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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $808 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $612 in Villavicencio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,306 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,021 in Villavicencio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,803 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,430 in Villavicencio.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 32% more expensive than in Villavicencio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 40% lower, Villavicencio 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.07 ₫54.3K

$2.86 COP 9,298

-27.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.64 ₫595.2K

$21.52 COP 70.1K

5.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.72 ₫124.2K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-23.38%

Cappuccino

$1.79 ₫46.9K

$1.27 COP 4,136

40.94%

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

$0.47 ₫12.5K

$0.82 COP 2,680

-42.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,257

$0.61 COP 1,992

-54.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 ₫26.4K

$1.12 COP 3,631

-10.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₫41.6K

$1.66 COP 5,395

-4.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ₫40.2K

$1.00 COP 3,247

53.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ₫26.0K

$1.20 COP 3,904

-17.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₫26.7K

$0.90 COP 2,935

13.33%

Eggs

$1.43 ₫37.5K

$1.96 COP 6,374

-27.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.46 ₫301.4K

$4.81 COP 15.7K

138.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 ₫95.1K

$5.15 COP 16.8K

-29.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.56 ₫277.6K

$7.21 COP 23.5K

46.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ₫71.6K

$2.49 COP 8,108

9.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ₫28.9K

$0.78 COP 2,554

41.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₫34.2K

$1.36 COP 4,434

-4.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ₫29.8K

$1.24 COP 4,045

-8.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 ₫29.6K

$1.11 COP 3,606

0.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 ₫31.1K

$1.14 COP 3,696

3.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ₫18.4K

$0.72 COP 2,341

-2.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₫12.4K

$0.67 COP 2,174

-29.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.28 ₫33.6K

$2.44 COP 7,930

-47.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 ₫297.1K

$12.11 COP 39.4K

-6.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₫23.9K

$0.81 COP 2,651

12.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 ₫37.5K

$1.60 COP 5,205

-11.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,399

$0.62 COP 2,030

-54.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.74 ₫282.5K

$9.54 COP 31.0K

12.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₫17.8K

$1.43 COP 4,649

-52.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₫16.5K

$1.39 COP 4,518

-54.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ₫79.4K

$6.09 COP 19.8K

-50.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₫21.6K

$1.02 COP 3,317

-19.61%

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

$37.7K ₫990.5M

$12.1K COP 39.5M

210.70%

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

$33.5K ₫881.9M

$17.0K COP 55.3M

97.53%

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

$83.2 ₫2.2M

$31.70 COP 103.2K

162.43%

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

$5.76 ₫151.6K

$11.00 COP 35.8K

-47.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.26 ₫243.6K

$22.79 COP 74.2K

-59.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.01 ₫552.3K

$25.61 COP 83.4K

-17.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.72 ₫255.4K

$16.87 COP 54.9K

-42.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 ₫112.4K

$3.79 COP 12.3K

12.93%

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

$280 ₫7.4M

$240 COP 781.2K

16.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K ₫369.7M

$8,420 COP 27.4M

67.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.71 ₫1.1M

$53.5 COP 174.1K

-20.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.93 ₫708.0K

$32.14 COP 104.6K

-16.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 ₫2.6M

$71.0 COP 231.0K

36.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.8 ₫2.2M

$66.3 COP 215.9K

27.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$539 ₫14.2M

$145 COP 473.1K

270.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 ₫8.0M

$137 COP 444.5K

123.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 ₫29.2M

$405 COP 1.3M

173.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$645 ₫17.0M

$382 COP 1.2M

68.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,555 ₫119.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,818 ₫47.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$495 ₫13.0M

$416 COP 1.4M

18.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.14

12.93

-29.31%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): July 14, 2026

Last update for Villavicencio: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $539 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $145 in Villavicencio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 19% 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 $22.00 in Villavicencio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $172 per month, with Villavicencio 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 Villavicencio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Villavicencio wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Villavicencio the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 19% 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: $539 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $145 in Villavicencio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $808 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $612 in Villavicencio – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Villavicencio runs roughly 13% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Villavicencio gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Villavicencio delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $612 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Villavicencio hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Villavicencio 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 Villavicencio gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.