Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Island Garden City of Samal and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

For one person, living is cheaper in Island Garden City of Samal: $747 a month against $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

35

Cost of Living Index in Island Garden City of Samal
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Island Garden City of Samal Living Index
42

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

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Island Garden City of Samal

🇵🇭 Philippines

$747

/mo nomad

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$859

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Island Garden City of Samal and in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Island Garden City of Samal and in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $747 in Island Garden City of Samal versus $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Island Garden City of Samal $747
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $859

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,102 in Island Garden City of Samal versus $1,395 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Island Garden City of Samal $1,102
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,395

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,457 in Island Garden City of Samal versus $1,931 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Island Garden City of Samal $1,457
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,931

Living in Island Garden City of Samal costs roughly 13% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Island Garden City of Samal 45% lower, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.22 ₱76.6

$1.91 ₫49.6K

-36.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.02 ₱1,072

$22.84 ₫591.2K

-25.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.07 ₱256

$4.54 ₫117.6K

-10.35%

Cappuccino

$2.18 ₱137

$1.85 ₫48.0K

17.84%

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

$1.04 ₱65.7

$0.56 ₫14.6K

85.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₱40.33

$0.32 ₫8,185

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 ₱74.5

$1.06 ₫27.5K

11.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₱125

$1.72 ₫44.5K

15.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ₱128

$1.66 ₫42.9K

22.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ₱71.5

$1.11 ₫28.7K

2.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 ₱55.2

$1.00 ₫25.9K

-12.00%

Eggs

$1.87 ₱118

$1.67 ₫43.1K

11.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.26 ₱394

$12.08 ₫312.8K

-48.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 ₱292

$3.68 ₫95.2K

26.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.10 ₱573

$10.24 ₫265.1K

-11.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 ₱172

$2.96 ₫76.5K

-7.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ₱70.4

$1.24 ₫32.2K

-9.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ₱150

$1.56 ₫40.3K

52.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ₱71.7

$1.30 ₫33.6K

-12.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 ₱125

$1.23 ₫31.9K

60.98%

Onion (1kg)

$3.41 ₱215

$1.15 ₫29.8K

196.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 ₱76.0

$0.74 ₫19.1K

63.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱45.46

$0.56 ₫14.4K

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 ₱156

$1.24 ₫32.1K

100.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 ₱489

$12.60 ₫326.1K

-38.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.5

$0.96 ₫24.9K

28.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₱106

$1.53 ₫39.6K

9.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ₱18.09

$0.26 ₫6,694

11.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.62 ₱732

$11.51 ₫297.9K

0.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱52.0

$0.75 ₫19.5K

10.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.83

$0.67 ₫17.4K

-62.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 ₱121

$3.03 ₫78.5K

-36.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱78.0

$0.96 ₫24.8K

29.17%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$31.1K ₫804.3M

-31.75%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$30.4K ₫785.9M

-37.84%

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

$98.4 ₱6,196

$102 ₫2.6M

-3.50%

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

$19.24 ₱1,211

$5.89 ₫152.5K

226.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.01 ₱1,952

$10.49 ₫271.6K

195.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.89 ₱1,882

$25.54 ₫661.2K

17.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.57 ₱288

$11.92 ₫308.5K

-61.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 ₱307

$3.53 ₫91.3K

37.96%

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

$107 ₱6,729

$436 ₫11.3M

-75.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,691 ₱484.2K

$23.3K ₫602.8M

-66.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.60 ₱2,115

$52.8 ₫1.4M

-36.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.67 ₱1,238

$34.15 ₫884.1K

-42.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 ₱4,433

$90.3 ₫2.3M

-21.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.4 ₱3,929

$95.0 ₫2.5M

-34.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 ₱15.7K

$589 ₫15.3M

-57.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 ₱12.4K

$298 ₫7.7M

-33.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$504 ₱31.7K

$1,292 ₫33.5M

-60.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 ₱19.8K

$711 ₫18.4M

-55.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,056 ₱129.4K

$4,676 ₫121.1M

-56.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,083 ₱68.2K

$1,904 ₫49.3M

-43.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ₫12.7M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.31

8.64

-3.82%

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

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: October 11, 2026

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Island Garden City of Samal

$199 26.6%

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$207 24.1% 4.3% $8.4

Accommodation & Living

Island Garden City of Samal

$197 26.3%

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$298 34.7% 51.4% $101

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Island Garden City of Samal

$149 19.9%

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$118 13.8% 20.4% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Island Garden City of Samal

$84 11.2%

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$122 14.3% 46.3% $39

Eating Out

Island Garden City of Samal

$65 8.7%

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$63 7.4% 1.9% $1.2

Sport & Entertainment

Island Garden City of Samal

$40 5.3%

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$33 3.8% 17.7% $7

Getting Around

Island Garden City of Samal

$15 2%

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$17 1.9% 12.1% $1.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $250 in Island Garden City of Samal and $589 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $17.00 in Island Garden City of Samal vs $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $207 per month, with Island Garden City of Samal cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Island Garden City of Samal

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🕒 Local time

05:31 5:31 AM

04:31 4:31 AM

1 h behind Island Garden City of Samal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

116,771

9,456,700

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

VND, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,105 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Island Garden City of Samal Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 2,130 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Island Garden City of Samal
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

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

Island Garden City of Samal vs Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Island Garden City of Samal wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Island Garden City of Samal the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,121 in Island Garden City of Samal and $1,288 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 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: $250 in Island Garden City of Samal versus $589 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $747 per month in Island Garden City of Samal versus $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Island Garden City of Samal runs roughly 1% 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 $747 in Island Garden City of Samal versus $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $1,000 budget is realistic in Island Garden City of Samal but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Island Garden City of Samal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Island Garden City of Samal delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $747 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Island Garden City of Samal hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Island Garden City of Samal and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 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 Island Garden City of Samal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.