Ho Chi Minh City vs Seoul: cost of living for digital nomads
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Seoul, South Korea, line by line from the catalogue: what a month costs, rent, food, coworking, safety and internet. Every figure links back to its source on the city page.
The short version
- Ho Chi Minh City is about 48% cheaper than Seoul for a month of nomad living ($1,150 vs $2,200).
- Rent is the biggest gap: $500 in Ho Chi Minh City against $1,000 in Seoul.
- Seoul scores higher on safety (9/10 vs 8/10).
- Internet is faster in Seoul: 250 Mbps typical against 90 Mbps.
- Ho Chi Minh City is tropical; Seoul is continental.
Ho Chi Minh City wins 6 of the measured lines; Seoul wins 2.
| Line | Ho Chi Minh City | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly total (USD) | $1,150 | $2,200 |
| Rent | $500 | $1,000 |
| Food | $320 | $550 |
| Transport | $40 | $80 |
| Coworking | $110 | $170 |
| Safety (out of 10) | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Internet (Mbps) | 90 | 250 |
| Climate | tropical | continental |
| City size | metro | metro |
| Setting | inland | inland |
| Nomad score (out of 10) | 9/10 | 7/10 |
Compare Ho Chi Minh City with
Costs are typical monthly figures for one person in USD, from the sources named on each city page; safety and internet are the catalogue's own ratings. Check the city pages for the dates each was last verified.