✦ Compare
Fukuoka vs
Ho Chi Minh City
Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.
Fukuoka, JP vs Ho Chi Minh City, VN at a glance — Ho Chi Minh City, VN is 50% cheaper than Fukuoka, JP overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $500/mo versus $700/mo. Top income tax: 35% vs 45%.
To keep the same standard of living in Ho Chi Minh City, VN, you'd need
$37,219 / year
Ho Chi Minh City, VN is 50% cheaper overall
Category breakdown (Ho Chi Minh City, VN vs Fukuoka, JP)
- Housing-53%
- Food & groceries-56%
- Transport-55%
- Utilities-49%
- Healthcare-47%
- Goods & services-46%
Median 1-bed rent
$700 /mo
Fukuoka, JP overview →
Median 1-bed rent
$500 /mo
Ho Chi Minh City, VN overview →
◎ How Fukuoka, JP and Ho Chi Minh City, VN compare
Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.
▤ Full comparison
| Fukuoka, JP | Ho Chi Minh City, VN | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 91 | 45 |
| Housing | 80 | 38 |
| Food | 95 | 42 |
| Transport | 78 | 35 |
| Utilities | 108 | 55 |
| Healthcare | 85 | 45 |
| Goods & services | 102 | 55 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $700/mo | $500/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $500/mo | $320/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $1,300/mo | $1,000/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $5,000 | $3,500 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $1,100 | $2,217 |
| Inexpensive meal | $7 | $3 |
| Monthly transit pass | $55 | — |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 45% | 35% |
| VAT / sales tax | 10% | 10% |
| Corporate tax | 30% | 20% |
| Capital gains | 20.3% | — |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $2,600/mo | $500/mo |
| Minimum wage | $1,300/mo | $200/mo |
| GDP per capita | $35,951 | $4,347 |
| Inflation (annual) | 3.2% | 3.6% |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | Yes | No |
| English proficiency | Low | Moderate |
| Coworking spaces | 20 | 40 |
| Time zone | UTC+9 | UTC+7 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 82 | 60 |
| Healthcare index | 83 | 55 |
| Pollution index | 38 | 65 |
| Internet speed | 220 Mbps | 90 Mbps |
| Walkability | 78 | 40 |
| Public transport | 82 | 35 |
| Family-friendly | 74 | 55 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink | Use caution |
| Life expectancy | 84 yr | 75 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | Moderate | Moderate |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +7 °C | +27 °C |
| July avg | +28 °C | +28 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 190 | 220 |
| Rainfall / year | 1,600 mm | 1,900 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 2 h | 2 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: Japan vs Vietnam. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
Good to know before you move to Fukuoka
Kyushu's laid-back hub and the most affordable of Japan's big cities — a compact, food-obsessed port (ramen and open-air yatai stalls) that actively courts founders with a startup visa. Milder winters than Tokyo and quick flights across Asia are the draw.
- Currency
- Japanese yen (¥ JPY)
- Languages
- Japanese
- Time zone
- UTC+9
- Internet
- 220 Mbps
- English
- Rarely spoken
- Safety
- 82/100
- Climate
- ❄ 7°C · ☀ 28°C · 190 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Power
- A/B · 100V
- Driving
- Left-hand side
- Popular areas
- Tenjin · Hakata · Daimyo · Ohori
Good to know before you move to Ho Chi Minh City
Saigon runs on motorbikes, coffee and relentless energy — one of Asia's cheapest big cities, with a fast-growing nomad and startup scene in District 1 and Thao Dien. No dedicated visa yet, so most stay on rolling e-visas.
- Currency
- Vietnamese dong (₫ VND)
- Languages
- Vietnamese
- Time zone
- UTC+7
- Internet
- 90 Mbps
- English
- Fairly common
- Safety
- 60/100
- Climate
- ❄ 27°C · ☀ 28°C · 220 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Bottled recommended
- Power
- A/C/F · 220V
- Driving
- Right-hand side
- Popular areas
- District 1 · Thao Dien · Binh Thanh · Phu Nhuan
Plan your move to Fukuoka
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- Car rentalEconomybookings
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- InsuranceSafetyWing
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
Sponsored
Plan your move to Ho Chi Minh City
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- Car rentalLocalrent
- Scooter rentalBikesBooking
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- InsuranceSafetyWing
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
Sponsored
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Fukuoka to Ho Chi Minh City: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Fukuoka to Ho Chi Minh City, your cost of living will be roughly 50% cheaper. Ho Chi Minh City’s cost-of-living index is 45 versus 91 for Fukuoka (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.
Is Fukuoka cheaper than Ho Chi Minh City?
Ho Chi Minh City is about 50% cheaper than Fukuoka overall — its cost-of-living index is 45 versus 91 for Fukuoka.
How much do you need to earn in Ho Chi Minh City to live like in Fukuoka?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Fukuoka is worth about $37,219 in Ho Chi Minh City. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Fukuoka or Ho Chi Minh City?
Vietnam has the lower top income-tax rate — 35% versus 45% in Japan.
◷ More comparisons from Fukuoka
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.