✦ Compare
Ho Chi Minh City vs
Tokyo
Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.
To keep the same standard of living in Tokyo, JP, you'd need
$179,561 / year
Tokyo, JP is 139% more expensive overall
Category breakdown (Tokyo, JP vs Ho Chi Minh City, VN)
- Housing+221%
- Food & groceries+150%
- Transport+157%
- Utilities+109%
- Healthcare+89%
- Goods & services+93%
Median 1-bed rent
$500 /mo
Ho Chi Minh City, VN overview →
Median 1-bed rent
$1,300 /mo
Tokyo, JP overview →
▤ Full comparison
| Ho Chi Minh City, VN | Tokyo, JP | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 45 | 108 |
| Housing | 38 | 122 |
| Food | 42 | 105 |
| Transport | 35 | 90 |
| Utilities | 55 | 115 |
| Healthcare | 45 | 85 |
| Goods & services | 55 | 106 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $500/mo | $1,300/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $320/mo | $900/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $1,000/mo | $2,800/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $3,500 | $11,000 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $2,217 | $926 |
| Inexpensive meal | $3 | $8 |
| Monthly transit pass | — | $90 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 35% | 45% |
| VAT / sales tax | 10% | 10% |
| Corporate tax | 20% | 30% |
| Capital gains | — | 20.3% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $500/mo | $2,600/mo |
| Minimum wage | $200/mo | $1,300/mo |
| GDP per capita | $4,347 | $35,951 |
| Inflation (annual) | 3.6% | 3.2% |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | No | Yes |
| English proficiency | Moderate | Low |
| Coworking spaces | 40 | 90 |
| Time zone | UTC+7 | UTC+9 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 60 | 82 |
| Healthcare index | 55 | 85 |
| Pollution index | 65 | 45 |
| Internet speed | 90 Mbps | 220 Mbps |
| Walkability | 40 | 92 |
| Public transport | 35 | 98 |
| Family-friendly | 55 | 72 |
| Tap water | Use caution | Safe to drink |
| Health insurance | — | $40/mo |
| Life expectancy | 75 yr | 84 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | Moderate | Moderate |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +27 °C | +6 °C |
| July avg | +28 °C | +27 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 220 | 130 |
| Rainfall / year | 1,900 mm | 1,520 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 2 h | 1 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: Vietnam vs Japan. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Ho Chi Minh City to Tokyo: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Ho Chi Minh City to Tokyo, your cost of living will be roughly 139% more expensive. Tokyo’s cost-of-living index is 108 versus 45 for Ho Chi Minh City (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.
Is Ho Chi Minh City cheaper than Tokyo?
Tokyo is about 139% more expensive than Ho Chi Minh City overall — its cost-of-living index is 108 versus 45 for Ho Chi Minh City.
How much do you need to earn in Tokyo to live like in Ho Chi Minh City?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Ho Chi Minh City is worth about $179,561 in Tokyo. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Ho Chi Minh City or Tokyo?
Vietnam has the lower top income-tax rate — 35% versus 45% in Japan.
◷ More comparisons from Ho Chi Minh City
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.