Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Tuguegarao: $579 a month against $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent and utilities included – about $3,400 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
28

Cost of Living Index in Tuguegarao
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Tuguegarao Living Index

Jump to prices

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$859

/mo nomad

Tuguegarao

🇵🇭 Philippines

$579

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and in Tuguegarao

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 Tuguegarao actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $579 in Tuguegarao.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $859
Tuguegarao $579

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,395 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $926 in Tuguegarao.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,395
Tuguegarao $926

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,931 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,273 in Tuguegarao.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,931
Tuguegarao $1,273

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 48% more expensive than in Tuguegarao, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 36% lower, Tuguegarao 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 ₫49.6K

$1.62 ₱102

17.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.84 ₫591.2K

$16.49 ₱1,038

38.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₫117.6K

$2.86 ₱180

58.74%

Cappuccino

$1.85 ₫48.0K

$1.86 ₱117

-0.54%

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

$0.56 ₫14.6K

$0.44 ₱27.56

27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,185

$0.28 ₱17.48

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ₫27.5K

$0.98 ₱61.9

8.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₫44.5K

$1.64 ₱103

4.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₫42.9K

$1.68 ₱106

-1.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 ₫28.7K

$1.15 ₱72.5

-3.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₫25.9K

$0.75 ₱47.44

33.33%

Eggs

$1.67 ₫43.1K

$2.02 ₱127

-17.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 ₫312.8K

$5.08 ₱320

137.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ₫95.2K

$3.46 ₱218

6.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 ₫265.1K

$7.69 ₱484

33.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 ₫76.5K

$2.31 ₱145

28.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ₫32.2K

$1.61 ₱101

-22.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 ₫40.3K

$2.34 ₱148

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ₫33.6K

$1.07 ₱67.3

21.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 ₫31.9K

$1.75 ₱110

-29.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ₫29.8K

$1.73 ₱109

-33.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ₫19.1K

$0.62 ₱38.79

19.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₫14.4K

$0.53 ₱33.17

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.24 ₫32.1K

$1.94 ₱122

-36.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.60 ₫326.1K

$8.77 ₱552

43.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₫24.9K

$0.97 ₱61.2

-1.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₫39.6K

$2.09 ₱132

-26.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₫6,694

$0.26 ₱16.09

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.51 ₫297.9K

$10.09 ₱635

14.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₫19.5K

$0.78 ₱48.85

-3.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 ₫17.4K

$0.23 ₱14.42

191.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ₫78.5K

$1.96 ₱123

54.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 ₫24.8K

$1.08 ₱68.2

-11.11%

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

$31.1K ₫804.3M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

46.27%

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

$30.4K ₫785.9M

$19.6K ₱1.2M

54.98%

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

$102 ₫2.6M

$31.55 ₱1,987

223.23%

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

$5.89 ₫152.5K

$17.41 ₱1,096

-66.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.49 ₫271.6K

$23.02 ₱1,449

-54.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.54 ₫661.2K

$32.30 ₱2,033

-20.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.92 ₫308.5K

$4.57 ₱288

160.83%

Cinema Ticket

$3.53 ₫91.3K

$5.30 ₱334

-33.40%

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

$436 ₫11.3M

$134 ₱8,446

225.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₫602.8M

$10.6K ₱669.6K

118.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 ₫1.4M

$28.57 ₱1,799

84.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.15 ₫884.1K

$19.36 ₱1,219

76.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 ₫2.3M

$39.20 ₱2,468

130.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ₫2.5M

$23.67 ₱1,490

301.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 ₫15.3M

$265 ₱16.7K

122.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ₫7.7M

$171 ₱10.8K

74.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 ₫33.5M

$522 ₱32.9K

147.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$711 ₫18.4M

$359 ₱22.6K

98.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,676 ₫121.1M

$2,452 ₱154.4K

90.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,904 ₫49.3M

$1,035 ₱65.2K

83.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ₫12.7M

$207 ₱13.0K

136.49%

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): October 10, 2026

Last update for Tuguegarao: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$298 34.7%

Tuguegarao

$171 29.5% 42.6% $127

Groceries & Markets

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$207 24.1%

Tuguegarao

$175 30.2% 15.6% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$122 14.3%

Tuguegarao

$50 8.6% 59.3% $73

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$118 13.8%

Tuguegarao

$72 12.4% 39.2% $46

Eating Out

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$63 7.4%

Tuguegarao

$55 9.5% 13.4% $8.5

Sport & Entertainment

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$33 3.8%

Tuguegarao

$43 7.4% 31.6% $10

Getting Around

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$17 1.9%

Tuguegarao

$13 2.3% 21.7% $3.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $589 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $265 in Tuguegarao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 136% 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 $16.00 in Tuguegarao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $175 per month, with Tuguegarao cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇵🇭 Tuguegarao

🕒 Local time

01:34 1:34 AM

02:34 2:34 AM

1 h ahead of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,456,700

166,334

💱 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 17, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,108 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.79 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Tuguegarao 1,790 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Tuguegarao

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 Tuguegarao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tuguegarao wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tuguegarao the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 136% 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 $265 in Tuguegarao. 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 $579 in Tuguegarao – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tuguegarao runs roughly 14% 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 $579 in Tuguegarao versus $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tuguegarao but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Tuguegarao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tuguegarao delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $579 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tuguegarao hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Tuguegarao 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 Tuguegarao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.