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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $516 in Kandy versus $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $736 in Kandy versus $1,376 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $956 in Kandy versus $1,898 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Living in Kandy costs roughly 40% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kandy 63% lower, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 LKR 904

$2.14 ₫55.5K

28.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.92 LKR 4,246

$22.88 ₫593.0K

-43.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 LKR 1,964

$4.72 ₫122.3K

26.69%

Cappuccino

$1.99 LKR 654

$1.83 ₫47.5K

8.74%

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

$0.51 LKR 167

$0.56 ₫14.4K

-8.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 LKR 85.5

$0.32 ₫8,249

-18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 LKR 612

$1.18 ₫30.7K

57.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 LKR 937

$1.61 ₫41.6K

77.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 LKR 383

$1.58 ₫40.9K

-26.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 LKR 161

$1.06 ₫27.4K

-53.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 LKR 258

$1.04 ₫27.0K

-25.00%

Eggs

$1.60 LKR 527

$1.63 ₫42.3K

-1.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.24 LKR 1,721

$12.24 ₫317.1K

-57.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 LKR 1,412

$3.57 ₫92.5K

20.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.89 LKR 2,265

$10.40 ₫269.7K

-33.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 LKR 1,012

$3.15 ₫81.7K

-2.22%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 LKR 292

$1.28 ₫33.1K

-30.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 LKR 564

$1.64 ₫42.4K

4.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 LKR 418

$1.24 ₫32.2K

2.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LKR 326

$1.22 ₫31.7K

-18.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 266

$1.19 ₫30.9K

-31.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 LKR 158

$0.77 ₫19.8K

-37.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 147

$0.55 ₫14.3K

-18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.75 LKR 2,548

$1.25 ₫32.4K

520.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 LKR 3,788

$12.53 ₫324.8K

-7.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 654

$0.86 ₫22.3K

131.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 LKR 669

$1.51 ₫39.3K

35.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 53.3

$0.28 ₫7,334

-42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.68 LKR 1,538

$11.49 ₫297.9K

-59.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 138

$0.73 ₫18.9K

-42.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 LKR 126

$0.60 ₫15.6K

-36.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 LKR 156

$2.99 ₫77.4K

-84.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 LKR 368

$0.92 ₫23.8K

21.74%

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

$14.1K LKR 4.6M

$30.7K ₫795.3M

-53.89%

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

$37.5K LKR 12.3M

$30.9K ₫800.4M

21.54%

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

$55.1 LKR 18.1K

$103 ₫2.7M

-46.35%

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

$4.11 LKR 1,351

$5.95 ₫154.2K

-30.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.67 LKR 4,164

$10.10 ₫261.7K

25.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.02 LKR 3,620

$24.51 ₫635.2K

-55.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.68 LKR 2,193

$12.03 ₫311.7K

-44.47%

Cinema Ticket

$2.89 LKR 950

$3.49 ₫90.5K

-17.19%

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

$21.41 LKR 7,036

$471 ₫12.2M

-95.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$305 LKR 100.3K

$22.9K ₫593.0M

-98.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.30 LKR 6,671

$51.1 ₫1.3M

-60.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.30 LKR 3,386

$34.23 ₫887.3K

-69.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 LKR 22.6K

$89.9 ₫2.3M

-23.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.80 LKR 8,805

$95.4 ₫2.5M

-71.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 LKR 57.0K

$584 ₫15.1M

-70.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 LKR 38.1K

$282 ₫7.3M

-58.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 LKR 58.2K

$1,255 ₫32.5M

-85.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.0 LKR 31.9K

$695 ₫18.0M

-86.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$414 LKR 135.9K

$4,852 ₫125.8M

-91.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$406 LKR 133.5K

$1,871 ₫48.5M

-78.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$263 LKR 86.5K

$502 ₫13.0M

-47.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

38.89%

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

Last update for Kandy: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $174 in Kandy and $584 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 91% 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: $13.00 in Kandy vs $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $167 vs $207 per month, with Kandy 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

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

Kandy wins on cost – living expenses run 66% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kandy the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 91% 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: $174 in Kandy versus $584 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 $516 per month in Kandy versus $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 146% 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 $516 in Kandy versus $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kandy but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Kandy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kandy delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $516 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kandy hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kandy 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 Kandy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.