Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Usolye-Sibirskoye

For one person, living is cheaper in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): $855 a month against $986 in Usolye-Sibirskoye, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
🇻🇳 Vietnam
$855
/mo nomad
Usolye-Sibirskoye
🇷🇺 Russia
$986
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and in Usolye-Sibirskoye

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 Usolye-Sibirskoye actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $986 in Usolye-Sibirskoye.

  • Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $855
  • Usolye-Sibirskoye $986

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,400 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,552 in Usolye-Sibirskoye.

  • Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,400
  • Usolye-Sibirskoye $1,552

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,944 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $2,119 in Usolye-Sibirskoye.

  • Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,944
  • Usolye-Sibirskoye $2,119

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs roughly 13% less than in Usolye-Sibirskoye, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 36% lower, Usolye-Sibirskoye 26% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Usolye-Sibirskoye
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.90 ₫49.1K
$7.23 ₽615
-73.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.32 ₫603.5K
$32.27 ₽2,746
-27.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.67 ₫120.9K
$5.87 ₽500
-20.44%
Cappuccino
$1.85 ₫47.9K
$2.97 ₽252
-37.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₫14.4K
$1.57 ₽133
-64.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34 ₫8,857
$0.71 ₽60.7
-52.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.01 ₫26.2K
$2.71 ₽231
-62.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 ₫43.7K
$4.16 ₽354
-59.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Usolye-Sibirskoye
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.58 ₫40.8K
$1.25 ₽106
26.40%
White Bread (500g)
$1.04 ₫27.0K
$0.61 ₽51.9
70.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.99 ₫25.7K
$1.40 ₽119
-29.29%
Eggs
$1.60 ₫41.5K
$1.58 ₽134
1.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.23 ₫316.6K
$11.57 ₽985
5.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.54 ₫91.7K
$5.99 ₽510
-40.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.44 ₫270.2K
$11.18 ₽951
-6.62%
Apples (1kg)
$3.09 ₫79.9K
$1.82 ₽155
69.78%
Banana (1kg)
$1.26 ₫32.5K
$1.91 ₽162
-34.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.57 ₫40.6K
$1.74 ₽148
-9.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.26 ₫32.5K
$3.60 ₽307
-65.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.17 ₫30.4K
$0.71 ₽60.4
64.79%
Onion (1kg)
$1.15 ₫29.7K
$0.65 ₽55.3
76.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ₫18.7K
$1.80 ₽153
-60.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 ₫14.0K
$0.61 ₽52.1
-11.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.22 ₫31.5K
$2.71 ₽230
-54.98%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.28 ₫317.8K
$7.21 ₽613
70.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.98 ₫25.4K
$0.95 ₽81.2
3.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49 ₫38.5K
$2.00 ₽170
-25.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Usolye-Sibirskoye
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.28 ₫7,249
$0.52 ₽44.00
-46.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.62 ₫300.8K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.73 ₫18.9K
$1.20 ₽102
-39.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 ₫16.7K
$0.18 ₽15.70
255.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.17 ₫82.0K
$8.79 ₽748
-63.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 ₫24.6K
$0.84 ₽71.1
13.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.7K ₫795.6M
$29.0K ₽2.5M
6.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.6K ₫791.6M
$35.7K ₽3.0M
-14.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Usolye-Sibirskoye
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$102 ₫2.6M
$117 ₽9,935
-12.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.65 ₫146.1K
$5.73 ₽487
-1.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.52 ₫272.2K
$11.32 ₽963
-7.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Usolye-Sibirskoye
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.86 ₫669.2K
$37.28 ₽3,172
-30.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.82 ₫305.9K
$25.39 ₽2,160
-53.45%
Cinema Ticket
$3.39 ₫87.8K
$6.54 ₽557
-48.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Usolye-Sibirskoye
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$438 ₫11.3M
$295 ₽25.1K
48.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.3K ₫603.1M
$3,205 ₽272.7K
627.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Usolye-Sibirskoye
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.5 ₫1.3M
$58.5 ₽4,977
-11.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.56 ₫894.3K
$23.82 ₽2,027
45.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.3 ₫2.4M
$99.2 ₽8,442
-7.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.9 ₫2.5M
$117 ₽9,942
-18.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Usolye-Sibirskoye
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$577 ₫14.9M
$471 ₽40.1K
22.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$292 ₫7.6M
$309 ₽26.3K
-5.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,293 ₫33.5M
$847 ₽72.1K
52.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$717 ₫18.6M
$573 ₽48.8K
25.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,714 ₫122.0M
$2,468 ₽210.0K
91.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,882 ₫48.7M
$1,259 ₽107.1K
49.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Usolye-Sibirskoye
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$486 ₫12.6M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.64
24.57
-64.84%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): October 5, 2026

Last update for Usolye-Sibirskoye: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$292
Usolye-Sibirskoye
$309 5.6% $16
Groceries & Markets
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$206
Usolye-Sibirskoye
$215 4.8% $9.9
Clothing & Footwear
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$123
Usolye-Sibirskoye
$134 9.6% $12
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$118
Usolye-Sibirskoye
$134 12.9% $15
Eating Out
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$63
Usolye-Sibirskoye
$142 124% $79
Sport & Entertainment
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$33
Usolye-Sibirskoye
$50 54.3% $18
Getting Around
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$17
Usolye-Sibirskoye
$4.2 * 74.9% $13

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $577 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $471 in Usolye-Sibirskoye. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $32.00 in Usolye-Sibirskoye for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $215 per month, with Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
🇷🇺 Usolye-Sibirskoye
🕒 Local time
17:55 5:55 PM
18:55 6:55 PM
1 h ahead of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,456,700
73,507
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 25,879 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 28,999 VND (100,000 VND = 3.45 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 85.09 RUB (100 RUB = 1.18 USD). 1 EUR = 95.35 RUB (100 RUB = 1.05 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Usolye-Sibirskoye 4,680 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
  • Usolye-Sibirskoye

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 Usolye-Sibirskoye: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) or Usolye-Sibirskoye?
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Usolye-Sibirskoye. 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and in Usolye-Sibirskoye?
You'd need roughly $1,283 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,478 in Usolye-Sibirskoye to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) compared to Usolye-Sibirskoye?
Rent for a central apartment: $577 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $471 in Usolye-Sibirskoye. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) or in Usolye-Sibirskoye?
Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Usolye-Sibirskoye. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) compared to Usolye-Sibirskoye?
All in, you'll spend $855 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $986 in Usolye-Sibirskoye – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) or in Usolye-Sibirskoye?
At $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $986 in Usolye-Sibirskoye, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) but tight or insufficient in Usolye-Sibirskoye. The gap between the two cities makes Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) or Usolye-Sibirskoye?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $855 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) hard to pass up.
How safe is Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) compared to Usolye-Sibirskoye?
Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Usolye-Sibirskoye are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Usolye-Sibirskoye. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs other spots: cost of living compared

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