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: $535 in Kandy versus $822 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $854 in Kandy versus $1,303 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,173 in Kandy versus $1,784 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Living in Kandy costs roughly 35% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kandy 60% lower, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 LKR 924

$1.99 ₫52.5K

38.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.88 LKR 3,992

$23.39 ₫615.7K

-49.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.36 LKR 2,138

$4.53 ₫119.3K

40.40%

Cappuccino

$2.63 LKR 885

$1.70 ₫44.9K

54.71%

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

$0.60 LKR 201

$0.51 ₫13.4K

17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 LKR 109

$0.28 ₫7,255

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 LKR 716

$1.01 ₫26.5K

110.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 LKR 1,134

$1.53 ₫40.2K

120.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 LKR 473

$1.51 ₫39.7K

-6.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 173

$1.02 ₫26.8K

-49.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 289

$0.99 ₫26.1K

-13.13%

Eggs

$2.17 LKR 729

$1.45 ₫38.3K

49.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.61 LKR 2,894

$11.79 ₫310.4K

-26.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 LKR 1,524

$3.66 ₫96.3K

23.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.97 LKR 2,680

$10.47 ₫275.6K

-23.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 LKR 1,507

$2.66 ₫69.9K

68.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 LKR 327

$1.11 ₫29.3K

-12.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 LKR 1,266

$1.35 ₫35.5K

179.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 405

$1.13 ₫29.9K

7.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 391

$1.12 ₫29.4K

3.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 420

$1.17 ₫30.8K

6.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 LKR 262

$0.76 ₫20.1K

2.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 188

$0.51 ₫13.5K

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.28 LKR 3,119

$1.23 ₫32.5K

654.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.47 LKR 3,854

$11.61 ₫305.6K

-1.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 LKR 705

$0.92 ₫24.2K

128.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 LKR 921

$1.43 ₫37.5K

91.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 LKR 59.6

$0.28 ₫7,397

-35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.28 LKR 5,136

$10.38 ₫273.2K

47.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$0.66 ₫17.3K

-40.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$0.67 ₫17.7K

-50.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 LKR 146

$3.01 ₫79.3K

-85.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 421

$0.89 ₫23.5K

40.45%

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

$17.8K LKR 6.0M

$36.9K ₫971.7M

-51.89%

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

$21.7K LKR 7.3M

$34.4K ₫905.2M

-37.00%

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

$40.58 LKR 13.6K

$83.1 ₫2.2M

-51.18%

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

$4.37 LKR 1,470

$5.84 ₫153.8K

-25.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.38 LKR 5,170

$9.55 ₫251.4K

61.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.79 LKR 4,970

$20.95 ₫551.4K

-29.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.71 LKR 1,919

$9.30 ₫244.9K

-38.60%

Cinema Ticket

$3.42 LKR 1,150

$4.10 ₫107.9K

-16.59%

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

$36.45 LKR 12.3K

$279 ₫7.4M

-86.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$324 LKR 108.9K

$14.1K ₫372.1M

-97.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.66 LKR 9,298

$42.90 ₫1.1M

-35.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.38 LKR 4,833

$27.60 ₫726.5K

-47.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.1 LKR 18.8K

$97.2 ₫2.6M

-42.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.16 LKR 10.1K

$84.7 ₫2.2M

-64.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$136 LKR 45.9K

$525 ₫13.8M

-74.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.4 LKR 28.0K

$310 ₫8.2M

-73.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 LKR 73.6K

$1,090 ₫28.7M

-79.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 LKR 54.2K

$651 ₫17.1M

-75.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$392 LKR 131.9K

$4,593 ₫120.9M

-91.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$399 LKR 134.2K

$1,809 ₫47.6M

-77.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$261 LKR 87.6K

$481 ₫12.7M

-45.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.14

64.11%

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

Last update for Kandy: July 21, 2026

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $136 in Kandy and $525 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 85% 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: $12.00 in Kandy vs $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Groceries flip the comparison at $208 vs $197, with Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) cheaper for home cooking.

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 53% 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 85% 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: $136 in Kandy versus $525 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 $535 per month in Kandy versus $822 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 47% 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 $1,000 a month, though Kandy 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 Kandy delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $535 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 53% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.