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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $810 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,665 in Tokyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,352 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $2,648 in Tokyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,895 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $3,631 in Tokyo.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs roughly 51% less than in Tokyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is 40% below, Tokyo is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.90 ₫49.6K

$7.32 ¥1,166

-74.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.89 ₫546.1K

$43.17 ¥6,877

-51.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.65 ₫121.6K

$4.89 ¥779

-4.91%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ₫45.4K

$3.64 ¥580

-52.20%

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

$0.51 ₫13.3K

$1.56 ¥248

-67.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,341

$0.89 ¥142

-64.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₫30.4K

$3.72 ¥593

-68.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₫47.1K

$4.97 ¥791

-63.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ₫42.0K

$1.58 ¥252

1.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ₫26.4K

$1.65 ¥263

-38.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₫26.4K

$5.71 ¥910

-82.31%

Eggs

$1.61 ₫42.2K

$2.21 ¥351

-27.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.25 ₫320.2K

$10.97 ¥1,747

11.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ₫97.3K

$7.72 ¥1,229

-51.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.59 ₫276.8K

$19.86 ¥3,164

-46.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 ₫79.1K

$4.99 ¥795

-39.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ₫34.3K

$2.50 ¥398

-47.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ₫45.1K

$4.49 ¥715

-61.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 ₫31.1K

$6.38 ¥1,017

-81.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 ₫31.8K

$3.70 ¥589

-67.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ₫29.6K

$3.46 ¥551

-67.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 ₫20.4K

$1.28 ¥205

-39.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₫13.8K

$0.83 ¥132

-36.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.20 ₫31.4K

$3.79 ¥604

-68.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.88 ₫310.6K

$9.53 ¥1,518

24.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₫22.8K

$1.78 ¥283

-51.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 ₫37.9K

$3.03 ¥482

-52.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,405

$1.35 ¥215

-79.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.45 ₫299.4K

$76.4 ¥12.2K

-85.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 ₫18.1K

$3.10 ¥494

-77.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₫15.9K

$3.16 ¥503

-80.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ₫81.5K

$18.66 ¥2,973

-83.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 ₫22.7K

$1.06 ¥169

-17.92%

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

$30.7K ₫802.6M

$21.3K ¥3.4M

44.01%

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

$30.7K ₫803.1M

$15.3K ¥2.4M

100.54%

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

$102 ₫2.7M

$159 ¥25.3K

-35.59%

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

$5.82 ₫152.3K

$22.73 ¥3,621

-74.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.98 ₫261.0K

$30.15 ¥4,803

-66.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 ₫606.5K

$59.5 ¥9,480

-61.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.59 ₫302.9K

$26.40 ¥4,206

-56.10%

Cinema Ticket

$3.47 ₫90.6K

$12.42 ¥1,978

-72.06%

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

$480 ₫12.5M

$1,328 ¥211.5K

-63.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.6K ₫589.7M

$17.9K ¥2.9M

25.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ₫1.4M

$52.7 ¥8,395

1.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.20 ₫894.1K

$31.50 ¥5,018

8.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.2 ₫2.4M

$61.4 ¥9,784

46.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.9 ₫2.5M

$74.2 ¥11.8K

26.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$568 ₫14.8M

$1,247 ¥198.6K

-54.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 ₫7.0M

$673 ¥107.2K

-60.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 ₫32.4M

$2,370 ¥377.5K

-47.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 ₫17.6M

$1,371 ¥218.5K

-50.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,829 ₫126.3M

$10.2K ¥1.6M

-52.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,876 ₫49.1M

$4,600 ¥732.9K

-59.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$491 ₫12.9M

$2,442 ¥389.0K

-79.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

1.99

334.17%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): August 9, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: August 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $568 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,247 in Tokyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 397% 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: $21.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $43.00 in Tokyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $352 per month, with Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 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 Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) wins on cost – living expenses run 106% lower than in Tokyo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 397% lower in Tokyo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $568 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,247 in Tokyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $810 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,665 in Tokyo – a 106% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) runs roughly 567% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $810 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,665 in Tokyo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $810 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Tokyo 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 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) gentler on the wallet – expenses run 106% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.