Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

For one person, living is cheaper in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu: $707 a month against $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Living Index
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Cost of Living Index in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu
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Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu Living Index

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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$859

/mo nomad

Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

🇨🇳 China

$707

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

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 Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $707 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $859
Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu $707

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,395 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,185 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,395
Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu $1,185

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,931 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,663 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,931
Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu $1,663

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 21% more expensive than in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 36% lower, Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 ₫49.6K

$3.83 ¥25.64

-50.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.84 ₫591.4K

$26.02 ¥174

-12.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₫117.6K

$4.57 ¥30.58

-0.66%

Cappuccino

$1.85 ₫48.0K

$3.17 ¥21.21

-41.64%

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

$0.56 ₫14.6K

$0.48 ¥3.23

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,187

$0.31 ¥2.04

3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ₫27.5K

$0.93 ¥6.22

13.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₫44.5K

$1.47 ¥9.80

17.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₫42.9K

$1.79 ¥11.98

-7.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 ₫28.7K

$1.18 ¥7.91

-5.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₫25.9K

$0.87 ¥5.85

14.94%

Eggs

$1.67 ₫43.2K

$2.07 ¥13.85

-19.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 ₫312.9K

$19.53 ¥131

-38.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ₫95.2K

$3.69 ¥24.70

-0.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 ₫265.2K

$6.16 ¥41.17

66.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 ₫76.6K

$2.33 ¥15.56

27.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ₫32.2K

$1.38 ¥9.25

-10.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 ₫40.3K

$1.47 ¥9.81

6.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ₫33.6K

$1.31 ¥8.74

-0.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 ₫31.9K

$0.87 ¥5.79

41.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ₫29.8K

$0.86 ¥5.77

33.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ₫19.1K

$0.62 ¥4.18

19.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₫14.4K

$0.54 ¥3.60

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.24 ₫32.2K

$3.57 ¥23.90

-65.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.60 ₫326.2K

$13.36 ¥89.3

-5.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₫24.9K

$0.75 ¥5.01

28.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₫39.6K

$1.45 ¥9.68

5.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₫6,696

$0.31 ¥2.08

-16.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.51 ₫298.0K

$19.88 ¥133

-42.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₫19.5K

$1.97 ¥13.20

-61.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 ₫17.4K

$0.38 ¥2.55

76.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ₫78.5K

$7.03 ¥47.00

-56.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 ₫24.8K

$1.21 ¥8.12

-20.66%

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

$31.1K ₫804.4M

$18.1K ¥121.2K

71.39%

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

$30.4K ₫786.1M

$17.9K ¥119.7K

69.58%

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

$102 ₫2.6M

$18.76 ¥125

443.60%

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

$5.89 ₫152.6K

$10.11 ¥67.6

-41.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.49 ₫271.7K

$11.07 ¥74.0

-5.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.54 ₫661.3K

$60.8 ¥407

-58.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.92 ₫308.6K

$16.34 ¥109

-27.05%

Cinema Ticket

$3.53 ₫91.4K

$7.45 ¥49.80

-52.62%

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

$436 ₫11.3M

$301 ¥2,015

44.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₫602.9M

$17.8K ¥118.8K

31.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 ₫1.4M

$45.01 ¥301

17.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.15 ₫884.3K

$41.36 ¥277

-17.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 ₫2.3M

$60.5 ¥404

49.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ₫2.5M

$58.6 ¥392

62.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 ₫15.3M

$256 ¥1,715

129.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ₫7.7M

$165 ¥1,105

80.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 ₫33.5M

$631 ¥4,217

104.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$711 ₫18.4M

$379 ¥2,535

87.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,676 ₫121.1M

$2,912 ¥19.5K

60.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,904 ₫49.3M

$1,953 ¥13.1K

-2.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ₫12.7M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

3.5

146.86%

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 Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$298 34.7%

Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

$165 23.4% 44.5% $133

Groceries & Markets

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$207 24.1%

Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

$216 30.5% 4.2% $8.8

Clothing & Footwear

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$122 14.3%

Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

$92 13.1% 24.5% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$118 13.8%

Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

$40 5.7% 66.3% $78

Eating Out

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$63 7.4%

Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

$93 13.2% 46.8% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$33 3.8%

Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

$76 10.7% 132% $43

Getting Around

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$17 1.9%

Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

$25 3.5% 50.2% $8.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $589 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $256 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $26.00 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $216 per month, with Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇨🇳 Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

🕒 Local time

18:11 6:11 PM

19:11 7:11 PM

1 h ahead of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,456,700

831,113

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.45 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.134 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Dong (₫)

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 25,894 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 28,997 VND (100,000 VND = 3.45 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.49 CNY (1 CNY = 0.134 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu 2,740 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

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 Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,288 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,061 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu 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 $256 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. 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 $707 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu runs roughly 73% 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 $707 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu versus $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $1,500 budget is realistic in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $707 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu 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 Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.