Chiang Mai vs Ho Chi Minh City Cost of Living
Chiang Mai (Thailand) · Overall index 26.0 — Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) · Overall index 29.5
Summary
- Overall, Ho Chi Minh City is 13% more expensive than Chiang Mai.
- Rent in Ho Chi Minh City is 52% more expensive than in Chiang Mai.
- Telecom in Ho Chi Minh City is 16% more expensive than in Chiang Mai.
| Item | Chiang Mai | Ho Chi Minh City | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +52% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $477 | $741 | +55% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $325 | $436 | +34% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $805 | $1,271 | +58% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $542 | $868 | +60% |
| Groceries | +6% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.53 | $0.57 | +8% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.44 | $1.45 | +1% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.68 | $1.93 | +15% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.78 | $1.95 | +10% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $4.79 | $4.97 | +4% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $4.84 | $4.83 | 0% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $6.72 | $6.75 | 0% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.14 | $2.06 | -4% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.79 | $0.76 | -4% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.82 | $1.95 | +7% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.21 | $2.16 | -2% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.07 | $1.18 | +10% |
| Onions (1kg) | $0.94 | $1.2 | +28% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.93 | $1.07 | +15% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.87 | $0.86 | -1% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $5.67 | $6.67 | +18% |
| Transport | +13% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.71 | $0.91 | +28% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $38.2 | $39.1 | +2% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.11 | $1.37 | +23% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.56 | $0.63 | +12% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.29 | $0.31 | +7% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $8,510 | $8,896 | +5% |
| Dining out | +1% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $6.98 | $6.74 | -3% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $40 | $36.2 | -9% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.87 | $3.98 | +3% |
| Cappuccino | $1.62 | $1.69 | +4% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.9 | $0.8 | -11% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.41 | $2.33 | -3% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.63 | $2.9 | +10% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.64 | $0.76 | +19% |
| Telecom | +16% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $24.9 | $29.9 | +20% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $26.6 | $31 | +17% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.15 | $0.15 | 0% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $6.1 | $7.72 | +27% |
| Utilities & household | +7% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $67.6 | $70.5 | +4% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.08 | $0.09 | +12% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.58 | $2.02 | +28% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.56 | $0.54 | -4% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $8.03 | $9.37 | +17% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $32.5 | $35.2 | +8% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $6.4 | $5.4 | -16% |
| Men's haircut | $10.6 | $13.2 | +25% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $9.66 | $10.2 | +6% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $810 | $800 | -1% |
3,359 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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