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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $826 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $749 in Song Be.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,300 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,189 in Song Be.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,773 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,630 in Song Be.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 10% more expensive than Song Be, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower, Song Be 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ₫53.2K

$2.05 ₫53.9K

-0.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.91 ₫601.9K

$23.26 ₫611.2K

-1.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ₫123.3K

$4.68 ₫123.0K

0.21%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ₫44.5K

$1.72 ₫45.1K

-1.74%

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

$0.50 ₫13.2K

$0.47 ₫12.3K

6.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,263

$0.30 ₫7,987

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₫26.0K

$1.05 ₫27.6K

-5.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₫39.3K

$1.52 ₫39.8K

-1.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ₫38.9K

$1.45 ₫38.2K

2.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ₫26.9K

$1.02 ₫26.7K

0.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₫25.9K

$1.00 ₫26.2K

-2.00%

Eggs

$1.41 ₫36.9K

$1.40 ₫36.8K

0.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 ₫312.1K

$11.53 ₫303.0K

3.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 ₫94.6K

$3.54 ₫93.1K

1.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.55 ₫277.3K

$10.49 ₫275.6K

0.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ₫72.5K

$2.64 ₫69.4K

4.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ₫28.9K

$1.15 ₫30.3K

-4.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₫34.1K

$1.30 ₫34.2K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ₫30.6K

$1.14 ₫29.9K

1.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.7K

$1.11 ₫29.2K

5.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.9K

$1.18 ₫31.0K

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ₫18.4K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.4K

$0.48 ₫12.5K

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.27 ₫33.2K

$1.27 ₫33.4K

Wine (Bottle)

$12.32 ₫323.6K

$12.48 ₫327.8K

-1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₫22.3K

$0.85 ₫22.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₫39.1K

$1.43 ₫37.4K

4.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,433

$0.34 ₫9,020

-17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.75 ₫282.5K

$6.47 ₫170.1K

66.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₫17.7K

$0.71 ₫18.7K

-5.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₫18.2K

$0.63 ₫16.6K

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 ₫78.7K

$2.98 ₫78.4K

0.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₫21.7K

$0.87 ₫22.8K

-5.75%

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

$37.5K ₫985.9M

$38.0K ₫999.2M

-1.33%

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

$33.6K ₫881.9M

$33.6K ₫882.3M

-0.04%

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

$84.8 ₫2.2M

$84.0 ₫2.2M

0.94%

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

$6.06 ₫159.3K

$5.84 ₫153.4K

3.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.14 ₫240.2K

$9.43 ₫247.9K

-3.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.73 ₫544.6K

$20.99 ₫551.5K

-1.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.37 ₫246.3K

$7.74 ₫203.3K

21.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 ₫111.8K

$4.33 ₫113.7K

-1.62%

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

$273 ₫7.2M

$271 ₫7.1M

0.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ₫362.2M

$13.8K ₫362.1M

0.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.85 ₫1.1M

$41.88 ₫1.1M

2.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.36 ₫718.8K

$27.30 ₫717.4K

0.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 ₫2.6M

$95.3 ₫2.5M

2.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 ₫2.3M

$87.8 ₫2.3M

-0.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 ₫13.8M

$357 ₫9.4M

47.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₫8.1M

$253 ₫6.6M

21.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 ₫28.6M

$691 ₫18.2M

57.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 ₫17.6M

$467 ₫12.3M

43.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,497 ₫118.2M

$3,343 ₫87.8M

34.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,791 ₫47.1M

$1,373 ₫36.1M

30.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$509 ₫13.4M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.14

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 Song Be: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $526 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $357 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 $198 vs $195, with Song Be 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 Song Be: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Song Be wins on cost – living expenses run 10% 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 $1,240 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,123 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: $526 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $357 in Song Be. 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 $749 in Song Be – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Song Be runs roughly 66% 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 Song Be 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 Song Be delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $749 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 10% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.