Should you visit Ho Chi Minh City or Bali?
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 Bali can help you decide which place is right for you.
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.
Bali
Known as the "Island of the Gods," it's not difficult to see why the Gods would want to set up shop in Bali. With a beautifully diverse landscape of hills, mountains, coastlines, beaches, vibrant rice fields and volcanic hillsides, you'll easily go into sensory overload.
Bali is home to 4 million people who all hold true to a deeply spiritual and unique culture. With champion surfing, world class resorts and challenging hiking trails, this Indonesian island accommodates travelers from every walk of life. It's often called, "paradise on earth, " and no one disagrees.
Which city is cheaper, Bali or Ho Chi Minh City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Ho Chi Minh City is $71, while the average daily cost in Bali is $64. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Ho Chi Minh City and Bali in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $86 in Ho Chi Minh City For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Bali's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $74. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $37.
Food
The average traveler spends about $13 per day in Ho Chi Minh City for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
Bali food costs typically run travelers around $18 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Ho Chi Minh City $13
Bali $18
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:
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Ho Chi Minh Private Half Day Street Food Tour with Local Students:
$18
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SaiGon Street Food Tour By Scooter With Student:
$22
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Walking Food Tour With Local Student:
$26
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Private Street Food Tour on Motorbikes:
$28
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Private Half-Day Ho Chi Minh Food Tour with Local Students:
$28
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Saigon Food Tour by Motorbike with Local Students:
$30
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Walking market food tour by night in Ho Chi Minh city - private groups:
$32
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Street food Tours:
$35
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Small Floating Market & Mekong Delta Tour with Kayak, Boat, Bike, Cooking Class:
$35
-
Private Street Food Tour by Scooter in Ho Chi Minh City:
$35
-
Half-Day Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour By Motorbike:
$36
-
Private Walking Saigon Food Tour with Ao Dai Girl by Night:
$38
Typical Food prices in Bali
Some typical examples of dining costs in Bali are as follows:
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Coffee
$1.40
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Lunch for Two
$15
-
Bali Cafe for Two
$30
-
Lunch for Two
$9.08
-
Lunch for 2
$10
-
Dinner for 2
$11
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bali
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bali.
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Eat while chef is cooking in front of you:
$24
-
Sidemen: Firewood Cooking Class & Organic Farm Tour:
$28
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From Ubud: Balinese Cooking Class at an Organic Farm:
$30
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Withlocals your Way: 100% Personalised Bali Private Food Tour:
$39
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Bali Cooking Class:
$39
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Ubud: Romantic Barbecue Dinner by the Pool:
$57
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Private Full or Half-Day Authentic Food Tour:
$58
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Romantic Dinner by Oceana Restaurant & Bar:
$74
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Ubud: Romantic Dinner among the Rice Fields:
$110
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Ubud: Romantic Dinner on a Forest Tree Deck:
$216
Local Transportation
Ho Chi Minh City's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $13 per person, per day on transportation in Ho Chi Minh City.
The average price of local transportation around Bali is $8.13 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public 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:
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Short Taxi Ride
$1.54
-
Taxi From Airport
$8.80
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Cyclo Ride (One Hour)
$1.76
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ho Chi Minh City
Also for Ho Chi Minh City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Airport Transfer: Ho Chi Minh City to Tan Son Nhat Int. Airport (SGN):
$10
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Ho Chi Minh Private Transfer Tan Son Nhat Airport To Hotel:
$13
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Private Departure Transfer: Ho Chi Minh City Hotels to Tan Son Nhat Airport:
$13
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Ho Chi Minh City Shared Arrival Transfer: Tan Son Nhat International Airport to Hotel:
$14
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Ho Chi Minh City Shared Departure Transfer: Hotel to Tan Son Nhat International Airport:
$14
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Private Transfer: Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh City Hotels:
$17
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Saigon Private Airport Transfer:
$17
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Private Airport Transfers To Or From Ho Chi Minh City:
$18
-
Ho Chi Minh City Private Airport Arrival Transfer:
$19
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Ho Chi Minh City Private Airport Departure Transfer:
$19
-
Private Arrival or Departure Transfer: Ho Chi Minh Airport:
$20
-
Saigon Airport to Ho Chi Minh City Center Private Transfer:
$20
Typical Local Transportation prices in Bali
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Bali:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bali
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bali:
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Private Transfer from Bali to Sitia (JSH) Airport:
$394
-
Crete Private Transfer from Bali city to Heraklion (HER) Airport:
$108
-
Bali Departure Private Transfers from Bali Central to Bali Airport DPS:
$83
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Bali Airport: Luxury Private Transfer by Alphard Vellfire:
$65
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Ubud: Jungle Trampoline, Swing & Luwak Coffee with Transfer:
$57
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Airport transfer and tour service:
$56
-
Departure Private Transfer Nusa Dua or Seminyak to Bali Airport DPS by Minivan:
$52
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Airport Transfer Service from Area Ubud / Tanah Lot / Pecatu (13 Seater):
$52
-
Airport Transfer Service from Area Ubud / Tanah Lot / Pecatu (8 seater):
$41
-
Return Private Transfer for Night Safari:
$41
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Airport Transfer Service from Area Ubud / Tanah Lot / Pecatu:
$23
-
Private One-Way Transfer Between Legian & DPS Airport:
$17
Is it cheaper to fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Bali?
Prices for flights to both Bali 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.
Entertainment
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Ho Chi Minh City can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $18 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Bali's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $9.75 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
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.
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The Bachelorette Full Day Private Tour with Pickup:
$3.24
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Bitexco Financial Tower: Saigon Skydeck General Admission Ticket:
$9.00
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Small-Group Half-Day Cu Chi Tunnels Tour from Ho Chi Minh City:
$9.24
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The Insider's Saigon - Private and Custom Motorbike Tour:
$12
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Exploring Cu Chi Tunnel with Pioneer Travel Tour Guide:
$12
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Water Puppet Show Ticket in Ho Chi Minh City with Hotel Delivery:
$15
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Skip the Line: Golden Dragon Water Puppet Tickets:
$17
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Skip the Line: Golden Dragon Water Puppet Tickets:
$17
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Golden Dragon Water Puppet Entrance Tickets:
$17
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Private Ho Chi Minh Sightseeing by Motorbike with Local Students:
$19
-
Private City Tour Half Day By Scooter:
$19
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Cu Chi Ben Duoc Tunnel Tour:
$20
Typical Entertainment prices in Bali
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Bali are as follows:
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Spa for Two
$61
-
Snorkelling Trip
$14
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Cooking School
$31
Tours and Activities in Bali
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bali are as follows:
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2 Days Rinjani Trekking Tour:
$250
-
Amazing Nusa Penida Snorkeling Experience:
$63
-
Ancient Tour to Yeh Pulu and Goa Gajah:
$45
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Ayung River: All Inclusive Rafting Adventure:
$26
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Bali - Kintamani Tour:
$65
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Bali - Ubud Tour:
$60
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Bali 5 Days Tour & Activities - All Included:
$306
-
Bali ATV or Quad Bike Tandem Tour Package:
$101
-
Bali Alternative Temples Private Group Tour:
$74
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Bali Bird Park 1-Day Admission Ticket:
$25
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Bali Countryside Bike Tour Package:
$101
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Bali Full-Day Private Customized Tour:
$50
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Ho Chi Minh City, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $7.04.
The average person spends about $2.88 on alcoholic beverages in Bali per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
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:
When comparing the travel costs between Ho Chi Minh City and Bali, we can see that Ho Chi Minh City 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.
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