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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $431 in Tay Ninh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,376 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $701 in Tay Ninh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,898 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $971 in Tay Ninh.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 98% more expensive than in Tay Ninh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower, Tay Ninh 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 ₫55.5K

$1.29 ₫33.3K

65.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.88 ₫593.0K

$11.51 ₫298.3K

98.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.72 ₫122.3K

$3.84 ₫99.4K

22.92%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ₫47.5K

$0.92 ₫23.8K

98.91%

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

$0.56 ₫14.4K

$0.56 ₫14.5K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,249

$0.32 ₫8,182

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 ₫30.7K

$0.85 ₫22.0K

38.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₫41.6K

$1.04 ₫26.9K

54.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ₫40.9K

$1.23 ₫31.8K

28.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 ₫27.4K

$0.64 ₫16.6K

65.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 ₫27.0K

$0.69 ₫17.9K

50.72%

Eggs

$1.63 ₫42.3K

$1.29 ₫33.5K

26.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.24 ₫317.1K

$12.19 ₫316.0K

0.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 ₫92.5K

$1.97 ₫51.1K

81.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 ₫269.7K

$6.89 ₫178.5K

50.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 ₫81.7K

$1.86 ₫48.3K

69.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 ₫33.1K

$0.75 ₫19.3K

70.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ₫42.4K

$0.79 ₫20.6K

107.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 ₫32.2K

$1.14 ₫29.6K

8.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ₫31.7K

$1.16 ₫30.1K

5.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ₫30.9K

$1.18 ₫30.6K

0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 ₫19.8K

$0.59 ₫15.3K

30.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₫14.3K

$0.50 ₫12.8K

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.25 ₫32.4K

$1.15 ₫29.9K

8.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.53 ₫324.8K

$6.71 ₫173.8K

86.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₫22.3K

$0.80 ₫20.8K

7.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ₫39.3K

$1.02 ₫26.3K

48.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,334

$0.36 ₫9,427

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.49 ₫297.9K

$7.04 ₫182.4K

63.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 ₫18.9K

$0.20 ₫5,308

265.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₫15.6K

$0.62 ₫16.0K

-3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 ₫77.4K

$3.09 ₫80.0K

-3.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 ₫23.8K

$0.76 ₫19.6K

21.05%

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

$30.7K ₫795.3M

$31.0K ₫804.7M

-1.18%

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

$30.9K ₫800.4M

$30.6K ₫792.2M

1.04%

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

$103 ₫2.7M

$28.99 ₫751.5K

254.09%

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

$5.95 ₫154.2K

$5.95 ₫154.3K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.10 ₫261.7K

$6.72 ₫174.1K

50.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.51 ₫635.2K

$24.63 ₫638.5K

-0.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₫311.7K

$7.46 ₫193.4K

61.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.49 ₫90.5K

$3.55 ₫92.0K

-1.69%

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

$471 ₫12.2M

$109 ₫2.8M

333.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₫593.0M

$5,221 ₫135.3M

338.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 ₫1.3M

$14.34 ₫371.8K

256.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.23 ₫887.3K

$11.66 ₫302.2K

193.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 ₫2.3M

$75.7 ₫2.0M

18.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.4 ₫2.5M

$54.6 ₫1.4M

74.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 ₫15.1M

$151 ₫3.9M

287.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ₫7.3M

$87.3 ₫2.3M

223.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 ₫32.5M

$345 ₫8.9M

263.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 ₫18.0M

$204 ₫5.3M

241.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,852 ₫125.8M

$2,830 ₫73.4M

71.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,871 ₫48.5M

$1,292 ₫33.5M

44.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ₫13.0M

$224 ₫5.8M

124.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): September 6, 2026

Last update for Tay Ninh: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $584 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $151 in Tay Ninh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 124% 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 $12.00 in Tay Ninh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $150 per month, with Tay Ninh 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 Tay Ninh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tay Ninh wins on cost – living expenses run 98% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tay Ninh the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 124% 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: $584 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $151 in Tay Ninh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $855 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $431 in Tay Ninh – a 98% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tay Ninh runs roughly 63% 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 $431 in Tay Ninh versus $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tay Ninh but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Tay Ninh the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tay Ninh delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $431 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tay Ninh hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Tay Ninh 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 Tay Ninh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.