Which place is cheaper, Cebu 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 Cebu?
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 Cebu can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Ho Chi Minh City or Cebu?
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.
Cebu
Cebu Island is an important island in the Visayas region of the Philippines, characterized by its main port at Cebu City as well as many natural features. The most-visited areas include islands of Mactan, Bantayan, Badian, Malapascua and Camotes, all which have resorts and hotels. Scuba diving and snorkeling are common activities along the shoreline, while hiking the mountainous spine of the island is popular inland.
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 Philippines, and The Best Honeymoon Tours in Philippines.
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Ho Chi Minh City Prices
Vietnam PricesCebu Prices
Philippines Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHo Chi Minh City $88Cebu $72
The average daily cost (per person) in Ho Chi Minh City is $88, while the average daily cost in Cebu is $72. 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 Cebu in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHo Chi Minh City $48Cebu $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHo Chi Minh City $96Cebu $44
Compare Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City and Cebu
Looking for a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City or Cebu? 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 Cebu Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $15Cebu $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:
- Mui Ne Beach: Bus transfer from/to Saigon City: $8.00
- Ho Chi Minh: SGN Airport Private Transfer to/from City Center: $8.85
- Private transfer Tan Son Nhat airport - Hotels in Ho Chi Minh: $12
- Ho Chi Minh Airport Arrival Or Departure By Private Car Transfers: $13
- Private Car Transfer: Cam Ranh Airport to Nha Trang City: $14
- Ho Chi Minh Airport: Private Transfer: $14
- Ho Chi Minh City Private Airport Transfers: $14
- Transfer from Ho Chi Minh to Phan Thiet or Mui Ne, Japan Quality: $14
- Ho Chi Minh Airport Arrival Or Departure Private Car Transfers: $15
- Ho Chi Minh Airport Arrival Or Departure By Private Car Transfers: $15
- Private Transfer From Saigon Center To Tan Son Nhat Airport (SGN): $16
- Ho Chi Minh to Ho Chi Minh City Airport (SGN) Departure Transfer: $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cebu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cebu:
- Bohol Day Tour with Round-Trip Transfers from Cebu: $223
- Mactan-Cebu Island Hopping Cruise with Lunch & Roundtrip Transfer: $204
- Oslob Whale Shark Encounter & SUMILON with Transfers: $196
- Sumilon Bluewater Resort Day Use w lunch and transfer from Cebu: $189
- Bohol Day Tour from Cebu (Shared) w/ RT Transfers & Ferry: $185
- Oslob Private Van Transfer between Cebu, Mactan or Mandaue City: $175
- Oslob Car Hire and Transfers: $140
- Kawasan Falls Canyoneering w/ Lunch & Transfers from Cebu City: $122
- Cebu Airport to Maya Port Private Transfer Service: $110
- Cebu to Maya Port: Private Transfer for Malapascua Island: $109
- Cebu Safari & Adventure Park: Wildlife Tour with Transfers: $102
- One-way Airport Transfer to Cebu City Hotels: $89
Is it cheaper to fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Cebu?
Prices for flights to both Cebu 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 $23Cebu $33
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
- Mekong With Cai Be Less Tourist - Cooking Class: $14
- 1 hour Egg Coffee Cooking Class with Snack and Local Instructor: $14
- Saigon Food Tour & Culture Explore Ho Chi Minh City Walking Tour: $15
- Mekong Delta 4 Islands, TukTuk, Boat, Try Khot Cake Local Cooking: $16
- Ho Chi Minh City Michelin & Street Food Tour by Motorbike or Car: $16
- Saigon Sightseeing & Street Food Tour By scooter with Student: $23
- Saigon Walking Food Tour & Hidden Alleys with Locals: $26
- Street Food Tour In Ho Chi Minh City By Motorbike: $26
- Saigon River: Dinner on Cruise - Buffet with Live Music: $27
- Ho Chi Minh Street Food Tour and Vietnamese Coffee: $27
- Premium Ho Chi Minh City Motorbike Food Tour (Michelin Optional): $27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cebu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cebu.
- Carbon Market Food Tour & Bars with Jeepney Ride: $16
- Highlands Guided Tour with STREET FOOD TOUR OPTION: $45
- The Ultimate Cebu Food Tour: Local Tastes & Cultural Journey: $70
- Cebu City: Historical Street and Food Tour: $89
- Cebu Traditional Cuisine Cooking Class: $98
- Cebu Traditional Bamboo Cooking: $100
- Cebu Vegetarian Cooking Class: $100
- Private Panoramic Tour with Dinner: $100
- Cebu Traditional Bamboo Cooking Class: $107
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $19Cebu $15
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.
- Hidden Bunker & Vietnam War - Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour: $0.62
- Ghosts & Legends of Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City Night Walking Tour: $0.62
- Chinatown Hidden Treasures – Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour: $0.62
- Highlights & Hidden Gems - Free Walking Tour: $0.62
- Ho Chi Minh City private walking tours with young local volunteers: $1.82
- Hidden Jungle War Experience – The Untold Side of Saigon: $1.82
- Ho Chi Minh City Flexible Private Tour with Spa, City Highlights: $1.90
- Classic Mekong Delta My Tho Ben Tre Tour with Vinh Trang Pagoda: $1.90
- Private Long Tan Battlefield, Nui Dat Base and Vung Tau Day Tour: $1.90
- Tan Lap Floating Village Authentic Mekong Delta Nature Tour: $1.90
- Cu Chi Tunnels History And Mekong Delta Culture River Cruise Tour: $1.90
- Ho Chi Minh Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $3.56
Tours and Activities in Cebu
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cebu are as follows:
- 3-Hour Small Group Cebu City Tour: $38
- A Half-day Guided Pilgrimage Tour in Cebu CIty: $70
- Aqua Sports Adventure Package with 3 Water Activities: $59
- BEST OF Cebu City Heritage with Uphill Tour: $61
- BEST OF Cebu City Heritage with Uphill Tour | Joiners: $63
- BEST OF Guided Heritage City Joiners Tour: $44
- Badian Cebu Canyoneering Experience: $115
- Badian Cebu Canyoneering Experience: $128
- Beginner Scuba Diving in Moalboal | Safe & Easy Experience: $65
- Best Seller Cebu City Group Tour: $53
- Bohol Countryside Day Tour w Lunch at Loboc River From Cebu: $142
- Bohol Countryside Private Tour From Cebu City | Private Tour: $187
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHo Chi Minh City $7.69Cebu $13
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:
- Make Your Own Gin Experience and Saigon Baigur Distillery Tour: $36
- Bike And Craft Beer Brewery Mekong Delta Cycling Tour: $152
Sample the Local Flavors in Cebu
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cebu:
- Makati Pub Crawl with Optional City Tour: $18
- Cebu City Light's Pub Crawl: $100
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ho Chi Minh City and Cebu, we can see that Ho Chi Minh City is more expensive. And not only is Cebu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cebu would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cebu 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 Cebu.
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 Cebu Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ho Chi Minh City or Cebu?
Ho Chi Minh City has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Cebu. When comparing the sizes of Ho Chi Minh City and Cebu, 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.