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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $610 in Purwokerto versus $804 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $944 in Purwokerto versus $1,312 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,278 in Purwokerto versus $1,820 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Living in Purwokerto costs roughly 24% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Purwokerto 54% lower, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.30 Rp 23.5K

$1.98 ₫52.1K

-34.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.99 Rp 162.4K

$23.00 ₫604.6K

-60.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.36 Rp 60.7K

$4.68 ₫123.0K

-28.21%

Cappuccino

$1.38 Rp 25.0K

$1.71 ₫45.1K

-19.30%

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

$0.35 Rp 6,357

$0.48 ₫12.6K

-27.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 Rp 3,108

$0.28 ₫7,340

-39.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 Rp 31.5K

$1.04 ₫27.3K

68.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 Rp 65.5K

$1.58 ₫41.5K

129.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 21.1K

$1.52 ₫40.1K

-23.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 Rp 20.1K

$0.99 ₫26.0K

12.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$0.94 ₫24.7K

-14.89%

Eggs

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

$1.47 ₫38.8K

3.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.15 Rp 165.3K

$11.83 ₫311.0K

-22.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 Rp 54.4K

$3.61 ₫94.8K

-16.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.05 Rp 145.4K

$10.51 ₫276.4K

-23.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 Rp 43.0K

$2.66 ₫70.0K

-10.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 24.0K

$1.11 ₫29.3K

19.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 29.5K

$1.30 ₫34.3K

26.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 28.0K

$1.17 ₫30.8K

32.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 26.7K

$1.16 ₫30.4K

27.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 48.7K

$1.23 ₫32.4K

119.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 Rp 16.4K

$0.71 ₫18.7K

28.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 Rp 5,858

$0.48 ₫12.5K

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 Rp 45.5K

$1.22 ₫32.2K

106.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.90 Rp 395.3K

$11.24 ₫295.4K

94.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 Rp 37.9K

$0.87 ₫22.8K

141.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 Rp 62.4K

$1.48 ₫39.0K

133.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,719

$0.26 ₫6,805

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.88 Rp 178.3K

$10.58 ₫278.2K

-6.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.71 ₫18.8K

5.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 Rp 13.8K

$0.69 ₫18.1K

10.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 Rp 46.5K

$3.06 ₫80.3K

-15.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 Rp 11.4K

$0.88 ₫23.0K

-28.41%

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

$24.2K Rp 437.8M

$37.6K ₫988.9M

-35.53%

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

$25.5K Rp 459.9M

$34.6K ₫910.5M

-26.44%

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

$44.42 Rp 801.9K

$85.8 ₫2.3M

-48.22%

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

$4.45 Rp 80.4K

$5.75 ₫151.2K

-22.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.78 Rp 411.2K

$9.21 ₫242.0K

147.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.32 Rp 330.7K

$21.17 ₫556.5K

-13.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.24 Rp 112.6K

$9.22 ₫242.5K

-32.32%

Cinema Ticket

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

$4.34 ₫114.2K

-37.56%

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

$93.4 Rp 1.7M

$278 ₫7.3M

-66.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,651 Rp 138.1M

$13.9K ₫365.1M

-44.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.64 Rp 751.8K

$41.88 ₫1.1M

-0.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.25 Rp 546.1K

$26.95 ₫708.4K

12.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.2 Rp 1.1M

$95.0 ₫2.5M

-38.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.3 Rp 1.2M

$84.8 ₫2.2M

-22.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 Rp 4.7M

$525 ₫13.8M

-50.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 Rp 2.9M

$299 ₫7.9M

-46.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 Rp 10.4M

$1,107 ₫29.1M

-47.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 Rp 6.1M

$661 ₫17.4M

-49.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,367 Rp 24.7M

$4,542 ₫119.4M

-69.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$279 Rp 5.0M

$1,813 ₫47.7M

-84.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$118 Rp 2.1M

$487 ₫12.8M

-75.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

9.14

0.11%

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

Last update for Purwokerto: July 26, 2026

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $258 in Purwokerto 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 311% 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: $9.00 in Purwokerto vs $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Groceries flip the comparison at $212 vs $195, 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

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

Purwokerto wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Purwokerto the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 311% 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: $258 in Purwokerto 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 $610 per month in Purwokerto versus $804 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Purwokerto runs roughly 7% 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 Purwokerto 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 Purwokerto delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $610 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Purwokerto hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Purwokerto 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 Purwokerto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.