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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $623 in Tay Ninh versus $815 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $952 in Tay Ninh versus $1,295 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,281 in Tay Ninh versus $1,775 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Living in Tay Ninh costs roughly 24% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tay Ninh 54% lower, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.30 ₫34.1K

$1.97 ₫51.8K

-34.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.34 ₫297.6K

$22.83 ₫599.0K

-50.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.72 ₫123.9K

$4.67 ₫122.7K

1.07%

Cappuccino

$0.45 ₫11.8K

$1.71 ₫44.8K

-73.68%

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

$0.36 ₫9,503

$0.48 ₫12.6K

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 ₫2,812

$0.28 ₫7,344

-60.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ₫24.4K

$1.00 ₫26.1K

-7.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₫24.0K

$1.57 ₫41.1K

-42.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 ₫35.6K

$1.48 ₫38.7K

-8.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 ₫20.6K

$0.99 ₫25.9K

-21.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.70 ₫18.4K

$1.02 ₫26.7K

-31.37%

Eggs

$1.42 ₫37.2K

$1.47 ₫38.6K

-3.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.64 ₫305.4K

$11.73 ₫307.9K

-0.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.93 ₫50.8K

$3.61 ₫94.7K

-46.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 ₫177.2K

$10.64 ₫279.1K

-36.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 ₫46.6K

$2.68 ₫70.4K

-33.58%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 ₫25.8K

$1.11 ₫29.1K

-11.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 ₫32.6K

$1.35 ₫35.5K

-8.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ₫29.9K

$1.13 ₫29.6K

0.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 ₫29.5K

$1.17 ₫30.7K

-4.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 ₫32.3K

$1.17 ₫30.8K

5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ₫15.6K

$0.77 ₫20.1K

-23.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.26 ₫6,793

$0.51 ₫13.3K

-49.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.16 ₫30.5K

$1.28 ₫33.7K

-9.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.60 ₫173.3K

$12.97 ₫340.4K

-49.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₫23.5K

$0.91 ₫24.0K

-1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₫26.8K

$1.48 ₫38.7K

-31.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₫8,998

$0.28 ₫7,429

21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.34 ₫166.4K

$10.38 ₫272.4K

-38.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.19 ₫4,951

$0.68 ₫17.8K

-72.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 ₫17.6K

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ₫82.3K

$3.04 ₫79.9K

3.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 ₫21.1K

$0.90 ₫23.6K

-11.11%

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

$37.2K ₫977.4M

$37.8K ₫991.6M

-1.43%

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

$33.4K ₫876.5M

$33.9K ₫889.8M

-1.50%

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

$29.79 ₫781.7K

$85.8 ₫2.3M

-65.26%

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

$5.98 ₫156.9K

$6.04 ₫158.5K

-0.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.02 ₫184.3K

$9.11 ₫239.0K

-22.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.05 ₫657.5K

$20.99 ₫550.9K

19.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.63 ₫200.2K

$9.72 ₫255.2K

-21.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.08 ₫107.1K

$4.16 ₫109.3K

-1.92%

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

$66.0 ₫1.7M

$270 ₫7.1M

-75.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,824 ₫179.1M

$13.8K ₫362.9M

-50.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.01 ₫446.4K

$41.54 ₫1.1M

-59.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.30 ₫296.6K

$27.25 ₫715.2K

-58.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 ₫2.6M

$95.1 ₫2.5M

3.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.6 ₫1.8M

$85.3 ₫2.2M

-19.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$152 ₫4.0M

$536 ₫14.1M

-71.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$245 ₫6.4M

$307 ₫8.1M

-20.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$352 ₫9.2M

$1,129 ₫29.6M

-68.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 ₫12.2M

$647 ₫17.0M

-27.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$596 ₫15.7M

$4,217 ₫110.7M

-85.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$363 ₫9.5M

$1,843 ₫48.4M

-80.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$217 ₫5.7M

$485 ₫12.7M

-55.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.14

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

Last update for Tay Ninh: April 20, 2026

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $152 in Tay Ninh and $536 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 124% 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: $11 in Tay Ninh vs $23 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $151 vs $199 per month, with Tay Ninh cheaper across the board.

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 31% 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, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) earns 124% 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: $152 in Tay Ninh versus $536 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 $623 per month in Tay Ninh versus $815 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tay Ninh runs roughly 64% 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 work as nomad bases, but Tay Ninh delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $623 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tay Ninh hard to pass up.

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 31% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.