expatwhy.

Cost of living in Ho Chi Minh City

One person can expect roughly $761 a month in Ho Chi Minh City, before flights and one-off setup costs.

one person, monthly

$761

family of four, monthly

$1,262

What that actually covers.

Monthly cost components for Ho Chi Minh City
ItemUSD / month
Rent, one bedroom

Modelled from a country baseline, not a quoted listing.

$455
Food and groceries$130
Utilities$40
Mobile data$7
Local transportverified$12
Coworking

12/day × 4 days/mo regional estimate

$48
Buffer

Headroom for everything not itemised above.

$69
Total$761

Estimate. Rent is modelled from a country baseline, not a quoted listing.

What this figure leaves out

Flights, visa fees, health insurance, a rental deposit (often one to three months up front), agency fees, furniture, and the first-month overlap where you pay for a short stay and a lease at the same time. Budget for those separately; they are a one-off cash need, not a monthly cost.