Which place is cheaper, Ho Chi Minh City or Alexandria?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Alexandria or Ho Chi Minh City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Alexandria and Ho Chi Minh City can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Alexandria or Ho Chi Minh City?
Alexandria
There are few cities in the world with a history as rich, deep, tragic and fascinating than Alexandria, Egypt. Founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC, Egypt's second largest city has seen the most extreme ups and extreme downs. The city watched the beautiful and iconic Alexandria Lighthouse crumble to the ground after several natural disasters. The Alexandria Library housed their most sacred and historical documents only to be burned to the ground. These structures may be physically gone, but the history remains. Alexandria is a city with an ancient allure that draws in visitors from all over the world. Alexandria is a survivor city ready for a comeback.
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, is the largest city in Vietnam. It previously served as the capital of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). The metropolitan area, including Ho Chi Minh City, Thu Dau Mot, Di An, Bien Hoa, and other surrounding towns, has a population of more than 9 million people and continues to grow.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Egypt, The Best Budget Tours to Egypt, The Best Historical Tours in Vietnam, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Vietnam.
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Alexandria Prices
Egypt PricesHo Chi Minh City Prices
Vietnam Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAlexandria $25Ho Chi Minh City $89
The average daily cost (per person) in Alexandria is $25, while the average daily cost in Ho Chi Minh City is $89. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Alexandria and Ho Chi Minh City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAlexandria $9.16Ho Chi Minh City $49
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAlexandria $18Ho Chi Minh City $98
Compare Hotels in Alexandria and Ho Chi Minh City
Looking for a hotel in Alexandria or Ho Chi Minh City? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Alexandria Hotel Prices and Ho Chi Minh City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Alexandria $3.39Ho Chi Minh City $15
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Alexandria
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Alexandria:
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Taxi to Train Station$0.07
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Alexandria
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Alexandria:
- Private transfer from Alexandria to Luxor: $268
- Private Transfer From Alexandria To Cairo Airport: $240
- Private Transfer from Alexandria Port to Cairo Int Airport (CAI): $219
- Private Transfer from HBE APT to North Coast: $175
- Private Transfer from Alexandria to Cairo or vice versa: $160
- Overday Cairo from Alexandria port Transfer: $160
- Private Transfer from Alexandria to Cairo in Egypt or vice versa: $134
- Private One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Cairo and Giza Hotels: $80
- Alexandria to Cairo : Private Transfer 24/7 Service: $75
- Airport Transfer from Alexandria to Marsa Matrouh: $74
- Alexandria to Giza & Cairo | Private Hotel or Airport Transfer: $73
- Private Transfer from Alexandria Port to Cairo or Giza Hotels: $68
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ho Chi Minh City
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Ho Chi Minh City:
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Short Taxi Ride$1.35
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Taxi From Airport$7.74
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Cyclo Ride (One Hour)$1.55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ho Chi Minh City
Also for Ho Chi Minh City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- #1 Da Lat to Ho Chi Minh / SGN Airport : Private Luxury Transfer: $145
- Airport Transfer (From Airport - Ho Chi Minh City (Private 16 Seats Car): $70
- Airport Transfer From Hotel in Ho Chi Minh to Airport By 4 Seats Car: $35
- Airport Transfer: Tan Son Nhat Airport (SGN) ⇄ Ho Chi Minh: $15
- Airport Transfers (Airport - Ho Chi Minh,Private 16 Seats Car): $52
- Can Tho: Bus transfer directly to/from Saigon City: $14
- Chan May Private transfer to Hoian via Hai Van Pass, marble Hills: $66
- Cu Chi Tunnels Half-Day Tour with English Guide & Transfers: $42
- From Mui Ne Jeep Tour & Transfer: $136
- Fusion Resort to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- Golden Bridge, Marble mount, guide, lunch, transfer from Cruises: $199
- Grand Park Water Park & Rides Ticket with Optional Transfer: $14
Is it cheaper to fly into Alexandria or Ho Chi Minh City?
Prices for flights to both Ho Chi Minh City and Alexandria change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayAlexandria $13Ho Chi Minh City $23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Alexandria
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Alexandria.
