Cost of Living Comparison Between Vietnam and India Cost of Living Comparison Between Vietnam and India

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $713 in Vietnam versus $365 in India.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,141 in Vietnam versus $579 in India.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,568 in Vietnam versus $792 in India.

Living in Vietnam is roughly 95% more expensive than in India on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Vietnam 48% lower, India 73% lower.

Vietnam ($424$891) and India ($231$827) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vietnam
India
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.90 ₫49.6K
$2.06 ₹196
-7.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.56 ₫509.9K
$10.63 ₹1,009
84.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.65 ₫121.3K
$3.70 ₹351
25.68%
Cappuccino
$1.65 ₫43.0K
$1.74 ₹165
-5.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ₫13.0K
$0.37 ₹35.31
35.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ₫7,742
$0.17 ₹16.34
76.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.99 ₫25.8K
$1.93 ₹183
-48.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55 ₫40.4K
$3.06 ₹290
-49.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vietnam
India
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 ₫38.1K
$0.62 ₹58.9
135.48%
White Bread (500g)
$1.01 ₫26.4K
$0.49 ₹46.68
106.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.91 ₫23.8K
$0.63 ₹60.1
44.44%
Eggs
$1.52 ₫39.7K
$0.94 ₹88.9
61.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.39 ₫296.8K
$4.67 ₹443
143.90%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.86 ₫100.7K
$2.88 ₹274
34.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.71 ₫253.1K
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 ₫75.7K
$1.91 ₹181
51.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.10 ₫28.6K
$0.64 ₹60.9
71.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.40 ₫36.4K
$0.98 ₹93.3
42.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.23 ₫32.1K
$0.51 ₹48.13
141.18%
Potato (1kg)
$1.10 ₫28.6K
$0.34 ₹32.07
223.53%
Onion (1kg)
$1.14 ₫29.6K
$0.42 ₹39.87
171.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.67 ₫17.6K
$0.48 ₹45.67
39.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ₫12.6K
$0.29 ₹27.41
68.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.36 ₫35.5K
$4.91 ₹466
-72.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.85 ₫256.7K
$7.27 ₹690
35.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.86 ₫22.4K
$1.65 ₹157
-47.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 ₫38.0K
$2.66 ₹253
-45.11%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.22 ₹495
-
🚌 Getting Around
Vietnam
India
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.33 ₫8,635
$0.27 ₹25.80
22.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.22 ₫214.3K
$8.45 ₹802
-2.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.73 ₫19.1K
$0.96 ₹91.3
-23.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.59 ₫15.4K
$0.27 ₹25.87
118.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.32 ₫60.6K
$1.60 ₹152
45.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 ₫23.0K
$1.12 ₹106
-21.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.0K ₫782.9M
$12.7K ₹1.2M
136.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.5K ₫768.8M
$20.4K ₹1.9M
44.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vietnam
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$74.7 ₫1.9M
$37.48 ₹3,558
99.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.91 ₫154.0K
$3.50 ₹332
68.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.09 ₫236.9K
$7.16 ₹679
26.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vietnam
India
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$21.10 ₫550.1K
$14.79 ₹1,405
42.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.91 ₫232.2K
$7.08 ₹672
25.85%
Cinema Ticket
$3.88 ₫101.1K
$3.06 ₹290
26.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vietnam
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$393 ₫10.2M
$57.0 ₹5,408
589.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.4K ₫505.4M
$1,679 ₹159.4K
1055.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vietnam
India
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.95 ₫1.1M
$22.56 ₹2,142
85.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.13 ₫681.1K
$24.04 ₹2,282
8.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.7 ₫2.3M
$40.60 ₹3,855
115.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.5 ₫2.0M
$30.39 ₹2,885
155.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vietnam
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$413 ₫10.8M
$145 ₹13.8K
184.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$272 ₫7.1M
$91.4 ₹8,673
197.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$840 ₫21.9M
$335 ₹31.8K
151.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$543 ₫14.2M
$209 ₹19.9K
159.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,524 ₫91.9M
$1,233 ₹117.1K
185.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,791 ₫46.7M
$626 ₹59.4K
186.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vietnam
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$421 ₫11.0M
$443 ₹42.1K
-4.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.78
8.94
-1.79%

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

Last update for Vietnam: August 31, 2026

Last update for India: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $378 in Vietnam, $120 in India. Capital cities: $410 in Hanoi vs $272 in Delhi.

National salary averages: $341 in Vietnam, $408 in India. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 215% higher in Vietnam.

Dining out costs 90% more in Vietnam.

Public transport is 17% more expensive in India.

Salaries are 20% higher in India, and purchasing power comes out stronger in India.

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
Vietnam vs India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between India and Vietnam?
At $529 per month in India and $658 in Vietnam, there's a 24% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in India: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Vietnam is consistently higher than in India across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in India or in Vietnam?
In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Vietnam it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to India or to Vietnam?
It depends on what you're after: India wins on affordability; Vietnam may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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