Ho Chi Minh City vs Seoul Cost of Living
Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) · Overall index 29.5 — Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3
Summary
- Overall, Seoul is 81% more expensive than Ho Chi Minh City.
- Dining out in Seoul is 104% more expensive than in Ho Chi Minh City.
- Transport in Seoul is 93% more expensive than in Ho Chi Minh City.
| Item | Ho Chi Minh City | Seoul | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +85% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $741 | $1,128 | +52% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $436 | $885 | +103% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,271 | $2,631 | +107% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $868 | $1,576 | +82% |
| Groceries | +82% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.57 | $0.97 | +70% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.45 | $3.03 | +109% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.93 | $3.33 | +73% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.95 | $3.32 | +70% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $4.97 | $9.47 | +91% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $4.83 | $8.39 | +74% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $6.75 | $14.8 | +119% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.06 | $4.15 | +101% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.76 | $1.53 | +101% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.95 | $3.36 | +72% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.16 | $3.73 | +73% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.18 | $2.22 | +88% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.2 | $1.86 | +55% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.07 | $1.71 | +60% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.86 | $1.67 | +94% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $6.67 | $11.7 | +75% |
| Transport | +93% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.91 | $1.68 | +85% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $39.1 | $68.9 | +76% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.37 | $2.76 | +101% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.63 | $1.34 | +113% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.31 | $0.53 | +71% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $8,896 | $18,844 | +112% |
| Dining out | +104% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $6.74 | $14.8 | +120% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $36.2 | $84.8 | +134% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.98 | $7.96 | +100% |
| Cappuccino | $1.69 | $3.11 | +84% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.8 | $1.89 | +136% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.33 | $4.53 | +94% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.9 | $5.53 | +91% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.76 | $1.43 | +88% |
| Telecom | +49% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $29.9 | $45.1 | +51% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $31 | $47.3 | +53% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.15 | $0.22 | +47% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $7.72 | $11.3 | +46% |
| Utilities & household | +75% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $70.5 | $130 | +84% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.09 | $0.16 | +78% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.02 | $3.13 | +55% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.54 | $1.03 | +91% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $9.37 | $15.9 | +70% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $35.2 | $60.9 | +73% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $5.4 | $9.46 | +75% |
| Men's haircut | $13.2 | $22.9 | +73% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $10.2 | $16.6 | +63% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $800 | $1,561 | +95% |
3,040 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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