Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Sorsogon City: $735 a month against $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent and utilities included – about $1,500 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
36

Cost of Living Index in Sorsogon City
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Sorsogon City Living Index

Jump to prices

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$859

/mo nomad

Sorsogon City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$735

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and in Sorsogon 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 Sorsogon City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $735 in Sorsogon City.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $859
Sorsogon City $735

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,395 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,140 in Sorsogon City.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,395
Sorsogon City $1,140

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,931 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,545 in Sorsogon City.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,931
Sorsogon City $1,545

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 17% more expensive than in Sorsogon City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 36% lower, Sorsogon City 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 ₫49.6K

$3.93 ₱247

-51.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.84 ₫591.2K

$16.79 ₱1,057

36.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₫117.6K

$2.72 ₱171

66.91%

Cappuccino

$1.85 ₫48.0K

$2.28 ₱143

-18.86%

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

$0.56 ₫14.6K

$0.66 ₱41.37

-15.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,185

$0.33 ₱21.07

-3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ₫27.5K

$1.21 ₱75.9

-12.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₫44.5K

$1.99 ₱125

-13.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₫42.9K

$1.67 ₱105

-0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 ₫28.7K

$1.09 ₱68.8

1.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₫25.9K

$0.95 ₱60.0

5.26%

Eggs

$1.67 ₫43.1K

$1.87 ₱118

-10.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 ₫312.8K

$5.12 ₱323

135.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ₫95.2K

$4.07 ₱257

-9.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 ₫265.1K

$7.24 ₱456

41.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 ₫76.5K

$2.54 ₱160

16.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ₫32.2K

$1.79 ₱113

-30.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 ₫40.3K

$2.48 ₱156

-37.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ₫33.6K

$1.13 ₱71.4

15.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 ₫31.9K

$2.26 ₱143

-45.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ₫29.8K

$2.15 ₱135

-46.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ₫19.1K

$0.91 ₱57.5

-18.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₫14.4K

$0.54 ₱34.05

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.24 ₫32.1K

$3.24 ₱204

-61.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.60 ₫326.1K

$7.42 ₱467

69.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₫24.9K

$0.99 ₱62.1

-3.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₫39.6K

$1.95 ₱123

-21.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₫6,694

$0.25 ₱15.48

4.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.51 ₫297.9K

$9.63 ₱606

19.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₫19.5K

$0.84 ₱52.8

-10.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 ₫17.4K

$0.19 ₱11.96

252.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ₫78.5K

$2.17 ₱137

39.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 ₫24.8K

$1.04 ₱65.6

-7.69%

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

$31.1K ₫804.3M

$20.0K ₱1.3M

54.97%

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

$30.4K ₫785.9M

$19.8K ₱1.2M

53.54%

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

$102 ₫2.6M

$138 ₱8,683

-26.05%

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

$5.89 ₫152.5K

$14.19 ₱894

-58.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.49 ₫271.6K

$24.78 ₱1,560

-57.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.54 ₫661.2K

$32.25 ₱2,031

-20.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.92 ₫308.5K

$5.13 ₱323

132.36%

Cinema Ticket

$3.53 ₫91.3K

$5.86 ₱369

-39.76%

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

$436 ₫11.3M

$128 ₱8,088

239.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₫602.8M

$7,096 ₱446.8K

228.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 ₫1.4M

$30.34 ₱1,910

73.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.15 ₫884.1K

$20.27 ₱1,277

68.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 ₫2.3M

$72.7 ₱4,576

24.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ₫2.5M

$60.9 ₱3,837

55.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 ₫15.3M

$228 ₱14.4K

158.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ₫7.7M

$157 ₱9,913

89.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 ₫33.5M

$526 ₱33.1K

145.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$711 ₫18.4M

$382 ₱24.0K

86.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,676 ₫121.1M

$2,397 ₱150.9K

95.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,904 ₫49.3M

$1,110 ₱69.9K

71.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ₫12.7M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

6.79

27.25%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): October 10, 2026

Last update for Sorsogon City: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$298 34.7%

Sorsogon City

$157 21.4% 47.1% $140

Groceries & Markets

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$207 24.1%

Sorsogon City

$180 24.5% 13% $27

Clothing & Footwear

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$122 14.3%

Sorsogon City

$83 11.3% 32.3% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$118 13.8%

Sorsogon City

$177 24.1% 49.4% $59

Eating Out

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$63 7.4%

Sorsogon City

$81 11% 27.5% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$33 3.8%

Sorsogon City

$44 6% 34.9% $11

Getting Around

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$17 1.9%

Sorsogon City

$12 1.7% 25.5% $4.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $589 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $228 in Sorsogon City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $17.00 in Sorsogon City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $180 per month, with Sorsogon City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇵🇭 Sorsogon City

🕒 Local time

00:47 12:47 AM

01:47 1:47 AM

1 h ahead of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,456,700

168,110

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Dong (₫)

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,105 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Sorsogon City 1,900 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Sorsogon City

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 Sorsogon City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sorsogon City wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sorsogon City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,288 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,102 in Sorsogon City 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: $589 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $228 in Sorsogon City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $859 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $735 in Sorsogon City – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sorsogon City runs roughly 20% 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 $735 in Sorsogon City versus $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sorsogon City but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Sorsogon City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Sorsogon City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $735 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sorsogon City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Sorsogon 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 Sorsogon City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.