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: $850 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,316 in Villavicencio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,385 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $2,062 in Villavicencio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,920 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $2,808 in Villavicencio.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs roughly 35% less than in Villavicencio, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower, Villavicencio 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 ₫55.8K

$7.97 COP 25.1K

-73.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.91 ₫597.3K

$40.73 COP 128.3K

-43.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 ₫121.9K

$9.95 COP 31.3K

-53.07%

Cappuccino

$1.78 ₫46.3K

$2.53 COP 7,961

-29.64%

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

$0.53 ₫13.8K

$1.34 COP 4,206

-60.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₫9,013

$0.87 COP 2,755

-59.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ₫30.6K

$1.88 COP 5,924

-37.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ₫43.3K

$3.71 COP 11.7K

-55.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₫41.0K

$1.58 COP 4,973

-0.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 ₫27.1K

$2.39 COP 7,539

-56.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₫26.1K

$1.62 COP 5,110

-38.27%

Eggs

$1.61 ₫42.0K

$3.79 COP 11.9K

-57.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.27 ₫319.8K

$7.30 COP 23.0K

68.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.54 ₫92.2K

$7.37 COP 23.2K

-51.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 ₫271.8K

$10.70 COP 33.7K

-2.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 ₫81.3K

$3.33 COP 10.5K

-6.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 ₫33.2K

$1.73 COP 5,442

-26.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₫42.1K

$1.94 COP 6,122

-16.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 ₫31.5K

$1.82 COP 5,723

-33.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ₫31.9K

$1.43 COP 4,512

-14.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ₫31.1K

$1.37 COP 4,299

-13.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ₫18.7K

$1.36 COP 4,291

-47.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.2K

$1.09 COP 3,443

-53.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.25 ₫32.5K

$4.41 COP 13.9K

-71.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.47 ₫325.0K

$12.92 COP 40.7K

-3.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₫24.4K

$1.44 COP 4,532

-35.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ₫38.5K

$3.08 COP 9,689

-51.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,359

$1.15 COP 3,624

-75.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ₫295.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 ₫18.0K

$2.10 COP 6,627

-67.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₫15.7K

$2.49 COP 7,843

-75.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ₫80.5K

$9.35 COP 29.4K

-66.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 ₫24.5K

$1.35 COP 4,245

-30.37%

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

$30.8K ₫802.5M

$22.0K COP 69.4M

39.65%

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

$30.6K ₫797.2M

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-13.74%

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

$101 ₫2.6M

$123 COP 388.1K

-17.88%

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

$5.95 ₫155.0K

$15.90 COP 50.1K

-62.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.16 ₫264.9K

$30.72 COP 96.8K

-66.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.64 ₫642.4K

$31.78 COP 100.1K

-22.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.67 ₫304.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.54 ₫92.4K

$7.69 COP 24.2K

-53.97%

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

$464 ₫12.1M

$473 COP 1.5M

-1.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K ₫592.2M

$6,593 COP 20.8M

244.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ₫1.3M

$79.8 COP 251.3K

-35.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.93 ₫910.5K

$49.28 COP 155.2K

-29.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 ₫2.4M

$143 COP 449.1K

-36.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 ₫2.4M

$112 COP 353.2K

-17.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 ₫15.2M

$710 COP 2.2M

-18.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 ₫7.4M

$479 COP 1.5M

-40.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 ₫33.1M

$1,156 COP 3.6M

9.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 ₫17.6M

$907 COP 2.9M

-25.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,704 ₫122.6M

$2,053 COP 6.5M

129.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,909 ₫49.8M

$1,766 COP 5.6M

8.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$488 ₫12.7M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

12.81

-32.55%

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

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): August 31, 2026

Last update for Villavicencio: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $582 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $710 in Villavicencio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $41.00 in Villavicencio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $261 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 Villavicencio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) wins on cost – living expenses run 55% lower than in Villavicencio. 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.

You'd need roughly $1,275 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $1,974 in Villavicencio 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $582 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $710 in Villavicencio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Villavicencio. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $850 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,316 in Villavicencio – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $850 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,316 in Villavicencio, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) but tight or insufficient in Villavicencio. 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 $850 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 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 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Villavicencio. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.