Ho Chi Minh City vs Bangkok Cost of Living
Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) · Overall index 29.5 — Bangkok (Thailand) · Overall index 36.1
Summary
- Overall, Bangkok is 22% more expensive than Ho Chi Minh City.
- Dining out in Bangkok is 29% more expensive than in Ho Chi Minh City.
- Groceries in Bangkok is 26% more expensive than in Ho Chi Minh City.
| Item | Ho Chi Minh City | Bangkok | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +22% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $741 | $785 | +6% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $436 | $630 | +44% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,271 | $1,512 | +19% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $868 | $1,069 | +23% |
| Groceries | +26% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.57 | $0.61 | +7% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.45 | $2.14 | +48% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.93 | $2.56 | +33% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.95 | $2.53 | +30% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $4.97 | $6.93 | +39% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $4.83 | $6.15 | +27% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $6.75 | $10.3 | +53% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.06 | $2.84 | +38% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.76 | $0.93 | +22% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.95 | $2.4 | +23% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.16 | $2.38 | +10% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.18 | $1.38 | +17% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.2 | $1.39 | +16% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.07 | $1.2 | +12% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.86 | $1.22 | +42% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $6.67 | $7.66 | +15% |
| Transport | +17% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.91 | $1.01 | +11% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $39.1 | $44.6 | +14% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.37 | $1.59 | +16% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.63 | $0.81 | +29% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.31 | $0.37 | +19% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $8,896 | $10,133 | +14% |
| Dining out | +29% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $6.74 | $8.84 | +31% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $36.2 | $47.5 | +31% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.98 | $5.21 | +31% |
| Cappuccino | $1.69 | $2.15 | +27% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.8 | $1.11 | +39% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.33 | $3.3 | +42% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.9 | $3.74 | +29% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.76 | $0.78 | +3% |
| Telecom | +16% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $29.9 | $33.4 | +12% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $31 | $37.1 | +20% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.15 | $0.19 | +27% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $7.72 | $8.29 | +7% |
| Utilities & household | +18% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $70.5 | $81.5 | +16% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.09 | $0.09 | 0% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.02 | $2.32 | +15% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.54 | $0.67 | +24% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $9.37 | $10.8 | +15% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $35.2 | $37.2 | +6% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $5.4 | $7.95 | +47% |
| Men's haircut | $13.2 | $15.5 | +17% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $10.2 | $12.7 | +25% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $800 | $991 | +24% |
3,193 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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