Which place is cheaper, Ho Chi Minh City or Bagan?
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 Bagan 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 Bagan and Ho Chi Minh City can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Bagan or Ho Chi Minh City?
Bagan
Located in central Myanmar (formerly Burma), Bagan is an ancient city best known as the home to the largest and densest concentration of Buddhist temples, pagodas, stupas, and ruins in the world with many dating from the 11th and 12th centuries.
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 Historical Tours in Vietnam, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Vietnam.
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Bagan Prices
Myanmar PricesHo Chi Minh City Prices
Vietnam Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBagan $34Ho Chi Minh City $87
The average daily cost (per person) in Bagan is $34, while the average daily cost in Ho Chi Minh City is $87. 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 Bagan and Ho Chi Minh City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBagan $7.36Ho Chi Minh City $48
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBagan $15Ho Chi Minh City $96
Compare Hotels in Bagan and Ho Chi Minh City
Looking for a hotel in Bagan 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: Ho Chi Minh City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bagan $3.57Ho Chi Minh City $15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bagan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bagan:
- From Bagan City To Mandalay Private Transfer: $180
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$1.33
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Taxi From Airport$7.60
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Cyclo Ride (One Hour)$1.52
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 Transfers (Airport - Ho Chi Minh,Private 16 Seats Car): $50
- Cam Ranh Riviera to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- Duyen Ha Resort to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- Fusion Resort to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- Golden Bridge, Marble mount, guide, lunch, transfer from Cruises: $199
- Golden peak Resort to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- HO CHI MINH AIRPORT: CAR 7s PICK UP HOTEL (one way transfer): $20
- Hanoi Private Transfer from Thanh Hoa to Hanoi (HAN) Airport: $171
- Hanoi Private Transfer from Vinh City to Hanoi (HAN) Airport: $278
- Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN) to Mui Ne - Arrival Private Transfer: $140
- Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN) to Mui Ne - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $233
Is it cheaper to fly into Bagan or Ho Chi Minh City?
Prices for flights to both Ho Chi Minh City and Bagan 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 dayBagan $10Ho Chi Minh City $23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bagan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bagan.
- Romantic Sunset Dinner At Bagan Viewing Tower: $91
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)$4.07
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Pizza$4.94
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Sweet Rice$1.14
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Pork Sandwich$0.57
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.45
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Western Lunch (for Two)$11
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:
- Water Puppet Show And Dinner Cruise On Saigon River Private Tour: $1.87
- Saigon Food Tour & Culture Explore Ho Chi Minh City Walking Tour: $15
- 1 hour Egg Coffee Cooking Class with Snack and Local Instructor: $15
- Mekong Delta 4 Islands, TukTuk, Boat, Try Khot Cake Local Cooking: $16
- HCM:Mekong Delta Boat,Khotcake cooking Coconut Village,SmallGroup: $16
- Cu Chi Tunnels & Countryside Cooking Class with Organic Farm: $20
- Saigon Sightseeing & Street Food Tour By scooter with Student: $20
- Saigon Scooter Adventure - City Sights & Street Food Tour: $21
- Ho Chi Minh city Walking Chinatown / HCM city walking food tour: $25
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour & Sightseeing By Motorbike: $26
- Saigon Walking Food Tour & Hidden Alleys with Locals: $26
- Ho Chi Minh Street Food Tour and Vietnamese Coffee: $27
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bagan $57Ho Chi Minh City $19
Tours and Activities in Bagan
Here are a few actual costs in Bagan for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Acient Capitals of Myanmar Tour: $149
- Bagan Antique Day Tour in Bagan: $86
- Bagan Classics Private Temples Tour: $159
- Bagan Cycling Tour ( Villages & Temples Cycling Explorer): $129
- Bagan Fullday Sightseeing by Car and Horse-cart: $184
- Bagan Horse Cart Ride Tour with Puppet Show: $170
- Best Bagan One Day Tour With Tour Guide: $48
- Day Cruise Bagan to Mandalay: $31
- Faces of Bagan Private Photography Tour: $199
- Full Day tour In Bagan UNESCO World Heritage: $50
- Full day Adventure Trip in Bagan with Tuk Tuk: $72
- Full-Day Bagan Private Sightseeing Tour by E-Bike with Pickup: $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$5.32
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 Hidden Treasures – Free Walking Tour: $0.67
- Highlights & Hidden Gems - Free Walking Tour: $0.67
- Hidden Bunker & Vietnam War - Free Walking Tour: $0.67
- Ho Chi Minh City private walking tours with young local volunteers: $1.79
- Ho Chi Minh City Highlights Hidden Gems Tour By Heritage Vespa: $1.87
- Cu Chi Tunnels History And Mekong Delta Culture River Cruise Tour: $1.87
- 3-Day Phu Quy And Mui Ne Adventure: Beaches, Dunes, Island Life: $1.87
- Phu My Port: Ho Chi Minh City Shore Excursion Tour With Massage: $1.87
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Walking Tour with Optional Activity: $1.87
- Vung Tau Beach and Coastal Landmarks Full Day Tour With Students: $1.87
- 2-Day Mekong Delta Tour: Can Tho Floating Market, Flower Village: $1.87
- Tan Lap Floating Village Authentic Mekong Delta Nature Tour: $1.87
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBagan -Ho Chi Minh City $7.59
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$0.38
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:
- Make Your Own Gin Experience and Saigon Baigur Distillery Tour: $29
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bagan and Ho Chi Minh City, we can see that Ho Chi Minh City is more expensive. And not only is Bagan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Bagan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Bagan 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 Bagan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bagan Expensive? and Is Ho Chi Minh City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bagan or Ho Chi Minh City?
Ho Chi Minh City has a larger population, and is about 11560 times larger than the population of Bagan. When comparing the sizes of Bagan 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.