$274 ₫7.2M

$91.6 Rp 1.6M

198.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K ₫371.0M

$7,718 Rp 138.3M

83.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.11 ₫1.1M

$41.53 Rp 744.0K

1.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.32 ₫717.0K

$30.47 Rp 545.8K

-10.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 ₫2.5M

$59.5 Rp 1.1M

62.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.6 ₫2.3M

$64.2 Rp 1.2M

34.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 ₫14.0M

$255 Rp 4.6M

109.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ₫8.1M

$155 Rp 2.8M

100.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,093 ₫28.7M

$575 Rp 10.3M

90.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₫17.1M

$340 Rp 6.1M

91.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,532 ₫119.0M

$1,402 Rp 25.1M

223.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,820 ₫47.8M

$280 Rp 5.0M

549.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ₫13.3M

$117 Rp 2.1M

333.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.14

9.15

-0.11%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): June 9, 2026

Last update for Purwokerto: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $535 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $255 in Purwokerto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 333% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $9.00 in Purwokerto. Groceries flip the comparison at $199 vs $211, with Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 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 Purwokerto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Purwokerto wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Purwokerto the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 333% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $535 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $255 in Purwokerto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $825 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $630 in Purwokerto – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Purwokerto runs roughly 12% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $630 in Purwokerto versus $825 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $1,500 budget is realistic in Purwokerto but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Purwokerto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Purwokerto delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $630 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Purwokerto hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Purwokerto 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 Purwokerto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.