Cost of Living in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Quick answer: As of 2026, living in Ho Chi Minh City costs approximately $790 per month for one person including rent. That is 51% below the $1,620 global median across the 340 cities in the Voyica Cost of Living Index 2026. Against its own region, where the median is $891, Ho Chi Minh City is cheaper than typical for Asia. A one-bedroom apartment in the city centre averages $608 per month, or $323 outside the centre. Housing therefore accounts for about 41% of a single person's total monthly cost here. A family of four should budget around $1,662 per month excluding rent. Day to day, an inexpensive restaurant meal runs about $1.98 and a monthly transit pass $12. For anyone weighing a longer stay, median internet speed is 274 Mbps and Ho Chi Minh City scores 68/100 on safety (generally safe). Actual costs vary with lifestyle, neighbourhood, and exchange rates; figures come from crowd-sourced price data last refreshed June 2026. See the full Cost of Living Index →

Ho Chi Minh City is a city in Vietnam, where a single person can expect to spend about $790 per month including rent, food, and local transport. A one-bedroom apartment in the city centre averages $608 per month, or $323 outside the centre. Internet is fast at around 274 Mbps median download speed. On safety, Ho Chi Minh City scores 68/100 — generally safe for residents and visitors. Expect summer highs near 88°F and winter highs around 87°F, with roughly 216 sunny days a year.

Top for CoworkingTop for Medical TourismTop for ShoppingTop for Local MarketTop for Night MarketTop for CasinoFamily friendly

Monthly Cost$790≈ $26/day

1BR Rent (Centre)$608

Internet274 Mbps

Safety68/100

Avg Temp88°F

Ho Chi Minh City Cost of Living Breakdown

🍽️ Dining

Inexpensive Restaurant$1.98

Mid-Range Restaurant (2 People)$20.03

McDonald's Combo Meal$4.63

Cappuccino$1.50

Domestic Beer (Restaurant)$1.16

Bottled Water (Restaurant)$0.33

🛒 Groceries

Milk (1 Liter)$1.50

Bread (1 lb Loaf)$0.88

Eggs (12)$1.46

Chicken Fillets (1 lb)$1.65

Apples (1 lb)$1.23

Bananas (1 lb)$0.53

Tomatoes (1 lb)$0.53

Potatoes (1 lb)$0.52

Water (1.5L Bottle)$0.49

Wine (Mid-Range Bottle)$13.35

Cigarettes (Marlboro)$1.35

🚌 Transportation

One-Way Ticket$0.27

Monthly Transit Pass$11.57

Taxi Start$0.77

Taxi (1 Mile)$1.02

Gasoline (1 Liter)$0.86

VW Golf (New)$34,711.98

⚡ Utilities & Tech

Basic Utilities (Monthly)$96.84

Mobile Phone Plan$5.92

Broadband Internet$9.54

🎬 Lifestyle

Gym Membership (Monthly)$20.55

Cinema Ticket$3.47

Preschool (Monthly)$345.66

Intl. Primary School (Annual)$17,962.96

👔 Clothing

Jeans (Levi's 501)$47.25

Nike Running Shoes$97.19

🏠 Housing

Rent 1BR (City Centre)$607.91

Rent 1BR (Outside Centre)$322.54

Rent 3BR (City Centre)$1,162.33

Rent 3BR (Outside Centre)$681.09

Buy Price/sqft (Centre)$398.17

Buy Price/sqft (Outside)$180.49

📊 Summary

Avg Monthly Net Salary$515.57

Mortgage Interest Rate8.59%

Family of 4 (Monthly, excl. rent)$1,662.30

Single Person (Monthly, excl. rent)$467.90

Lifestyle & Quality of Life in Ho Chi Minh City

Internet274 Mbps

Safety68/100

Healthcare63/100

Public Transit40/100

Walkability60/100

Nightlife55/100

Food Scene90/100

Fine Dining30/100

Coffee Culture82/100

Air Quality54/100

Green Spaces30/100

Culture62/100

Beaches70/100

Hiking55/100

Surfing0/100

Coworking Spaces55

How Ho Chi Minh City Ranks Among 340 Cities

Of the 340 cities Voyica tracks, Ho Chi Minh City ranks in the top 9% for food scene, but sits in the bottom 9% for air quality. It is cheaper than 85% of them.

Metric	Ho Chi Minh City	World rank	Rank in Asia
Monthly cost	$790	#49 of 340	#27 of 65
Safety	68/100	#144 of 340	#31 of 65
Healthcare	63/100	#217 of 340	#40 of 65
Internet speed	274 Mbps	#72 of 340	#5 of 65
Walkability	60/100	#149 of 340	#21 of 65
Public transit	40/100	#157 of 340	#29 of 65
Food scene	90/100	#30 of 340	#15 of 65
Air quality	54/100	#313 of 340	#50 of 65

Rank 1 = most affordable, safest, and so on. Computed across every city in Voyica's dataset (June 2026 snapshot); ties share a rank.

Cheaper Alternatives to Ho Chi Minh City

Cities with a similar mix of safety, food, culture, walkability and climate that cost at least 15% less per month than Ho Chi Minh City.

Nha Trang, Vietnam — $580/mo, 27% cheaper, safety 72/100
Hoi An, Vietnam — $671/mo, 15% cheaper, safety 78/100
Yogyakarta, Indonesia — $671/mo, 15% cheaper, safety 72/100
Kampot, Cambodia — $480/mo, 39% cheaper, safety 62/100

Neighborhoods in Ho Chi Minh City

District 1 · Thao Dien (D2) · District 3 · District 7

Communities & Expat Groups

Saigon Digital Nomads

Ho Chi Minh City FAQ

How much does it cost to live in Ho Chi Minh City?

A single person should budget around $790 per month in Ho Chi Minh City, covering rent, groceries, transport, and basic lifestyle costs. A family of four typically needs about $1,662 per month excluding rent.

How much is rent in Ho Chi Minh City?

A one-bedroom apartment in central Ho Chi Minh City averages $608 per month, dropping to about $323 outside the centre. A three-bedroom in the centre runs about $1,162.

Is Ho Chi Minh City safe?

Ho Chi Minh City scores 68/100 on safety, which is generally safe. Tourist safety is rated 60/100.

How fast is the internet in Ho Chi Minh City?

Median download speeds in Ho Chi Minh City are around 274 Mbps — fast for remote work and video calls. There are roughly 55 coworking spaces in the city.

Does Vietnam offer a digital nomad visa?

Vietnam does not currently offer a dedicated digital nomad visa. US passport holders should check current entry requirements before traveling.

What is the weather like in Ho Chi Minh City?

Ho Chi Minh City sees summer highs around 88°F and winter highs near 87°F, with about 216 mostly sunny days a year and at least 1 mm of rain on about 114 days.