Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Talisay City: $732 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 Talisay City
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Talisay City Living Index

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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$859

/mo nomad

Talisay City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$732

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and in Talisay 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 Talisay 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 $732 in Talisay City.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $859
Talisay City $732

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,395 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,110 in Talisay City.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,395
Talisay City $1,110

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,931 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,488 in Talisay City.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,931
Talisay City $1,488

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 17% more expensive than in Talisay 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, Talisay City 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 ₫49.6K

$3.82 ₱241

-50.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.84 ₫591.2K

$16.85 ₱1,061

35.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₫117.6K

$2.72 ₱171

66.91%

Cappuccino

$1.85 ₫48.0K

$2.26 ₱142

-18.14%

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

$0.56 ₫14.6K

$0.67 ₱41.88

-16.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,185

$0.30 ₱19.14

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ₫27.5K

$1.12 ₱70.6

-5.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₫44.5K

$1.91 ₱120

-9.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₫42.9K

$1.67 ₱105

-0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 ₫28.7K

$1.11 ₱69.9

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₫25.9K

$0.92 ₱57.8

8.70%

Eggs

$1.67 ₫43.1K

$1.89 ₱119

-11.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 ₫312.8K

$5.64 ₱355

114.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ₫95.2K

$4.13 ₱260

-10.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 ₫265.1K

$7.26 ₱457

41.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 ₫76.5K

$2.29 ₱144

29.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ₫32.2K

$1.42 ₱89.3

-12.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 ₫40.3K

$2.45 ₱154

-36.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ₫33.6K

$1.04 ₱65.6

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 ₫31.9K

$1.75 ₱110

-29.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ₫29.8K

$1.99 ₱125

-42.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ₫19.1K

$0.99 ₱62.5

-25.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₫14.4K

$0.63 ₱39.51

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.24 ₫32.1K

$3.02 ₱190

-58.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.60 ₫326.1K

$7.53 ₱474

67.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₫24.9K

$1.10 ₱69.1

-12.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₫39.6K

$1.75 ₱110

-12.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₫6,694

$0.26 ₱16.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.51 ₫297.9K

$10.45 ₱658

10.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₫19.5K

$0.73 ₱45.71

2.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 ₫17.4K

$0.21 ₱13.42

219.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ₫78.5K

$1.82 ₱115

66.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 ₫24.8K

$1.22 ₱77.0

-21.31%

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

$31.1K ₫804.3M

$23.1K ₱1.5M

34.66%

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

$30.4K ₫785.9M

$21.8K ₱1.4M

39.15%

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

$102 ₫2.6M

$122 ₱7,649

-16.07%

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

$5.89 ₫152.5K

$17.30 ₱1,089

-65.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.49 ₫271.6K

$24.06 ₱1,515

-56.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.54 ₫661.2K

$37.05 ₱2,333

-31.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.92 ₫308.5K

$5.23 ₱329

127.92%

Cinema Ticket

$3.53 ₫91.3K

$4.72 ₱297

-25.21%

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

$436 ₫11.3M

$133 ₱8,371

228.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₫602.8M

$7,894 ₱497.0K

194.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 ₫1.4M

$37.33 ₱2,350

41.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.15 ₫884.1K

$21.41 ₱1,348

59.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 ₫2.3M

$73.1 ₱4,601

23.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ₫2.5M

$48.85 ₱3,075

94.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 ₫15.3M

$267 ₱16.8K

120.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ₫7.7M

$171 ₱10.8K

74.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 ₫33.5M

$516 ₱32.5K

150.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$711 ₫18.4M

$344 ₱21.6K

106.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,676 ₫121.1M

$2,578 ₱162.3K

81.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,904 ₫49.3M

$1,069 ₱67.3K

78.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ₫12.7M

$332 ₱20.9K

47.58%

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 Talisay City: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$298 34.7%

Talisay City

$171 23.3% 42.6% $127

Groceries & Markets

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$207 24.1%

Talisay City

$178 24.3% 14% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$122 14.3%

Talisay City

$81 11.1% 33.6% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$118 13.8%

Talisay City

$163 22.3% 37.6% $45

Eating Out

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$63 7.4%

Talisay City

$79 10.8% 24.8% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$33 3.8%

Talisay City

$46 6.4% 42.6% $14

Getting Around

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$17 1.9%

Talisay City

$13 1.8% 20.2% $3.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $589 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $267 in Talisay City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 48% 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 $17.00 in Talisay City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $178 per month, with Talisay City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇵🇭 Talisay City

🕒 Local time

07:43 7:43 AM

08:43 8:43 AM

1 h ahead of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,456,700

133,148

💱 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 18, 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 18, 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) Talisay City 1,870 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Talisay 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 Talisay City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 48% 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: $589 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $267 in Talisay 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 $732 in Talisay City – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Talisay City runs roughly 10% 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 $732 in Talisay City versus $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $1,000 budget is realistic in Talisay City but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Talisay City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Talisay City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $732 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Talisay City hard to pass up.

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