A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Can Tho vs. Jakarta for Attractions, Food, Families, and Couples

Should you visit Can Tho or Jakarta?

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 Can Tho and Jakarta can help you decide which place is right for you.

Can Tho

Can Tho is a unique, fascinating, and vibrant city. Since it's a large city, you'll find plenty of things to do. Other reasons to visit include museums, nightlife, and food. See Can Tho travel costs.

Jakarta

Jakarta is a sprawling, friendly, and diverse city. With plenty of activities and things to do, it's a huge city that draws plenty of visitors. Visitors also love the museums, nightlife, and food. See Jakarta travel costs.

Can Tho and Jakarta: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Can Tho or Jakarta?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Jakarta than Can Tho. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Jakarta is very popular for its big city activities, while Can Tho attracts visitors for its shopping. Can Tho is more touristy than Jakarta and is known for its colorful floating markets, fresh produce, friendly people, and intricate waterways. Jakarta is famous for its diversity, culture, cuisine, and mega-malls. It is also well known for Istiqlal Mosque.

How is Can Tho different from Jakarta?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Jakarta and Can Tho. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Can Tho or Jakarta?

Visiting museums and landmarks is a fun activity in both Can Tho and Jakarta.

Many visitors head to Can Tho specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. The main attraction nearby is Cai Rang Floating Market, but visitors also enjoy seeing Binh Thuy Ancient House, the Can Tho Rice Noodle Factory, Ong pagoda, and Nam Nha Pagoda.

With a variety of museums, monuments, and historical sights, a trip to Jakarta can be an interesting and educational experience. There's a huge number of museums around town like the National Museum, Museum Layang-Layang, and Museum MACAN. There's also Merdeka Square, which is one of the world's biggest public squares and Istiqlal Mosque, which is the largest mosque in Southeast Asia.

Is the Food Better in Can Tho or Jakarta? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Both Can Tho and Jakarta offer a number of high quality restaurants to choose from.

Can Tho has a huge number of terrific restaurants. It's the largest city in the Mekong Delta, and there are many restaurants with rooftop views and lively atmospheres. The food is local and fresh. Grilled meats, noodle soup, and local produce are all popular. Many visitors come to Cantho specifically to experience the nearby floating markets. You really must sample the many dishes available at the markets, which are unique to the area and offer a whole new approach to street food.

Dining out in Jakarta is an experience not to be missed. There are so many different cultures represented in Indonesian cuisine, and you'll find them all in Jakarta. The food stalls, restaurants, and casual eateries all have their own flavor and style, which makes dining in this mega-city a true adventure.

Is Can Tho or Jakarta Better for Nightlife?

The vibe at night is nice in both Can Tho and Jakarta.

If you're looking for night time activities Can Tho has a few options to choose from. The city is very beautiful at night with many colorful lights. There are a number of bars and places for tourists to hang out and socialize.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Jakarta. It's a huge city, so there's a very active nightlife scene, but it's mostly focused on locals and not tourists like you'll find elsewhere in Indonesia. For the best nightlife district, head to Kemang, which has many bars and clubs.

Is the Shopping Better in Can Tho or Jakarta?

Can Tho is terrific for shopping. Also, Jakarta is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its shopping opportunities.

People travel from around the world to go shopping in Can Tho. The city is large with malls and a central market, but most visitors come specifically for the nearby floating markets. These unique markets are best visited by boat. Goods and food are sold out of vendor boats and popular food dishes include noodle soup and local fruits. Each boat has a tall bamboo stick displaying the items that it sells.

Jakarta is a popular shopping destination with plenty of stores. The city is filled with high end luxury malls where you can buy the latest fashions and many international brands. Around town you'll also find everything from local handicrafts to chic boutiques and grand international chains.

Is Can Tho or Jakarta Better for Families?

Can Tho is a great city for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Jakarta is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its family-friendly activities.

Can Tho is a very family-friendly destination. Kids and adults alike will be fascinated by the floating markets and the beautiful Mekong Delta. Most visitors use this growing city as a base for exploring the area, which has a fascinating culture and interesting sights.

