Cost of living in Saigon Vietnam
Vietnamese Dong
One of the great attractions for Westerners in Saigon is the low cost of living when compared with their home countries, and indeed it is noticing this fact that leads many to consider re-locating here in the first place. However, the situation demands a bit deeper analysis than this initial reaction.
Accommodation, for example, can be prohibitively expensive and if it is accounting for more than half your disposable salary, then the cheapness of other goods does not count for much. Likewise, whatever work you do here is likely to earn you less than you may be able to earn in the West, unless you are posted here by a multinational company or have a key role in a joint venture with a Vietnamese company.
Accommodation costs in Saigon
For many accommodation is the trickiest part of getting settled in Saigon, as monthly rents in desirable areas such as District 1 are likely to be more than your total salary.
You’ll need to establish a reliable network of agents and long-term expats in order to get inside info about any good deals going.
Many Westerners prefer to put up with a long commute (around 40 minutes) from outlying areas like Phu My Hung (District 7) or An Phu (District 2) in order to live in a suburb that reminds them of home. More adventurous types might consider looking in less fashionable districts such as District 4 or 5, which are just a short journey from the centre, though they also tend to be noisy and congested.
Food and other essential costs in Saigon
For most Vietnamese, food and other household items take up only a small percentage of their disposable income. A few example prices are as follows:
Basic living costs in Saigon
Meal in cheap restaurant US$3
Bottle of beer US$1
Taxi ride US$3
Litre of petrol US$1
Litre of milk US$1
Pack of cigarettes US$1.50
Cinema ticket US$4.50
Fitness club, monthly membership US$40
Needless to say, if you have a taste for imported products, you can spend a lot on your weekly shopping, but other monthly expenses, such as water, electricity, phone and internet are reasonably low.
