# Ho Chi Minh City wage and cost of living dynamics > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/ho-chi-minh-city-wage-and-cost-of-living-dynamics > Updated: 2026-09-17T12:33:01.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2. Ho Chi Minh City is addressing economic disparities through targeted wage policies and labor welfare assessments. In August 2026, the city People's Council approved a resolution to implement market-based salaries and bonuses for the Vietnam International Financial Center (VIFC) executive agency. This measure aims to attract specialized talent by offering significantly higher compensation than standard civil service scales, which average approximately 11.6 million VND per month. By September 2026, reports indicated a broader economic challenge for the general workforce. While the average monthly income for workers reached 12.39 million VND in the first half of the year, experts noted that the minimum cost to maintain a basic standard of living in the city is approximately 18 million VND. Labor officials highlighted that rising daily expenses are reducing financial accumulation for many, prompting calls for businesses to develop better welfare ecosystems and supplementary pension insurance to bridge the gap between current social insurance contributions and retirement needs. ## Timeline ### 2026-09-17: Ho Chi Minh City workers face cost of living gap Workers in Ho Chi Minh City earn an average of 12.39 million VND monthly, significantly below the 18 million VND required for a minimum urban standard of living. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ho-chi-minh-city-workers-face-cost-of-living-gap ### 2026-08-27: Ho Chi Minh City approves market-based salaries for International Financial Center Ho Chi Minh City has approved market-based salaries for the International Financial Center, with CEO pay reaching up to 850 million VND per month to attract high-level international financial talent. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ho-chi-minh-city-approves-market-based-salaries-for-international-financial-center --- Cite as: Ho Chi Minh City wage and cost of living dynamics. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/ho-chi-minh-city-wage-and-cost-of-living-dynamics