Which place is cheaper, Ho Chi Minh City or Antananarivo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Antananarivo or Ho Chi Minh City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Antananarivo and Ho Chi Minh City can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Antananarivo or Ho Chi Minh City?
Antananarivo
Antananarivo is the capital of Madagascar; it is also sometimes referred to as Tana. This city is the cultural and political center of Madagascar as a whole. There are multiple universities, museums, and other social venues in the city, as well as a national rugby team. This city has a very apparent French influence.
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 Wildlife Tours to Madagascar, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Madagascar, The Best Historical Tours in Vietnam, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Vietnam.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAntananarivo $72Ho Chi Minh City $80
The average daily cost (per person) in Antananarivo is $72, while the average daily cost in Ho Chi Minh City is $80. 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 Antananarivo and Ho Chi Minh City in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAntananarivo $30Ho Chi Minh City $48
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAntananarivo $60Ho Chi Minh City $96
Compare Hotels in Antananarivo and Ho Chi Minh City
Looking for a hotel in Antananarivo 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: Antananarivo Hotel Prices and Ho Chi Minh City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Antananarivo $14Ho Chi Minh City $15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Antananarivo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Antananarivo:
- Private Airport Transfert Ivato Antananarivo: $43
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:
-
Short Taxi Ride$1.38
-
Taxi From Airport$7.87
-
Cyclo Ride (One Hour)$1.57
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ho Chi Minh City
Also for Ho Chi Minh City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Mui Ne Beach: Bus transfer from/to Saigon City: $7.73
- Nha Trang: Bus transfer from/to Saigon City: $11
- Try find better than us! Airport Transfer in Ho Chi Minh APT-HTL (SGN): $13
- Private Airport Arrival / Departure transfer Ho Chi Minh City Airport (SGN): $14
- Private Arrival Transfer: Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh City Hotels: $15
- SGN Airport: the private transfer to Center (District 1 & 3): $16
- Ho Chi Minh City Airport Arrival Transfer to Hotel: $16
- Transfer from Ho Chi Minh to Airport Tan Sơn Nhat: $16
- Ho Chi Minh City Airport (SGN) to Ho Chi Minh hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $16
- Ho Chi Minh to Ho Chi Minh City Airport (SGN) Departure Transfer: $16
- Ho Chi Minh to Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN) - Departure Transfer: $16
- Private Transfer from Cam Ranh Airport to Nha Trang City Center: $17
Is it cheaper to fly into Antananarivo or Ho Chi Minh City?
Prices for flights to both Ho Chi Minh City and Antananarivo 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
-
Food Meals for one dayAntananarivo $29Ho Chi Minh City $14
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Antananarivo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Antananarivo.
- Cooking And Cuisine Tasting From Tana-Malagasy Fine Foodie Madagascar Tour: $245
Typical Food Prices in Ho Chi Minh City
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Ho Chi Minh City:
-
Street Food Dinner (for Two)$4.21
-
Pizza$5.12
-
Sweet Rice$1.18
-
Pork Sandwich$0.59
-
Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.68
-
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:
- Saigon Unseen & Food Tour By scooter w Student | Saigon Adventure: $19
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour by Motorbike/ Car with Student : $19
- Ho Chi Minh Street Food Tour By Motorbike (Unique & Authentic): $26
- Private Walking Food Tour with Local Students : $26
- Saigon: Backstreets Private Walking Food Tour & 10 Tastings: $27
- Food Tour by Scooter with Eleven Tastings: $27
- Super Niche Walking Street Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $28
- Ho Chi Minh Street Food Tour By Motorbike/Car + Sightseeing + Fun: $28
- Top Notch Street Food Tour With Saigon Vibes: $28
- Private Walking Food Tour with 13 Tastings: $28
- Private Half-Day Ho Chi Minh Food Tour with Local Students: $29
- Ho Chi Minh City Food Tour With Saigon Vibes: $29
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Antananarivo $24Ho Chi Minh City $20
Tours and Activities in Antananarivo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Antananarivo are as follows:
- 3 days -Wildlife and Lemur discovery Tour to Andasibe: $861
- Antananarivo Like a Local: Customized Guided Tour: $25
- Private Walking Tour with a Local Guide: $30
- Antanavario: Private custom tour with a local guide: $24
- Day - Tour Ampefy: $145
- From 9 days unique adventure trip to Tulear: $1,991
- Full Day Private Tour in Antananarivo: $203
- Half-Day Private Tour in Lemur's Park: $150
- Lemur Day Tour at Andasibe Rainforest and Vakona Lodge Reserve: $299
- Madagascar Adventures on Tana, West, East, North, and South: $3,000
- Madagascar: Andasibe and Nosy Be Tour in one week: $2,240
- Private Ambohimanga and Ironwork Shop Tour from Antananarivo: $87
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:
-
Massage$5.51
Tours and Activities in Ho Chi Minh City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ho Chi Minh City.
- Chinatown Walking Tour Ho Chi Minh City: $0.80
- Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour: $0.80
- Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour - Architecture, History & Food: $1.86
- Ho Chi Minh City private walking tours with young local volunteers: $1.86
- Saigon: Free Food Walking Tour: $2.13
- Walking Tour: $5.00
- City Sightseeing Panoramic Bus Tour: $7.00
- Saigon: City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $7.00
- Saigon: City Sightseeing 45-Minute Panoramic Night Tour: $7.00
- Ho Chi Minh Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.73
- Ho Chi Minh Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.78
- 3-Hours Trekking Tour to Hidden Waterfall and Sturgeon Farm: $8.09
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayAntananarivo $9.65Ho Chi Minh City $7.86
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:
-
Beer$0.39
When comparing the travel costs between Antananarivo and Ho Chi Minh City, we can see that Ho Chi Minh City is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Antananarivo is in Africa and Ho Chi Minh City is in Asia, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Antananarivo Expensive? and Is Ho Chi Minh City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Antananarivo or Ho Chi Minh City?
Ho Chi Minh City has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Antananarivo. When comparing the sizes of Antananarivo 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.