Jakarta is a family-friendly place to visit. Most visitors skip out on this huge city, and it's definitely not the first place that comes to mind when you think about family-friendly destinations, but there's actually a very fascinating culture that kids and adults alike can enjoy. There's the Kota area, which has colonial architecture. There's also a puppet museum and several history museums. But for most kids, the highlight is a visit to the Taman Impian Jaya Ancol area, which has amusement parks and even SeaWorld.

Is Can Tho or Jakarta Better for Couples?

Can Tho is a great city for romance. Also, Jakarta is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its romantic activities.

Can Tho is a great city if you're traveling as a couple. Couples can take a romantic evening boat ride on the Mekong Delta. During the morning hours, the floating markets are one of Vietnam's most interesting destinations. You can sample local dishes and experience a completely different way of life.

Jakarta makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Most travelers looking for a romantic destination will head to the many famous honeymoon spots in Indonesia. But for those who make their way to Jakarta, there is sure to be a lot of adventure and culture. The city has many great museums as well as nature parks and amusement parks.

Is Can Tho or Jakarta Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Can Tho is a great city for backpackers and budget travelers. Also, Jakarta is not as popular, but is still a nice city for backpackers.

Can Tho is very popular with the backpacker crowd. This is a large city with a number of hostels and many backpackers who pass through during their trip to the floating markets and through the Mekong Delta.

Plenty of budget travelers visit Jakarta. Visitors often have strong feelings about this city, whether they love it or hate it. For those backpackers who spend some time here, they're sure to be treated to a look at true Indonesian culture, which is hard to find in the more touristy areas.

Is Can Tho or Jakarta Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Can Tho and Jakarta both offer reasonable public transit to get you around.

Public transit is mostly limited in Can Tho. There are local buses, but many visitors come to this area as part of an organized tour because transportation can be a bit a tricky.

Public transit is generally limited in Jakarta. Public transportation has improved a lot recently. There's a commuter line as well as buses. The system can be a bit overwhelming and slow though, so tourists often avoid it.

Is Can Tho or Jakarta a more walkable city?

Can Tho is a good destination for its walkability. However, Jakarta is not known for its high level of walkability.

Can Tho is somewhat walkable. The city center is relatively walkable.

Jakarta is generally not very walkable. Central Jakarta is more walkable than most of the city but, in general, the city has a lot of traffic and isn't the best for exploring on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is Can Tho Worth Visiting? and Is Jakarta Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Jakarta or Can Tho?

How long in Can Tho or Jakarta?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Can Tho and Jakarta. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Jakarta than in Can Tho. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Can Tho, and 1-3 days is enough time in Jakarta.

Families should spend more time in Can Tho than Jakarta. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Can Tho, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Can Tho than Jakarta. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Can Tho that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Can Tho than Jakarta if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Can Tho.

One day in Can Tho or Jakarta?

In Can Tho, you'll find nightlife and food. One reason most visitors come is for the shopping. This city offers something for everyone. This would be the perfect place to spend one day, as it has just the right amount of activities.

Because Jakarta is a large city, there are a variety of ways to spend your time. This city offers something for everyone. This would be the perfect place to spend one day, as it has just the right amount of activities.

A weekend in Can Tho or Jakarta?

In Can Tho, you'll find food and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. One reason most visitors come is for the shopping. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Can Tho has to offer.

Because Jakarta is a large city, there are a variety of ways to spend your time. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Jakarta has to offer.

Five days in Can Tho or Jakarta?

Can Tho is a great place to explore. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

Jakarta is a great place to explore. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

A week in Can Tho or Jakarta?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Can Tho. Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Can Tho. One reason most visitors come is for the shopping. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Jakarta. Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Jakarta. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Ho Chi Minh City, The Best 10-Day Tours from Hanoi, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Indonesia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Indonesia.

When comparing the travel costs between Can Tho and Jakarta, we can see that Jakarta 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. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Can Tho Expensive? and Is Jakarta Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Can Tho or Jakarta?

Jakarta has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Can Tho. When comparing the sizes of Can Tho and Jakarta, 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.