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: $551 in Kandy versus $825 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $860 in Kandy versus $1,301 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,169 in Kandy versus $1,778 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Living in Kandy costs roughly 33% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kandy 59% lower, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 LKR 950

$1.97 ₫51.8K

43.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.83 LKR 3,988

$23.39 ₫614.5K

-49.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.58 LKR 2,216

$4.69 ₫123.2K

40.30%

Cappuccino

$2.56 LKR 861

$1.77 ₫46.5K

44.63%

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

$0.65 LKR 217

$0.48 ₫12.5K

35.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 LKR 110

$0.28 ₫7,243

17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 LKR 726

$0.99 ₫26.1K

117.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 LKR 1,154

$1.56 ₫40.9K

119.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 LKR 472

$1.51 ₫39.5K

-7.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 175

$0.98 ₫25.7K

-46.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 287

$0.96 ₫25.2K

-11.46%

Eggs

$2.19 LKR 737

$1.47 ₫38.6K

48.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 LKR 2,859

$11.89 ₫312.3K

-28.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 LKR 1,565

$3.56 ₫93.6K

30.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.15 LKR 2,746

$10.61 ₫278.8K

-23.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 LKR 1,491

$2.67 ₫70.2K

65.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 345

$1.15 ₫30.2K

-11.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 LKR 1,222

$1.36 ₫35.6K

166.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 408

$1.18 ₫31.1K

2.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 390

$1.15 ₫30.2K

0.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 LKR 439

$1.23 ₫32.4K

5.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 LKR 248

$0.74 ₫19.5K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 LKR 186

$0.47 ₫12.4K

17.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.30 LKR 3,134

$1.28 ₫33.6K

626.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 LKR 3,815

$12.69 ₫333.4K

-10.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 671

$0.85 ₫22.4K

134.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 LKR 934

$1.47 ₫38.7K

88.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 58.1

$0.26 ₫6,801

-34.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.86 LKR 5,009

$10.74 ₫282.1K

38.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$0.67 ₫17.7K

-41.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$0.63 ₫16.6K

-47.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 LKR 148

$3.13 ₫82.1K

-85.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 423

$0.82 ₫21.5K

52.44%

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

$17.9K LKR 6.0M

$38.2K ₫1.0B

-53.00%

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

$21.2K LKR 7.2M

$34.0K ₫894.4M

-37.68%

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

$40.82 LKR 13.8K

$85.0 ₫2.2M

-51.99%

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

$4.26 LKR 1,437

$5.85 ₫153.7K

-27.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.41 LKR 5,194

$9.10 ₫239.1K

69.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.86 LKR 5,006

$20.54 ₫539.5K

-27.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.62 LKR 1,895

$9.70 ₫254.7K

-42.06%

Cinema Ticket

$3.33 LKR 1,122

$4.31 ₫113.2K

-22.74%

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

$37.50 LKR 12.6K

$274 ₫7.2M

-86.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$328 LKR 110.5K

$14.1K ₫371.3M

-97.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.01 LKR 9,102

$42.11 ₫1.1M

-35.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.32 LKR 4,826

$27.32 ₫717.6K

-47.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.9 LKR 19.2K

$96.4 ₫2.5M

-40.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.20 LKR 9,841

$86.6 ₫2.3M

-66.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$131 LKR 44.3K

$535 ₫14.1M

-75.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.3 LKR 28.1K

$310 ₫8.1M

-73.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$217 LKR 73.0K

$1,093 ₫28.7M

-80.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 LKR 53.8K

$650 ₫17.1M

-75.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$401 LKR 135.2K

$4,532 ₫119.1M

-91.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$394 LKR 132.8K

$1,820 ₫47.8M

-78.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$260 LKR 87.6K

$505 ₫13.3M

-48.54%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $131 in Kandy and $535 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 94% 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 $207 vs $199, 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 50% 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, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) earns 94% less. 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: $131 in Kandy versus $535 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 $551 per month in Kandy versus $825 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 38% 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 $551 in Kandy versus $825 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 $551 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 50% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.