Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): $855 a month against $2,495 in Kununurra, rent and utilities included – about $19,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kununurra
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,495
/mo nomad
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
🇻🇳 Vietnam
$855
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kununurra 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 Kununurra and in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,495 in Kununurra versus $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

  • Kununurra $2,495
  • Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $855

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,588 in Kununurra versus $1,400 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

  • Kununurra $3,588
  • Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,400

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,682 in Kununurra versus $1,944 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

  • Kununurra $4,682
  • Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,944

Living in Kununurra is roughly 192% more expensive than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kununurra is 86% above, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is 36% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kununurra
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.56 A$25.13
$1.90 ₫49.1K
824.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.1 A$120
$23.32 ₫603.5K
260.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.60 A$15.17
$4.67 ₫120.9K
126.98%
Cappuccino
$4.09 A$5.85
$1.85 ₫47.9K
121.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 A$4.09
$0.56 ₫14.4K
410.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 A$3.27
$0.34 ₫8,857
570.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.80 A$11.16
$1.01 ₫26.2K
672.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.65 A$10.94
$1.69 ₫43.7K
352.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kununurra
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.62 A$2.32
$1.58 ₫40.8K
2.53%
White Bread (500g)
$2.77 A$3.97
$1.04 ₫27.0K
166.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.16 A$3.09
$0.99 ₫25.7K
118.18%
Eggs
$4.88 A$6.98
$1.60 ₫41.5K
205.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.46 A$13.54
$12.23 ₫316.6K
-22.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.26 A$13.25
$3.54 ₫91.7K
161.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.74 A$21.10
$10.44 ₫270.2K
41.19%
Apples (1kg)
$3.76 A$5.38
$3.09 ₫79.9K
21.68%
Banana (1kg)
$3.02 A$4.32
$1.26 ₫32.5K
139.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.27 A$4.68
$1.57 ₫40.6K
108.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.64 A$6.64
$1.26 ₫32.5K
268.25%
Potato (1kg)
$2.76 A$3.95
$1.17 ₫30.4K
135.90%
Onion (1kg)
$2.50 A$3.57
$1.15 ₫29.7K
117.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 A$3.35
$0.72 ₫18.7K
225.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 A$2.26
$0.54 ₫14.0K
192.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$27.62 A$39.53
$1.22 ₫31.5K
2163.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.17 A$20.28
$12.28 ₫317.8K
15.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.85 A$6.94
$0.98 ₫25.4K
394.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.36 A$7.67
$1.49 ₫38.5K
259.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Kununurra
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.90 A$4.15
$0.28 ₫7,249
935.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$82.8 A$119
$11.62 ₫300.8K
612.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.58 A$5.12
$0.73 ₫18.9K
390.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.64 A$2.34
$0.64 ₫16.7K
156.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.47 A$56.5
$3.17 ₫82.0K
1145.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 A$1.83
$0.95 ₫24.6K
34.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K A$38.2K
$30.7K ₫795.6M
-13.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.8K A$42.6K
$30.6K ₫791.6M
-2.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kununurra
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$208 A$297
$102 ₫2.6M
103.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.38 A$40.62
$5.65 ₫146.1K
402.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$57.4 A$82.1
$10.52 ₫272.2K
445.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kununurra
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.4 A$79.3
$25.86 ₫669.2K
114.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.83 A$25.52
$11.82 ₫305.9K
50.85%
Cinema Ticket
$15.26 A$21.84
$3.39 ₫87.8K
350.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kununurra
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,182 A$3,122
$438 ₫11.3M
398.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.2K A$28.9K
$23.3K ₫603.1M
-13.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kununurra
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$76.6 A$110
$51.5 ₫1.3M
48.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.8 A$77.0
$34.56 ₫894.3K
55.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 A$158
$91.3 ₫2.4M
21.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 A$178
$94.9 ₫2.5M
30.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kununurra
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,394 A$1,995
$577 ₫14.9M
141.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,206 A$1,725
$292 ₫7.6M
312.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,137 A$3,058
$1,293 ₫33.5M
65.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,843 A$2,637
$717 ₫18.6M
157.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,881 A$8,416
$4,714 ₫122.0M
24.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,000 A$7,156
$1,882 ₫48.7M
165.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kununurra
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$486 ₫12.6M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.84
8.64
-32.41%

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

Last update for Kununurra: October 6, 2026

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kununurra
$1.2K
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$292 75.8% $913
Groceries & Markets
Kununurra
$369
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$206 44.3% $164
Eating Out
Kununurra
$296
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$63 78.6% $233
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kununurra
$294
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$118 59.7% $175
Clothing & Footwear
Kununurra
$164
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$123 25.4% $42
Getting Around
Kununurra
$106
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$17 84.3% $90
Sport & Entertainment
Kununurra
$86
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
$33 62% $53

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,394 in Kununurra and $577 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $84.0 in Kununurra vs $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $369 vs $206 per month, with Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Kununurra
🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
🕒 Local time
14:57 2:57 PM
13:57 1:57 PM
1 h behind Kununurra
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,300
9,456,700
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

VND, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.699 USD). 1 EUR = 1.61 AUD (1 AUD = 0.623 EUR).

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 25,879 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,025 VND (100,000 VND = 3.45 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kununurra Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 3,820 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kununurra
  • 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
Kununurra vs Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kununurra or Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)?
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) wins on cost – living expenses run 192% lower than in Kununurra. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Kununurra and in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)?
You'd need roughly $3,742 in Kununurra and $1,283 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Kununurra compared to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,394 in Kununurra versus $577 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Kununurra compared to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)?
All in, you'll spend $2,495 per month in Kununurra versus $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – a 192% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Kununurra compared to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)?
A monthly transit pass in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) runs roughly 613% less than in Kununurra. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Kununurra or in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)?
At $855 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) versus $2,495 in Kununurra, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) but tight or insufficient in Kununurra. The gap between the two cities makes Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Kununurra or Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $855 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) hard to pass up.
How safe is Kununurra compared to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)?
Safety-wise, Kununurra 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) gentler on the wallet – expenses run 192% less than in Kununurra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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