Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Vung Tau: $624 a month against $850 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Living Index
30

Cost of Living Index in Vung Tau
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Vung Tau Living Index

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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$850

/mo nomad

Vung Tau

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$624

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $850 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $624 in Vung Tau.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $850
Vung Tau $624

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,386 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,036 in Vung Tau.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,386
Vung Tau $1,036

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,921 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $1,448 in Vung Tau.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,921
Vung Tau $1,448

Living in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is roughly 36% more expensive than in Vung Tau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 37% lower, Vung Tau 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ₫54.6K

$1.96 ₫50.3K

8.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.43 ₫602.2K

$15.68 ₫403.0K

49.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.55 ₫116.8K

$3.79 ₫97.3K

20.05%

Cappuccino

$1.78 ₫45.8K

$1.85 ₫47.6K

-3.78%

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

$0.53 ₫13.6K

$0.41 ₫10.7K

29.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,193

$0.31 ₫7,901

3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ₫27.7K

$0.75 ₫19.3K

44.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₫43.5K

$1.01 ₫26.0K

67.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₫42.7K

$1.41 ₫36.3K

17.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ₫30.6K

$1.06 ₫27.3K

12.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₫26.4K

$0.92 ₫23.5K

11.96%

Eggs

$1.67 ₫43.0K

$1.61 ₫41.3K

3.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.24 ₫314.5K

$4.79 ₫123.0K

155.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.54 ₫90.9K

$3.56 ₫91.5K

-0.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.25 ₫263.5K

$9.87 ₫253.8K

3.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 ₫80.0K

$3.10 ₫79.7K

0.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ₫31.5K

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 ₫36.9K

$0.68 ₫17.4K

110.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 ₫31.5K

$1.26 ₫32.3K

-3.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ₫30.8K

$1.14 ₫29.3K

5.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ₫30.9K

$1.15 ₫29.6K

4.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ₫18.7K

$0.65 ₫16.7K

12.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₫13.4K

$0.42 ₫10.8K

23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.23 ₫31.6K

$1.26 ₫32.5K

-2.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 ₫296.9K

$12.41 ₫318.9K

-6.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₫23.9K

$0.82 ₫21.1K

13.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ₫38.0K

$1.02 ₫26.2K

45.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₫7,216

$0.34 ₫8,617

-17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.62 ₫298.5K

$6.66 ₫171.0K

74.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₫19.5K

$0.76 ₫19.7K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₫15.8K

$0.59 ₫15.2K

5.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ₫80.1K

$1.15 ₫29.5K

171.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ₫23.2K

$0.83 ₫21.4K

8.43%

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

$30.9K ₫794.2M

$30.8K ₫791.5M

0.34%

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

$29.6K ₫760.4M

$28.9K ₫743.0M

2.35%

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

$99.8 ₫2.6M

$48.14 ₫1.2M

107.33%

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

$5.75 ₫147.7K

$5.84 ₫150.1K

-1.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.29 ₫264.3K

$8.24 ₫211.7K

24.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.18 ₫467.2K

$17.13 ₫440.3K

6.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.16 ₫312.4K

$9.50 ₫244.1K

28.00%

Cinema Ticket

$3.90 ₫100.1K

$3.98 ₫102.3K

-2.01%

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

$530 ₫13.6M

$116 ₫3.0M

356.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.6K ₫684.5M

$9,576 ₫246.1M

178.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 ₫1.4M

$21.33 ₫548.1K

147.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.88 ₫896.3K

$19.57 ₫502.9K

78.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 ₫2.4M

$90.5 ₫2.3M

5.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 ₫2.5M

$67.7 ₫1.7M

40.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$617 ₫15.9M

$299 ₫7.7M

106.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₫7.6M

$205 ₫5.3M

45.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ₫33.7M

$738 ₫19.0M

77.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$708 ₫18.2M

$508 ₫13.1M

39.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,430 ₫113.8M

$2,271 ₫58.4M

95.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,011 ₫51.7M

$1,334 ₫34.3M

50.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ₫13.0M

$581 ₫14.9M

-13.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

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

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

Last update for Vung Tau: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$297 35%

Vung Tau

$205 32.8% 31.2% $93

Groceries & Markets

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$205 24.1%

Vung Tau

$173 27.7% 15.8% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$125 14.7%

Vung Tau

$90 14.4% 28.4% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$116 13.6%

Vung Tau

$62 10% 46.3% $54

Eating Out

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$64 7.6%

Vung Tau

$58 9.3% 9.8% $6.3

Sport & Entertainment

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$26 3.1%

Vung Tau

$25 4% 3.4% $0.9

Getting Around

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$17 2%

Vung Tau

$12 1.9% 29.3% $4.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $617 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and $299 in Vung Tau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vung Tau pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) vs $16 in Vung Tau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $173 per month, with Vung Tau cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vung Tau

🕒 Local time

10:09 10:09 AM

Same time as Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,456,700

380,000

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.89 USD

100,000 VND = 3.47 EUR

100,000 VND = 3.89 USD

100,000 VND = 3.47 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Vung Tau 63 km

From you

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
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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 Vung Tau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vung Tau wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Vung Tau the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). 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: $617 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $299 in Vung Tau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $850 per month in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $624 in Vung Tau – Vung Tau is about 27% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Vung Tau runs roughly 43% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $624 in Vung Tau versus $850 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $800 budget is realistic in Vung Tau but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Vung Tau the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Vung Tau is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Vung Tau are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Vung Tau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.