Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and in Song Be: $862 and $839 a month, rent and utilities included.

42

Cost of Living Index in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Living Index
40

Cost of Living Index in Song Be
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Song Be Living Index

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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$862

/mo nomad

Song Be

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $862 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $839 in Song Be.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $862
Song Be $839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,410 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,363 in Song Be.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,410
Song Be $1,363

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,958 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,887 in Song Be.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,958
Song Be $1,887

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 3% more expensive than in Song Be, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 36% lower, Song Be 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ₫51.3K

$1.92 ₫49.6K

3.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.14 ₫599.0K

$23.01 ₫595.6K

0.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ₫123.2K

$4.75 ₫123.1K

0.21%

Cappuccino

$1.86 ₫48.1K

$1.85 ₫47.9K

0.54%

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

$0.51 ₫13.3K

$0.55 ₫14.3K

-7.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,191

$0.34 ₫8,819

-5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₫26.7K

$1.08 ₫28.0K

-4.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₫44.4K

$1.70 ₫44.1K

0.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ₫40.8K

$1.64 ₫42.5K

-3.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ₫28.3K

$1.06 ₫27.4K

2.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.2K

$1.06 ₫27.4K

-0.94%

Eggs

$1.64 ₫42.6K

$1.62 ₫41.8K

1.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.33 ₫319.2K

$11.93 ₫309.0K

3.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 ₫92.6K

$3.66 ₫94.7K

-2.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.56 ₫273.3K

$10.42 ₫269.7K

1.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 ₫76.9K

$2.98 ₫77.2K

-0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ₫32.7K

$1.26 ₫32.6K

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₫42.0K

$1.57 ₫40.7K

3.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 ₫33.8K

$1.25 ₫32.4K

4.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ₫30.8K

$1.18 ₫30.6K

0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 ₫29.6K

$1.19 ₫30.9K

-4.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ₫18.8K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₫14.6K

$0.52 ₫13.5K

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.28 ₫33.0K

$1.25 ₫32.4K

2.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 ₫322.5K

$12.87 ₫333.1K

-3.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₫24.9K

$0.89 ₫23.1K

7.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ₫38.3K

$1.47 ₫38.0K

0.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₫6,704

$0.35 ₫9,126

-25.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.43 ₫296.0K

$6.85 ₫177.5K

66.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₫17.7K

$0.74 ₫19.3K

-8.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₫16.1K

$0.62 ₫16.0K

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ₫77.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 ₫23.5K

$0.90 ₫23.4K

1.11%

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

$30.6K ₫791.4M

$31.4K ₫812.5M

-2.60%

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

$29.4K ₫760.1M

$29.7K ₫769.5M

-1.21%

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

$104 ₫2.7M

$105 ₫2.7M

-1.37%

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

$5.79 ₫149.9K

$5.87 ₫152.1K

-1.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.48 ₫271.3K

$10.60 ₫274.4K

-1.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.08 ₫675.1K

$25.41 ₫657.8K

2.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.90 ₫308.1K

$7.53 ₫195.0K

58.03%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 ₫100.7K

$3.82 ₫98.9K

1.83%

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

$440 ₫11.4M

$448 ₫11.6M

-1.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K ₫622.7M

-0.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 ₫1.3M

$52.2 ₫1.4M

-2.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.18 ₫910.8K

$34.58 ₫895.3K

1.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 ₫2.4M

$90.9 ₫2.4M

1.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.5 ₫2.5M

$94.9 ₫2.5M

1.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 ₫15.1M

$362 ₫9.4M

60.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₫7.7M

$280 ₫7.2M

6.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 ₫33.6M

$836 ₫21.6M

55.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$727 ₫18.8M

$675 ₫17.5M

7.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,782 ₫123.8M

$1,961 ₫50.8M

143.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,853 ₫48.0M

$1,360 ₫35.2M

36.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ₫12.7M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

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 Song Be: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$297 34.4%

Song Be

$280 33.3% 5.8% $17

Groceries & Markets

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$208 24.1%

Song Be

$206 24.6% 0.7% $1.4

Clothing & Footwear

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$124 14.3%

Song Be

$123 14.6% 0.8% $1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$120 13.9%

Song Be

$122 14.5% 1.4% $1.6

Eating Out

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$64 7.5%

Song Be

$64 7.7% 0.2% $0.2

Sport & Entertainment

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$34 3.9%

Song Be

$33 3.9% 2.4% $0.8

Getting Around

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$16 1.9%

Song Be

$12 1.4% 25.6% $4.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $582 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $362 in Song Be. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $23.00 in Song Be. Groceries flip the comparison at $208 vs $206, with Song Be cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Song Be

🕒 Local time

18:42 6:42 PM

Same time as Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,456,700

💱 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

On the map

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Between locations

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Song Be 87 km

From you

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Song Be

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 Song Be: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Song Be 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 Song Be the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,294 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,259 in Song Be 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 $362 in Song Be. 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 $839 in Song Be – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Song Be runs roughly 67% 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 $839 in Song Be versus $862 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $2,000 budget is realistic in Song Be but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Song Be the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Song Be delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $839 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Song Be hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Song Be 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 Song Be 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.