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Ho Chi Minh City vs Toronto

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

Ho Chi Minh City, VN vs Toronto, CA at a glance — Toronto, CA is 164% more expensive than Ho Chi Minh City, VN overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,900/mo versus $500/mo. Top income tax: 33% vs 35%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Toronto, CA, you'd need

$197,833 / year

Toronto, CA is 164% more expensive overall

Category breakdown (Toronto, CA vs Ho Chi Minh City, VN)

  • Housing+300%
  • Food & groceries+157%
  • Transport+186%
  • Utilities+91%
  • Healthcare+89%
  • Goods & services+100%

◎ How Ho Chi Minh City, VN and Toronto, CA compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Ho Chi Minh City, VNToronto, CA

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

▤ Full comparison

Ho Chi Minh City, VNToronto, CA
Cost of living
Overall cost index45119
Housing38152
Food42108
Transport35100
Utilities55105
Healthcare4585
Goods & services55110
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$500/mo$1,900/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$320/mo$1,500/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$1,000/mo$3,800/mo
Buy price / m² centre$3,500$9,000
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$2,217$840
Inexpensive meal$3$18
Monthly transit pass—$115
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)35%33%
VAT / sales tax10%5%
Corporate tax20%26.5%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$500/mo$3,300/mo
Avg annual wage (OECD, PPP)—$67,901✓
Minimum wage$200/mo$1,900/mo
GDP per capita$4,347✓$55,698✓
Inflation (annual)3.6%✓2.1%✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoYes
English proficiencyModerateNative
Coworking spaces4090
Time zoneUTC+7UTC-5
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)4872
Safety index6070
Healthcare index5582
Pollution index6540
Internet speed90 Mbps180 Mbps
Walkability4080
Public transport3578
Family-friendly5572
Tap waterUse cautionSafe to drink
Life expectancy75 yr✓82 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceModerateHigh
Climate
January avg+27 °C-4 °C
July avg+28 °C+22 °C
Sunny days / year220100
Rainfall / year1,900 mm830 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub2 h1.5 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: Vietnam vs Canada. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

✓ = official statistics (OECD (PPP), World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: Ho Chi Minh City vs Toronto — in your currency

Ho Chi Minh CityToronto
1-bed rent, city centre$500$1,900
1-bed rent, outside centre$320$1,500
Inexpensive meal$3$18
Utilities (monthly)$55$150

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

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

Good to know before you move to Toronto

Canada's diverse economic engine — a smooth immigration path and strong salaries, weighed against steep rents and long winters.

Currency
Canadian dollar ($ CAD)
Languages
English, French
Time zone
UTC-5
Internet
180 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
70/100
Climate
❄ -4°C · ☀ 22°C · 100 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 120V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Downtown · Leslieville · West End

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Ho Chi Minh City to Toronto: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Ho Chi Minh City to Toronto, your cost of living will be roughly 164% more expensive. Toronto’s cost-of-living index is 119 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 Toronto?

Toronto is about 164% more expensive than Ho Chi Minh City overall — its cost-of-living index is 119 versus 45 for Ho Chi Minh City.

Which is more expensive, Ho Chi Minh City or Toronto?

Toronto is more expensive than Ho Chi Minh City. Its cost-of-living index is 119 vs 45 (US = 100) — about 164% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Ho Chi Minh City or Toronto?

Rent is cheaper in Ho Chi Minh City — about $500/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $1,900 in Toronto.

How much do you need to earn in Toronto 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 $197,833 in Toronto. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Ho Chi Minh City or Toronto?

Canada has the lower top income-tax rate — 33% versus 35% in Vietnam.

◷ More comparisons from Ho Chi Minh City

How we calculate these figures →

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.