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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $840 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $523 in Tarlac City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,361 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $814 in Tarlac City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,883 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,104 in Tarlac City.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 61% more expensive than in Tarlac City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 39% lower, Tarlac City 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.07 ₫53.7K

$1.94 ₱122

6.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.52 ₫611.7K

$7.78 ₱488

202.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₫118.1K

$2.72 ₱170

66.91%

Cappuccino

$1.90 ₫49.5K

$1.79 ₱112

6.15%

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

$0.53 ₫13.9K

$0.49 ₱30.74

8.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₫8,691

$0.30 ₱18.93

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.11 ₫29.0K

$1.02 ₱64.1

8.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ₫42.3K

$1.56 ₱97.6

4.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₫43.3K

$1.61 ₱101

3.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 ₫27.7K

$1.15 ₱71.8

-6.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₫26.9K

$1.02 ₱63.9

0.98%

Eggs

$1.57 ₫40.9K

$1.88 ₱118

-16.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.89 ₫309.3K

$4.94 ₱310

140.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 ₫93.2K

$2.66 ₱167

34.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.65 ₫276.9K

$6.11 ₱383

74.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 ₫82.7K

$1.62 ₱101

96.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ₫33.7K

$1.59 ₱99.7

-18.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₫42.3K

$1.95 ₱122

-16.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 ₫32.5K

$1.04 ₱65.2

20.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ₫31.3K

$1.74 ₱109

-31.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ₫29.8K

$1.21 ₱76.0

-4.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ₫19.8K

$0.61 ₱38.22

24.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₫14.4K

$0.50 ₱31.28

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.22 ₫31.7K

$2.87 ₱180

-57.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.56 ₫326.6K

$3.81 ₱239

229.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₫22.5K

$0.96 ₱60.3

-9.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₫39.6K

$1.53 ₱96.0

-0.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,342

$0.25 ₱15.72

12.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.34 ₫294.8K

$8.21 ₱515

38.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 ₫18.1K

$0.75 ₱47.28

-8.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 ₫17.0K

$0.25 ₱15.68

160.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 ₫81.9K

$1.31 ₱82.4

140.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 ₫22.8K

$1.08 ₱68.0

-18.52%

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

$30.8K ₫801.2M

$21.4K ₱1.3M

43.83%

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

$30.4K ₫791.8M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

57.87%

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

$106 ₫2.7M

$88.2 ₱5,529

19.66%

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

$5.66 ₫147.1K

$5.44 ₱341

4.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.96 ₫259.1K

$23.40 ₱1,466

-57.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.43 ₫661.3K

$40.11 ₱2,514

-36.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.90 ₫309.5K

$16.16 ₱1,013

-26.36%

Cinema Ticket

$3.47 ₫90.3K

$5.08 ₱318

-31.69%

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

$476 ₫12.4M

$131 ₱8,198

263.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K ₫598.7M

$10.5K ₱660.9K

118.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ₫1.3M

$28.77 ₱1,803

80.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.55 ₫898.5K

$19.79 ₱1,240

74.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 ₫2.4M

$63.1 ₱3,951

45.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.6 ₫2.5M

$47.80 ₱2,996

99.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 ₫14.9M

$87.7 ₱5,498

553.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 ₫7.4M

$71.1 ₱4,456

298.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 ₫32.7M

$250 ₱15.6K

403.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 ₫17.8M

$167 ₱10.4K

311.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,681 ₫121.7M

$376 ₱23.5K

1146.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,907 ₫49.6M

$290 ₱18.2K

558.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$485 ₫12.6M

$215 ₱13.4K

126.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

6.75

28.00%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): September 13, 2026

Last update for Tarlac City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $574 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $87.7 in Tarlac City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 126% 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: $24.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $8.00 in Tarlac City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $148 per month, with Tarlac City cheaper across the board.

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 Tarlac City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tarlac City wins on cost – living expenses run 61% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tarlac City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 126% 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: $574 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $87.7 in Tarlac City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $840 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $523 in Tarlac City – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tarlac City runs roughly 38% 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 $523 in Tarlac City versus $840 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tarlac City but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Tarlac City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tarlac City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $523 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tarlac City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Tarlac 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 Tarlac City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.