- Half-Day Food Tour in Alexandria, Egypt: $20
- Private Full-Day Food Tour of Alexandria with Hotel Pick Up: $33
- Alexandria Food Tour Top Rated: $40
- Baladi Plates Alexandria Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $49
- Sofra Stories Alexandria Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $49
- Alexandria Food Tour Taste The Egyptian Traditional Food: $56
- From Giza: Sound&light show, Giza pyramids and Dinner on the Nile: $94
Typical Food Prices in Ho Chi Minh City
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Ho Chi Minh City:
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Street Food Dinner (for Two)$4.14
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Pizza$5.03
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Sweet Rice$1.16
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Pork Sandwich$0.58
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.57
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Western Lunch (for Two)$12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ho Chi Minh City
For Ho Chi Minh City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Ho Chi Minh City Authentic Street Food Tour With Local Students: $7.95
- Ho Chi Minh City Local Street Food Tour With Local Students: $7.95
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour & Hidden Local Gems Sightseeing: $9.93
- HCMC: Cu Chi Tunnels & Scooter Food Tour (Up to 12 Tastings): $13
- Mekong With Cai Be Less Tourist - Cooking Class: $14
- Express Cooking Experience: $15
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour with Local LGBT Student Guide: $16
- Mekong Delta 4 Islands, TukTuk, Boat, Try Khot Cake Local Cooking: $16
- Vietnamese Spring Roll Cooking Class: $16
- HCMC: Saigon Food Tour & Chinatown & Local Market on Scooter: $17
- Southern Vietnamese Dessert Cooking Class: $17
- Ho Chi Minh City Cyclo Ride with Lunch or Dinner Experience: $18
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Alexandria $4.73Ho Chi Minh City $20
Tours and Activities in Alexandria
Here are a few actual costs in Alexandria for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 10-Hour Historical Pyramids Tour from Alexandria Port: $130
- 2 Day Tour Visit the Top Attractions of Alexandria City: $192
- 2 Day Tour Visit the Top Attractions of Alexandria City: $155
- 6-Hour Day Tour to Alexandria Attractions with Pickup Included: $86
- 8Days Egypt Tour package UltraLuxury Cairo,Alexandria&cruise: $4,190
- Alamein and Alexandria Private Day Tour with Lunch: $200
- Alamein full day tour from Alexandria: $95
- Alexandria : Rosetta Day Tour from Alexandria: $130
- Alexandria By Night By Horse Carriage ride And Free Walking Tour: $68
- Alexandria By Night Private Tour By Horse Carriage Ride And Free Walking Tour: $68
- Alexandria City Tour from Cairo Full Day: $85
- Alexandria Day Tour: $110
Typical Entertainment Prices in Ho Chi Minh City
For Ho Chi Minh City, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Massage$5.42
Tours and Activities in Ho Chi Minh City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ho Chi Minh City.
- Highlights & Hidden Gems - Free Walking Tour: $0.62
- Hidden Bunker & Vietnam War - Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour: $0.62
- Chinatown Hidden Treasures – Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour: $0.62
- Ghosts & Legends of Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City Night Walking Tour: $0.62
- Ho Chi Minh City private walking tours with young local volunteers: $1.83
- Hidden Jungle War Experience – The Untold Side of Saigon: $1.83
- Private Long Tan Battlefield, Nui Dat Base and Vung Tau Day Tour: $1.91
- Tan Lap Floating Village Authentic Mekong Delta Nature Tour: $1.91
- Ho Chi Minh City Flexible Private Tour with Spa, City Highlights: $1.91
- Budget-Friendly Guided Walking Tour: $1.92
- Ho Chi Minh Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $3.57
- Langbiang Nature Park Experience with Tickets: $4.80
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAlexandria $1.28Ho Chi Minh City $7.73
Typical Alcohol Prices in Ho Chi Minh City
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Ho Chi Minh City:
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Beer$0.39
Sample the Local Flavors in Ho Chi Minh City
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Ho Chi Minh City:
- Rooftops, Hidden Bars & Iconic Pub Crawl: $8.09
- Make Your Own Gin Experience and Saigon Baigur Distillery Tour: $36
- Make-Your-Own Gin Experience & Saigon Baigur Distillery Tour: $36
- Saigon After Dark: Pub Crawl & Party Adventure: $69
- Belgo Brewery Factory Tour & Beer Tasting: $142
- Bike And Craft Beer Brewery Mekong Delta Cycling Tour: $152
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Alexandria and Ho Chi Minh City, we can see that Ho Chi Minh City is more expensive. And not only is Alexandria much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Alexandria is in Africa and Ho Chi Minh City is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Alexandria would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Alexandria and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Ho Chi Minh City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ho Chi Minh City than you might in Alexandria.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Alexandria Expensive? and Is Ho Chi Minh City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Alexandria or Ho Chi Minh City?
Alexandria has a larger population, and is about 10% larger than the population of Ho Chi Minh City. When comparing the sizes of Alexandria and Ho Chi Minh City, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.