Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Quy Nhon City: $695 a month against $862 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Living Index
33

Cost of Living Index in Quy Nhon City
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Quy Nhon City Living Index

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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$862

/mo nomad

Quy Nhon City

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$695

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Quy Nhon City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $862 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $695 in Quy Nhon City.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $862
Quy Nhon City $695

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,410 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,066 in Quy Nhon City.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,410
Quy Nhon City $1,066

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,958 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,437 in Quy Nhon City.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,958
Quy Nhon City $1,437

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 24% more expensive than in Quy Nhon City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 36% lower, Quy Nhon City 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ₫51.3K

$1.87 ₫48.5K

5.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.14 ₫599.0K

$19.40 ₫502.4K

19.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ₫123.2K

$7.16 ₫185.4K

-33.52%

Cappuccino

$1.86 ₫48.1K

$1.47 ₫38.1K

26.53%

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

$0.51 ₫13.3K

$0.72 ₫18.7K

-29.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,191

$0.50 ₫13.0K

-36.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₫26.7K

$0.95 ₫24.7K

8.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₫44.4K

$1.13 ₫29.3K

51.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ₫40.8K

$1.55 ₫40.2K

1.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ₫28.3K

$0.78 ₫20.2K

39.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.2K

$1.03 ₫26.6K

1.94%

Eggs

$1.64 ₫42.6K

$1.66 ₫43.0K

-1.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.33 ₫319.2K

$12.12 ₫313.8K

1.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 ₫92.6K

$3.70 ₫95.8K

-3.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.56 ₫273.3K

$11.97 ₫310.0K

-11.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 ₫76.9K

$3.15 ₫81.7K

-5.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ₫32.7K

$0.78 ₫20.3K

61.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₫42.0K

$1.39 ₫35.9K

16.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 ₫33.8K

$0.85 ₫22.0K

54.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ₫30.8K

$0.93 ₫24.2K

27.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 ₫29.6K

$0.75 ₫19.5K

52.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ₫18.8K

$0.62 ₫15.9K

17.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₫14.6K

$0.56 ₫14.5K

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.28 ₫33.0K

$1.37 ₫35.5K

-6.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 ₫322.5K

$7.67 ₫198.5K

62.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₫24.9K

$0.64 ₫16.7K

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ₫38.3K

$0.86 ₫22.4K

72.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₫6,704

$0.34 ₫8,770

-23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.43 ₫296.0K

$6.66 ₫172.5K

71.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₫17.7K

$0.78 ₫20.3K

-12.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₫16.1K

$0.56 ₫14.4K

10.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ₫77.7K

$2.14 ₫55.3K

40.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 ₫23.5K

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

$30.6K ₫791.4M

$33.2K ₫860.4M

-8.01%

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

$29.4K ₫760.1M

$30.1K ₫780.5M

-2.60%

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

$104 ₫2.7M

$77.4 ₫2.0M

34.02%

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

$5.79 ₫149.9K

$6.06 ₫156.9K

-4.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.48 ₫271.3K

$7.36 ₫190.5K

42.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.08 ₫675.1K

$17.20 ₫445.3K

51.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.90 ₫308.1K

$8.05 ₫208.5K

47.83%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 ₫100.7K

$3.34 ₫86.5K

16.47%

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

$440 ₫11.4M

$186 ₫4.8M

136.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K ₫622.7M

$12.3K ₫317.6M

96.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 ₫1.3M

$46.71 ₫1.2M

8.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.18 ₫910.8K

$26.78 ₫693.3K

31.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 ₫2.4M

$83.8 ₫2.2M

9.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.5 ₫2.5M

$80.0 ₫2.1M

20.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 ₫15.1M

$291 ₫7.5M

99.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₫7.7M

$207 ₫5.4M

43.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 ₫33.6M

$481 ₫12.4M

169.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$727 ₫18.8M

$357 ₫9.2M

103.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,782 ₫123.8M

$2,221 ₫57.5M

115.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,853 ₫48.0M

$1,195 ₫30.9M

55.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ₫12.7M

$307 ₫7.9M

59.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

8.28

4.35%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): October 17, 2026

Last update for Quy Nhon City: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$297 34.4%

Quy Nhon City

$207 29.8% 30.1% $89

Groceries & Markets

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$208 24.1%

Quy Nhon City

$189 27.2% 9% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$124 14.3%

Quy Nhon City

$107 15.4% 13.6% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$120 13.9%

Quy Nhon City

$91 13.1% 24.3% $29

Eating Out

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$64 7.5%

Quy Nhon City

$66 9.5% 2.7% $1.7

Sport & Entertainment

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$34 3.9%

Quy Nhon City

$24 3.4% 29.4% $10

Getting Around

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$16 1.9%

Quy Nhon City

$12 1.7% 28.8% $4.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $582 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $291 in Quy Nhon City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 60% 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 $19.00 in Quy Nhon City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $189 per month, with Quy Nhon City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Quy Nhon City

🕒 Local time

19:37 7:37 PM

Same time as Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,456,700

519,208

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Quy Nhon City 430 km

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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
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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 Quy Nhon City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quy Nhon City wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Quy Nhon City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 60% higher in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 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: $582 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $291 in Quy Nhon City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $862 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $695 in Quy Nhon City – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Quy Nhon City runs roughly 72% 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 $695 in Quy Nhon City versus $862 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $1,500 budget is realistic in Quy Nhon City but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Quy Nhon City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Quy Nhon City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $695 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Quy Nhon City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Quy Nhon City 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 Quy Nhon City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.