Should you visit Ho Chi Minh City or Antigua Guatemala?
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 Antigua Guatemala can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Ho Chi Minh City or Antigua Guatemala?
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.
Antigua Guatemala
Before a disastrous earthquake in 1773, Antigua was the colonial capital of Guatemala. For 200 years it had reigned as so and today shows remnants of its glorious past with Spanish colonial buildings and other architectural landmarks still standing. Due to this large amount of preserved architecture, Antigua was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is now the most touristed city of Guatemala.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in Vietnam, The Best 10-Day Tours in Vietnam, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Guatemala City, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Guatemala.
Which place is cheaper, Antigua Guatemala 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.
The average daily cost (per person) in Ho Chi Minh City is $87, while the average daily cost in Antigua Guatemala is $74. 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 Antigua Guatemala in more detail.
Accommodation
Looking for a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City or Antigua Guatemala? 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
Antigua Guatemala Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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
$1.33
-
Taxi From Airport
$7.61
-
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:
$278
-
Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang - Private Transfer:
$259
-
Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Ha Tien Pier:
$244
-
Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Ca Mau:
$244
-
Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN) to Mui Ne - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$231
-
Private Transfer from Vinh Tan to Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport:
$224
-
Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN) to Vung Tau Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$217
-
Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Soc Trang:
$211
-
Private Car Transfer Phong Nha to Hue (stops at Vinh Moc and DMZ):
$200
-
Private Transfer from Ho Chi Minh City to Mui Ne & Vice versa:
$193
-
Private Transfer: Ho Chi Minh City/SGN Airport To Phnom Penh:
$190
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Antigua Guatemala
Also for Antigua Guatemala, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
From Antigua: One way private transfer to Panajachel:
$194
-
Private Transfer Antigua Guatemala to Semuc Champey or Coban:
$182
-
Private Transfer from the Airport to Antigua:
$90
-
Private transfer from Antigua to La Aurora Airport:
$90
-
From Antigua: Transfer to Guatemala City:
$85
-
Private Transfer Antigua Guatemala to Monterrico Beach:
$85
-
One way shared transfer to Flores, Peten:
$79
-
Private Transfer One Way Antigua Guatemala to El Paredon Beach:
$75
-
Private Transfer:Antigua GuatemalaLake Atitlán(Any Town)OneWay:
$74
-
Private Transfer From Antigua to Panajachel Atitlan:
$70
-
Private Transfer from Antigua to the Airport:
$70
-
Antigua: One way private transfer to Guatemala City:
$69
Is it cheaper to fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Antigua Guatemala?
Prices for flights to both Antigua Guatemala 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
-
Food
Meals for one day
Ho Chi Minh City $23
Antigua Guatemala $25
Typical Food Prices in Ho Chi Minh City
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Ho Chi Minh City:
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:
$1.87
-
Ho Chi Minh City Local Street Food Tour With Local Students:
$1.87
-
Water Puppet Show And Dinner Cruise On Saigon River Private Tour:
$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
-
Cu Chi Tunnels & Countryside Cooking Class with Organic Farm:
$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
Typical Food Prices in Antigua Guatemala
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Antigua Guatemala:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Antigua Guatemala
For Antigua Guatemala, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Antigua: Traditional Guatemalan Cooking Classes — Casa San Miguel.:
$38
-
Antigua Guatemalan Authentic Cooking Class Chef David Farfan:
$38
-
Cooking and pastry class in Casa San Miguel:
$38
-
Antigua: Traditional cooking lesson with a Guatemalan family:
$48
-
Cooking class and market tour/Pepian Workshop:
$50
-
Antigua: Guatemalan Cooking Class with a Local Family:
$60
-
Private Street Food Tour in Antigua Guatemala:
$65
-
Antigua Street Food Tour:
$65
-
Private Cooking Class of Typical Guatemalan Dishes:
$70
-
Antigua: Cooking Class With Wine, Transfer & Vegan Option:
$72
-
Local Street Food Tour of Antigua:
$75
-
Antigua: Cooking Class with Local Family:
$75
Entertainment
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:
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 Hour Saigon River Tour in Ho Chi Minh:
$13
-
1-Day City Tour: Saigon Chinatown, Must-See Icons & Cyclo Ride:
$128
-
1-Day Explore Non-Touristy Side Of Mekong Delta- Group 10 Max:
$130
-
1-Day Tour of Black Virgin Mountain - Cao Dai Temple - Cu Chi Tunnels from HCMC:
$62
-
1-day Mekong Delta Tour: Cai Be Market, Local Island and Cycling:
$125
-
2 Day Mekong Delta Adventure and Floating Market Tour:
$169
-
2 Day Private Mekong Delta, Riverside and Ecolodge Nature Tour:
$225
-
2 Days 1 Night Mekong Delta Tour:
$141
Tours and Activities in Antigua Guatemala
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Antigua Guatemala.
-
¡Pacaya Volcano Tour from Antigua!:
$100
-
2 - Days : Tour to Acatenango Volcano from Antigua:
$150
-
2-Day Kayak and Hike Adventure Package from Antigua:
$219
-
2-Day, 1-Night Tour of Volcano Acatenango from Antigua:
$92
-
2in1 Tour: Avocado Farm + Private Tour in Antigua Guatemala:
$220
-
3-Hour Chateau Defay Vineyard Tour in Central America:
$170
-
4 Hour Colonial Experience in Antigua Guatemala:
$32
-
4-Hour Colonial Experience in Antigua Guatemala:
$25
-
4WD Acatenango Volcano Tour & Fuego / All Inclusive !:
$400
-
4WD experience to Acatenango Volcano/Fuego Volcano from Antigua:
$333
-
4x4 Acatenango Volcano and Fuego Vistas 2 Day Shared Tour:
$260
-
4x4 tour from Antigua with a night camp in front of the Fuego volcano:
$1,300
Alcohol
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:
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
-
Bike And Craft Beer Brewery Mekong Delta Cycling Tour:
$152
Sample the Local Flavors in Antigua Guatemala
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Antigua Guatemala:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ho Chi Minh City and Antigua Guatemala, we can see that Ho Chi Minh City is more expensive. And not only is Antigua Guatemala much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ho Chi Minh City is in Asia and Antigua Guatemala is in Central America, 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 Antigua Guatemala would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Antigua Guatemala 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 Antigua Guatemala.
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 Antigua Guatemala Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ho Chi Minh City or Antigua Guatemala?
Ho Chi Minh City has a larger population, and is about 90 times larger than the population of Antigua Guatemala. When comparing the sizes of Ho Chi Minh City and Antigua Guatemala, 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.
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