Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Tay Ninh: $437 a month against $853 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

21

Cost of Living Index in Tay Ninh
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Tay Ninh Living Index
41

Cost of Living Index in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Living Index

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Tay Ninh

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$437

/mo nomad

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$853

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $437 in Tay Ninh versus $853 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Tay Ninh $437
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $853

Estimated couple costs with rent: $712 in Tay Ninh versus $1,391 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Tay Ninh $712
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,391

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $987 in Tay Ninh versus $1,930 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Tay Ninh $987
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,930

Living in Tay Ninh costs roughly 49% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tay Ninh 68% lower, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.25 ₫32.2K

$1.91 ₫49.3K

-34.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.46 ₫296.0K

$22.93 ₫592.4K

-50.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.88 ₫100.3K

$4.69 ₫121.2K

-17.27%

Cappuccino

$0.87 ₫22.4K

$1.80 ₫46.5K

-51.67%

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

$0.55 ₫14.3K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₫8,912

$0.34 ₫8,812

2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.83 ₫21.5K

$1.03 ₫26.7K

-19.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 ₫26.6K

$1.72 ₫44.4K

-40.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 ₫31.7K

$1.67 ₫43.1K

-26.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 ₫18.2K

$1.09 ₫28.2K

-35.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 ₫19.0K

$1.06 ₫27.3K

-30.19%

Eggs

$1.30 ₫33.5K

$1.60 ₫41.3K

-18.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.07 ₫311.7K

$12.08 ₫312.1K

-0.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.95 ₫50.4K

$3.66 ₫94.5K

-46.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.98 ₫180.4K

$10.35 ₫267.3K

-32.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 ₫46.1K

$3.01 ₫77.7K

-40.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ₫20.6K

$1.26 ₫32.6K

-36.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.79 ₫20.5K

$1.62 ₫41.9K

-51.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ₫30.1K

$1.27 ₫32.7K

-8.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ₫30.7K

$1.18 ₫30.5K

0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 ₫29.4K

$1.19 ₫30.7K

-4.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ₫15.6K

$0.78 ₫20.1K

-23.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₫13.0K

$0.55 ₫14.3K

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.16 ₫30.0K

$1.26 ₫32.5K

-7.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.53 ₫168.8K

$12.85 ₫331.9K

-49.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₫20.8K

$0.90 ₫23.1K

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 ₫26.5K

$1.46 ₫37.6K

-29.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₫9,471

$0.28 ₫7,260

32.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.51 ₫168.1K

$11.42 ₫295.0K

-42.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.19 ₫4,979

$0.70 ₫18.2K

-72.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₫16.1K

$0.63 ₫16.3K

-1.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ₫81.1K

$3.09 ₫79.8K

1.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 ₫19.6K

$0.95 ₫24.6K

-20.00%

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

$31.1K ₫804.5M

$30.5K ₫788.3M

2.06%

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

$29.0K ₫748.7M

$29.7K ₫767.8M

-2.49%

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

$30.13 ₫778.3K

$102 ₫2.6M

-70.52%

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

$5.94 ₫153.4K

$5.65 ₫145.8K

5.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.99 ₫180.4K

$10.43 ₫269.5K

-32.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.63 ₫636.2K

$19.30 ₫498.7K

27.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.50 ₫193.7K

$11.81 ₫305.1K

-36.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.53 ₫91.2K

$3.83 ₫98.9K

-7.83%

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

$110 ₫2.8M

$484 ₫12.5M

-77.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,369 ₫138.7M

$23.3K ₫602.3M

-76.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.52 ₫375.1K

$52.3 ₫1.4M

-72.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.77 ₫304.1K

$34.35 ₫887.3K

-65.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 ₫2.0M

$92.3 ₫2.4M

-15.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.0 ₫1.4M

$94.2 ₫2.4M

-43.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$154 ₫4.0M

$647 ₫16.7M

-76.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.8 ₫2.3M

$297 ₫7.7M

-70.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 ₫9.0M

$1,291 ₫33.3M

-73.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 ₫5.2M

$719 ₫18.6M

-72.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,257 ₫58.3M

$4,327 ₫111.8M

-47.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,198 ₫30.9M

$1,987 ₫51.3M

-39.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$226 ₫5.8M

$490 ₫12.7M

-53.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

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

Last update for Tay Ninh: October 26, 2026

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

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Tay Ninh

$150 34.4%

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$208 24.4% 38.2% $58

Accommodation & Living

Tay Ninh

$88 20.1%

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$297 34.9% 238% $209

Clothing & Footwear

Tay Ninh

$71 16.2%

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$123 14.4% 73.2% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tay Ninh

$43 9.9%

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$118 13.9% 175% $75

Eating Out

Tay Ninh

$42 9.6%

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$63 7.4% 50.9% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Tay Ninh

$32 7.3%

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$27 3.2% 14.9% $4.7

Getting Around

Tay Ninh

$11 2.6%

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$16 1.9% 45.3% $5.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $154 in Tay Ninh and $647 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays about 2.2 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $11 in Tay Ninh vs $23 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $150 vs $208 per month, with Tay Ninh cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Tay Ninh

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🕒 Local time

01:50 1:50 AM

Same time as Tay Ninh

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

135,254

9,456,700

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.87 USD

100,000 VND = 3.48 EUR

100,000 VND = 3.87 USD

100,000 VND = 3.48 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Tay Ninh Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 89 km

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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

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

Tay Ninh wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Tay Ninh the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 54% lower in Tay Ninh. 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: $154 in Tay Ninh versus $647 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 $437 per month in Tay Ninh versus $853 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – a 95% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tay Ninh runs roughly 43% 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 Tay Ninh gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tay Ninh 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 Tay Ninh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.