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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $694 in Semey versus $839 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,111 in Semey versus $1,328 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,528 in Semey versus $1,817 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Living in Semey costs roughly 17% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Semey 48% lower, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ₸2,033

$1.97 ₫51.6K

124.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.96 ₸12.4K

$23.04 ₫605.2K

17.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.65 ₸2,136

$4.68 ₫122.8K

-0.64%

Cappuccino

$1.54 ₸705

$1.69 ₫44.5K

-8.88%

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

$0.91 ₸417

$0.51 ₫13.5K

78.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₸255

$0.30 ₫7,960

86.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 ₸529

$1.03 ₫27.1K

11.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₸846

$1.52 ₫40.0K

21.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.68 ₸313

$1.45 ₫38.2K

-53.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.34 ₸158

$0.98 ₫25.7K

-65.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 ₸762

$0.98 ₫25.9K

69.39%

Eggs

$1.28 ₸587

$1.41 ₫37.1K

-9.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.75 ₸4,016

$11.86 ₫311.5K

-26.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.50 ₸2,063

$3.72 ₫97.6K

20.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.07 ₸3,243

$10.51 ₫275.9K

-32.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 ₸590

$2.73 ₫71.8K

-52.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 ₸895

$1.14 ₫30.0K

71.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ₸903

$1.35 ₫35.4K

45.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 ₸867

$1.17 ₫30.7K

61.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 ₸257

$1.16 ₫30.5K

-51.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₸172

$1.17 ₫30.6K

-68.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₸459

$0.76 ₫20.0K

31.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₸352

$0.50 ₫13.2K

54.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 ₸1,194

$1.21 ₫31.9K

114.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.82 ₸3,127

$12.93 ₫339.6K

-47.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₸433

$0.90 ₫23.6K

4.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₸737

$1.42 ₫37.2K

13.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 ₸80.4

$0.26 ₫6,799

-30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.73 ₫281.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 ₸469

$0.72 ₫18.8K

41.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 ₸309

$0.65 ₫16.9K

3.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.79 ₸2,199

$3.16 ₫83.0K

51.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 ₸211

$0.88 ₫23.2K

-47.73%

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

$20.1K ₸9.2M

$37.9K ₫994.3M

-46.93%

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

$24.7K ₸11.3M

$33.7K ₫884.1M

-26.77%

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

$50.3 ₸23.1K

$85.5 ₫2.2M

-41.24%

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

$8.62 ₸3,956

$5.97 ₫156.8K

44.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.89 ₸5,913

$9.41 ₫247.2K

36.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.61 ₸15.4K

$20.92 ₫549.5K

60.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.68 ₸4,441

$9.18 ₫241.2K

5.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.36 ₸2,002

$4.09 ₫107.5K

6.60%

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

$214 ₸98.3K

$276 ₫7.2M

-22.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,808 ₸2.2M

$14.2K ₫374.1M

-66.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 ₸25.9K

$41.67 ₫1.1M

35.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.66 ₸16.4K

$27.51 ₫722.5K

29.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 ₸40.3K

$96.0 ₫2.5M

-8.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.4 ₸36.0K

$85.7 ₫2.3M

-8.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$312 ₸143.0K

$532 ₫14.0M

-41.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 ₸92.1K

$306 ₫8.0M

-34.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 ₸238.5K

$1,107 ₫29.1M

-53.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 ₸176.9K

$657 ₫17.3M

-41.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,113 ₫108.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,909 ₫50.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$481 ₫12.6M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.39

9.14

101.20%

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

Last update for Semey: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $312 in Semey and $532 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Semey vs $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Groceries flip the comparison at $165 vs $199, with Semey 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

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

Semey wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Semey the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,041 in Semey and $1,259 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $312 in Semey versus $532 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $694 per month in Semey versus $839 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Semey 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 Semey delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $694 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Semey hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Semey 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 Semey gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.