Which place is cheaper, Ho Chi Minh City or Dar es Salaam?
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 Dar es Salaam 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 Dar es Salaam and Ho Chi Minh City can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Dar es Salaam or Ho Chi Minh City?
Dar es Salaam
Having grown from a fishing village, Dar es Salaam is now a major city and commercial port on Tanzania's Indian Ocean coast. While it is mainly used as a stopping point on the way to Zanzibar, it has a few unique treasures of its own such as the Kariakoo Market, National Museum, and the open-air Village Museum.
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 Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Historical Tours in Vietnam, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Vietnam.
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Dar es Salaam Prices
Tanzania PricesHo Chi Minh City Prices
Vietnam Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDar es Salaam $462Ho Chi Minh City $87
The average daily cost (per person) in Dar es Salaam is $462, 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 Dar es Salaam and Ho Chi Minh City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDar es Salaam $424Ho Chi Minh City $48
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDar es Salaam $848Ho Chi Minh City $96
Compare Hotels in Dar es Salaam and Ho Chi Minh City
Looking for a hotel in Dar es Salaam 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: Dar es Salaam Hotel Prices and Ho Chi Minh City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dar es Salaam $13Ho Chi Minh City $15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dar es Salaam
Also for Dar es Salaam, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from dar es salaam to morogoro: $203
- Ferry Tickets to Zanzibar with Transfers.: $120
- Dar es Salaam Airport Transfers Comfortable Ride to Your Hotel: $60
- Private Airport Transfers in Dar: $60
- Half-Day City Tour with Transfers: $59
- Dar Es Salaam Transfer from Airport Hotel Ferry or Train: $55
- Zanzibar Airport Shared Taxi Transfer to Any Hotel: $10
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$7.61
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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:
- Private Taxi transfer from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City: $358
- Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN) to Mui Ne - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $276
- Hanoi Private Transfer from Vinh City to Hanoi (HAN) Airport: $274
- Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $259
- Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Phang Rang Thap Cham: $249
- Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Ha Tien Pier: $242
- Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Ca Mau: $242
- Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Vinh Tan: $236
- Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN) to Vung Tau Round-Trip Private Transfer: $216
- Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Soc Trang: $210
- Private Car Transfer Phong Nha to Hue (stops at Vinh Moc and DMZ): $200
- Golden Bridge, Marble mount, guide, lunch, transfer from Cruises: $199
Is it cheaper to fly into Dar es Salaam or Ho Chi Minh City?
Prices for flights to both Ho Chi Minh City and Dar es Salaam 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 dayDar es Salaam $31Ho Chi Minh City $23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dar es Salaam
For Dar es Salaam, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dar es Salaam Old Town Walking and Food Tour With Transfers: $70
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$4.95
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Sweet Rice$1.14
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Pork Sandwich$0.57
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.46
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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
- Ho Chi Minh City Local Street Food Tour With Local Students: $1.87
- 1 hour Egg Coffee Cooking Class with Snack and Local Instructor: $15
- Saigon Food Tour & Culture Explore Ho Chi Minh City Walking Tour: $15
- Mekong Delta 4 Islands, TukTuk, Boat, Try Khot Cake Local Cooking: $16
- HCM:Mekong Delta Boat,Khotcake cooking Coconut Village,SmallGroup: $16
- 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
- Saigon Walking Food Tour & Hidden Alleys with Locals: $26
- Watch The Sunset or Enjoy Dinner On Luxury Cruise in Saigon: $28
- Michelin-Recognized Food Tour with Local Expert: $29
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dar es Salaam -Ho Chi Minh City $19
Tours and Activities in Dar es Salaam
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dar es Salaam.
- 2 Days 1 Night Bagamoyo Historical Tour: $300
- Bagamoyo Full-Day Tour: Historic Slave Market & Kaole Ruins: $280
- Bagamoyo Historical Tour - Everyday: $199
- Bagamoyo Historical tour - Full Day. (Ivory and Slaves Trade): $280
- Bagamoyo Tour: $120
- Bongoyo Island Full Day Tour from Dar Es Salaam: $120
- Dar Es Salaam City Tour: $150
- Dar Es Salaam City Tour (Full Day With Private Guide And Car): $160
- Dar Es Salaam Local Markets and Village-National Museum Day tour: $150
- Dar es Salaam City Tour - Everyday: $97
- Dar es Salaam City Tour - Visit all attractive places: $130
- Dar es Salaam City Tour: Experience & Insights Tanzanian culture: $38
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$5.33
Tours and Activities in Ho Chi Minh City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ho Chi Minh City.
- 'Cost-Saving' Cu Chi Tunnels & Mekong Delta 1-Day Tour: $59
- 1 Day Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta Private Adventure: $156
- 1 Day Mekong Delta to Cai Be from Ho Chi Minh City Tour: $45
- 1 Day Private Cai Rang Floating Market and My Tho Boat Tour: $150
- 1 Day Small Group Tour in Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta: $67
- 1 Hour Saigon River Tour in Ho Chi Minh: $10
- 1-Day Explore Non-Touristy Side Of Mekong Delta- Group 10 Max: $130
- 1-Day Tour in Vung Tau Beach: $59
- 1-Day Tour of Black Virgin Mountain - Cao Dai Temple - Cu Chi Tunnels from HCMC: $62
- 1-day Ho Chi Minh city and Cu Chi tunnels group tour: $46
- 1-day Mekong Delta Tour: Cai Be Market, Local Island and Cycling: $125
- 1-day My Tho boat trip in Mekong Delta group tour from Ho Chi Minh: $34
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDar es Salaam $7.48Ho Chi Minh City $7.61
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:
- Bike And Craft Beer Brewery Mekong Delta Cycling Tour: $152
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dar es Salaam and Ho Chi Minh City, we can see that Dar es Salaam is more expensive. And not only is Ho Chi Minh City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dar es Salaam 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 Ho Chi Minh City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ho Chi Minh City 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 Dar es Salaam would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dar es Salaam than you might in Ho Chi Minh City.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Dar es Salaam Expensive? and Is Ho Chi Minh City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dar es Salaam or Ho Chi Minh City?
Ho Chi Minh City has a larger population, and is about 28% larger than the population of Dar es Salaam. When comparing the sizes of Dar es Salaam 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.