✦ Compare
Ho Chi Minh City vs
Washington
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 Washington, DC, you'd need
$180,392 / year
Washington, DC is 141% more expensive overall
Category breakdown (Washington, DC vs Ho Chi Minh City, VN)
- Housing+279%
- Food & groceries+117%
- Transport+171%
- Utilities+56%
- Healthcare+93%
- Goods & services+76%
Median 1-bed rent
$500 /mo
Ho Chi Minh City, VN overview →
Median 1-bed rent
$2,300 /mo
Washington, DC overview →
▤ Full comparison
| Ho Chi Minh City, VN | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 45 | 108 |
| Housing | 38 | 144 |
| Food | 42 | 91 |
| Transport | 35 | 95 |
| Utilities | 55 | 86 |
| Healthcare | 45 | 87 |
| Goods & services | 55 | 97 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $500/mo | $2,300/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $320/mo | $1,800/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $1,000/mo | $4,500/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $3,500 | $8,500 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $2,217 | $922 |
| Inexpensive meal | $3 | $20 |
| Monthly transit pass | — | $100 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 35% | 37% |
| VAT / sales tax | 10% | 0% |
| Social security (employee) | — | 7.7% |
| Corporate tax | 20% | 21% |
| Capital gains | — | 20% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $500/mo | $4,300/mo |
| Minimum wage | $200/mo | $1,257/mo |
| GDP per capita | $4,347 | $90,027 |
| Inflation (annual) | 3.6% | — |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | No | No |
| English proficiency | Moderate | Native |
| Coworking spaces | 40 | 80 |
| Time zone | UTC+7 | UTC-5 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 60 | 50 |
| Healthcare index | 55 | 80 |
| Pollution index | 65 | 40 |
| Internet speed | 90 Mbps | 200 Mbps |
| Walkability | 40 | 77 |
| Public transport | 35 | 72 |
| Family-friendly | 55 | 62 |
| Tap water | Use caution | Safe to drink |
| Health insurance | — | $470/mo |
| Life expectancy | 75 yr | 79 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | Moderate | High |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +27 °C | +2 °C |
| July avg | +28 °C | +27 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 220 | 203 |
| Rainfall / year | 1,900 mm | 1,000 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 2 h | 1 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: Vietnam vs United States. 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 Washington: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Ho Chi Minh City to Washington, your cost of living will be roughly 141% more expensive. Washington’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 Washington?
Washington is about 141% 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 Washington 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 $180,392 in Washington. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Ho Chi Minh City or Washington?
Vietnam has the lower top income-tax rate — 35% versus 37% in United States.
◷ More comparisons from Ho Chi Minh City
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.