This estimate is based on average spending habits and does not include rent or childcare expenses for private preschools.

The estimate assumes that all four family members have gym memberships and watch movies once a week. Additionally, it is assumed that no family member smokes, uses a car or taxi, or indulges excessively in clothing shopping or alcoholic beverages.

Most of the expenses come from food, which costs nearly 29 million VND per month for a family of four, accounting for 65% of the total. This calculation assumes that 10% of meals are eaten out, with 50% of these being at upscale restaurants and home-cooked meals prepared in a Western style. Therefore, Numbeo's cost estimation is more suitable for expatriates moving to Ho Chi Minh City.

In comparison, similar spending assumptions show that living costs for a family of four in Hanoi are about 5.3% lower than in Ho Chi Minh City, totaling around $1,706.8.

Within Southeast Asia, this cost is lower than in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) at 1,975 USD, Phnom Penh (Cambodia) at 2,259 USD, Bangkok (Thailand) at 2,322 USD, and Manila (Philippines) at 2,213 USD. It is nearly half of the cost in Singapore, where living expenses reach 4,037 USD.

In broader Asia, living costs are also high in major cities such as Seoul (South Korea) at 4,129 USD, Tokyo (Japan) at 3,408 USD, and Shanghai (China) at 2,314 USD.

However, if a family of four in Ho Chi Minh City follows an Asian-style diet and cooks at home, the total monthly expenses can drop to around 37 million VND, excluding rent.

The cost can further decrease to 27.2 million VND if the family does not eat out, avoids gym memberships, watches movies only twice a month, and maintains moderate spending on coffee, clothing, and alcohol.

Numbeo, founded in 2009 in Serbia, is an online database that provides statistical analysis reports on living costs, housing indices, and quality of life across various cities and countries worldwide.

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