Cost of Living in Ho Chi Minh City

HCMC is Vietnam's most expensive city and also its most flexible. A frugal solo expat lives on $1,200; a family with two kids in international school easily spends $8,000. The variance is mostly rent and tuition.

Rent by district (USD/month)

District	Studio	1BR	2BR	3BR villa/penthouse
D1 (Bến Nghé, Bến Thành)	700–1,000	1,000–1,500	1,800–2,800	3,000–5,500
D2 / Thảo Điền (An Phú, Thủ Thiêm)	700–1,000	1,000–1,600	1,500–2,800	2,500–6,000
D3 (Vo Thi Sau, Ward 7)	500–800	750–1,200	1,300–2,000	2,200–3,500
D4 (riverside)	450–650	600–900	900–1,400	1,400–2,500
D7 / Phú Mỹ Hưng	600–900	800–1,300	1,300–2,200	2,500–4,500
Bình Thạnh	500–750	700–1,100	1,200–1,800	1,800–3,000
Phú Nhuận	400–650	600–900	900–1,400	1,400–2,200
Tân Bình	350–550	500–800	800–1,200	1,200–1,900
Tân Phú	300–500	450–700	700–1,100	1,000–1,700
Thủ Đức	350–550	500–800	700–1,200	1,200–1,800

Bills (electricity + water + management): $80–200/mo depending on AC use and building tier.

Food costs

Local eating

• Banh mi from street: 25–40k VND ($1.00–1.60)
• Pho at a clean local shop: 50–90k VND ($2–3.60)
• Com tam (broken-rice plate): 40–70k VND ($1.60–2.80)
• Bún chả, bún bò, hủ tiếu: 50–90k VND
• Vietnamese beer at street pub: 18–25k VND
• Iced coffee at local shop: 18–30k VND ($0.70–1.20)

Mid-tier dining

• Lunch at a mid-cafe (Effoc, Highlands, Phuc Long): 80–150k VND
• Dinner at mid Vietnamese restaurant: 150–300k VND per head
• Pizza at Pizza 4P's: 200–400k VND per head
• Sushi at decent chain (Sushi Hokkaido, Tako): 300–500k VND

High-end dining

• Steakhouse (El Gaucho, Au Manoir de Khai): $40–80 per head
• Western fine dining: $50–120 per head
• Premium Japanese: $80–200 per head
• Cocktail at Bui Vien rooftop: 150–250k VND
• Cocktail at high-end bar (Pasteur Bar, Layla, Drinking & Healing): 250–400k VND

Groceries (monthly for a couple)

• Local market mostly: $150–250
• Mix of local + supermarket (Coopmart, Bach Hoa Xanh): $300–500
• Mostly imported (Annam Gourmet, MM Mega Market import, Nam An): $700–1,200

Transport

• Grab/Be motorbike short trip: 15–40k VND
• Grab car D1 ↔ D2 (Thảo Điền): 80–150k VND
• Grab car D1 ↔ D7: 120–200k VND
• Monthly motorbike fuel (commuting): $25–40
• Own motorbike servicing: $100–250/yr
• Metro (Line 1 to Suối Tiên when operational): 6–20k VND per trip
• Taxi airport: Grab 200–300k VND; Vinasun 250–350k VND

Monthly transport budget:

• Heavy Grab user: $150–250
• Own motorbike + occasional Grab: $80–150

Utilities and connectivity

• Electricity (AC-heavy): $30–80
• Water: $10–25
• Internet (200Mbps): $10–15
• Mobile data (Viettel 60GB/mo): $5–8
• Gas (LPG cylinder): $10–15 every 6 weeks

Healthcare

• GP visit at Family Medical Practice: $60–100
• GP visit at FV / Vinmec: $80–150
• Specialist consult: $80–200
• Annual exec health check: $300–700 mid-tier; $700–1,500 international
• Mid-tier insurance (Bảo Việt, Liberty): $50–100/mo solo
• International insurance (Cigna, BUPA): $250–700/mo solo

Lifestyle costs

• Gym (Citigym): $30–50/mo
• Gym (CFYC): $70–120/mo
• Boutique (CrossFit, Push Climbing): $80–150/mo
• Yoga unlimited: $70–120/mo
• Massage 60min at decent chain: $12–25
• Cinema (CGV, Lotte): $5–7 per ticket
• Spa day (Anam, Sen): $30–80

Full monthly budgets

Solo expat, modest

• Rent: 1BR Bình Thạnh — $700
• Bills: $100
• Food (local + 1 Western dinner/wk): $400
• Transport: $120
• Gym: $40
• Insurance: $60
• Misc: $200
• Total: ~$1,620

Solo expat, comfortable

• Rent: 1BR Thảo Điền — $1,200
• Bills: $150
• Food (mixed): $600
• Transport: $200
• Gym + activities: $120
• Insurance: $120
• Travel allocation: $300
• Misc: $400
• Total: ~$3,090

Couple, comfortable

• Rent: 2BR Thảo Điền — $1,800
• Bills: $200
• Food: $1,000
• Transport: $300
• Gym + classes: $200
• Insurance: $240
• Cleaner part-time: $150
• Travel: $400
• Misc: $500
• Total: ~$4,790

Family of 4, international school

• Rent: 3BR Thảo Điden villa — $3,500
• Bills, internet: $400
• Food: $1,500
• Transport (car + Grab): $400
• School fees (2 kids BIS amortised): $5,500
• Domestic help (full-time nanny): $700
• Insurance family: $700
• Activities, lessons: $500
• Travel allocation: $1,000
• Misc: $800
• Total: ~$15,000/mo

The school is the rock. Without school, a family of 4 lives well on $5,000–6,000.

Honest take

HCMC's range is huge. A $2,500/mo budget is comfortable for a single professional living in Thảo Điền or D3 with a gym and meals out three nights a week. Bring family + private school and you're competing with HK or Singapore on costs. The cheap-HCMC era of 2015 is gone; the value is now relative to other Asian capitals, not absolute.

Related

• Cost of living Vietnam overall
• Cost of living Hanoi
• Cost of living Đà Nẵng
• HCMC