Which place is cheaper, Akureyri or Ho Chi Minh City?
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 Ho Chi Minh City or Akureyri?
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 Ho Chi Minh City and Akureyri can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Ho Chi Minh City or Akureyri?
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.
Akureyri
Akureyri is the largest town in the northern region of Iceland, and is often considered the unofficial capital of the north. The town is a popular fishing port and is often used as a basecamp for visiting the more rural surrounding area. Akureyri is known for their great art scene, beautiful architecture, and stunning natural scenery.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in Vietnam, The Best 10-Day Tours in Vietnam, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Iceland, and The Best Northern Lights Tours in Iceland.
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Ho Chi Minh City Prices
Vietnam PricesAkureyri Prices
Iceland Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHo Chi Minh City $88Akureyri $190
The average daily cost (per person) in Ho Chi Minh City is $88, while the average daily cost in Akureyri is $190. 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 Ho Chi Minh City and Akureyri in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHo Chi Minh City $48Akureyri $103
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHo Chi Minh City $96Akureyri $206
Compare Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City and Akureyri
Looking for a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City or Akureyri? 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 and Akureyri Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $15Akureyri $23
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$7.70
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Cyclo Ride (One Hour)$1.54
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
- CONVENIENT AIRPORT TRANSFER by PRIVATE CAR or SCOOTERS | KissTour: $28
- Can Tho: Bus transfer directly to/from Saigon City: $14
- Cu Chi Tunnels Half-Day Tour with English Guide & Transfers: $42
- From Phu My Port: Ho Chi Minh City Tour and Transfers: $143
- Fusion Resort to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- Grand Park Water Park & Rides Ticket with Optional Transfer: $14
- HCMC: Shooting Range Experience with Transfer: $69
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Akureyri
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Akureyri:
- Whale Watching Tour with Transfer from Port: $141
- From Godafoss Waterfall Guided Trip with Transfers: $129
- Akureyri Airport (AEY): Transfer to/from Akureyri City: $32
- Transfer from Accommodation to Akureyri Airport: $29
Is it cheaper to fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Akureyri?
Prices for flights to both Akureyri and Ho Chi Minh City 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 dayHo Chi Minh City $23Akureyri $71
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)$4.12
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Pizza$5.00
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Sweet Rice$1.15
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Pork Sandwich$0.58
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.53
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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:
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour with Local LGBT Student Guide: $1.90
- Ho Chi Minh City Authentic Street Food Tour With Local Students: $7.93
- Ho Chi Minh City Local Street Food Tour With Local Students: $7.93
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour & Hidden Local Gems Sightseeing: $9.92
- Mekong With Cai Be Less Tourist - Cooking Class: $14
- Saigon Food Tour & Culture Explore Ho Chi Minh City Walking Tour: $15
- Express Cooking Experience: $15
- 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
- Ho Chi Minh City Cyclo Ride with Lunch or Dinner Experience: $18
- Ho Chi Minh City Michelin & Street Food Tour by Motorbike or Car: $18
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $19Akureyri $18
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$5.39
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
- Chinatown Hidden Treasures – Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour: $0.62
- Ho Chi Minh City private walking tours with young local volunteers: $1.82
- Ho Chi Minh City Flexible Private Tour with Spa, City Highlights: $1.90
- Tan Lap Floating Village Authentic Mekong Delta Nature Tour: $1.90
- Private Long Tan Battlefield, Nui Dat Base and Vung Tau Day Tour: $1.90
- Vung Tau Beach and Coastal Landmarks Full Day Tour With Students: $1.90
- Budget-Friendly Guided Walking Tour: $1.91
- Ho Chi Minh Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $3.57
- Langbiang Nature Park Experience with Tickets: $4.81
- Walking Tour: $5.00
- Ho Chi Minh city private tour guide: $5.00
Tours and Activities in Akureyri
Here are a few actual costs in Akureyri for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Akureyri Lake Myvatn Godafoss and Lava Fields Tour: $180
- Akureyri Northern Light Tour: $140
- Akureyri Port: Dettifoss, Goðafoss and Lake Mývatn Tour: $293
- Akureyri Port: Goðafoss and Akureyri Botanical Garden Tour: $170
- Akureyri Port: Goðafoss and the Forest Lagoon Tour: $203
- Akureyri Port: Godafoss Waterfall Classic Tour & Viewpoint: $81
- Akureyri Port: Lake Mývatn & Goðafoss Guided Tour with Lunch: $328
- Akureyri Port: Lake Mývatn and Godafoss Waterfall Tour: $182
- Akureyri Port: Myvatn Nature Baths & Godafoss Waterfall Tour: $246
- Akureyri Private Walking Tour: $169
- Akureyri to Lake Myvatn and Nature Baths Small Group Tour: $217
- 3-Day Northern Lights, Whales, & Lagoon Tour: $533
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHo Chi Minh City $7.69Akureyri $15
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:
- Rooftops, Hidden Bars & Iconic Pub Crawl: $8.05
- 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
- Bike And Craft Beer Brewery Mekong Delta Cycling Tour: $152
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ho Chi Minh City and Akureyri, we can see that Akureyri is more expensive. And not only is Ho Chi Minh City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ho Chi Minh City is in Asia and Akureyri is in Europe, 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 Akureyri would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Akureyri 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 Ho Chi Minh City Expensive? and Is Akureyri Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ho Chi Minh City or Akureyri?
Ho Chi Minh City has a larger population, and is about 210 times larger than the population of Akureyri. When comparing the sizes of Ho Chi Minh City and Akureyri, 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.