Which place is cheaper, Chongqing or Ho Chi Minh City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Ho Chi Minh City or Chongqing?
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 Chongqing can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Ho Chi Minh City or Chongqing?
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.
Chongqing
Chongqing, China is a large city in central China and one of only four cities in the country that are not part of a province. While Chongqing is famous for being an economically important city, brush away its industrial surface and you'll find a naturally beautiful city with plenty of hidden wonders. Although you'll find many expats in the city, English is rarely spoken, meaning knowing some basic Mandarin will come in handy.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in Vietnam, The Best 10-Day Tours in Vietnam, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in China.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHo Chi Minh City $81Chongqing $86
The average daily cost (per person) in Ho Chi Minh City is $81, while the average daily cost in Chongqing is $86. 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 Chongqing in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHo Chi Minh City $49Chongqing $49
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHo Chi Minh City $98Chongqing $98
Compare Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City and Chongqing
Looking for a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City or Chongqing? 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.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $15Chongqing $19
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$1.40
-
Taxi From Airport$7.99
-
Cyclo Ride (One Hour)$1.60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ho Chi Minh City
Also for Ho Chi Minh City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer From Hotel in Ho Chi Minh to Airport By 7 Seats Car: $41
- Airport Transfers (Airport - Ho Chi Minh,Private 16 Seats Car): $52
- Airport transfer from TAN SON NHAT airport to HO CHI MINH: $23
- CONVENIENT AIRPORT TRANSFER by PRIVATE CAR or SCOOTERS | Kiss Tours: $28
- Duyen Ha Resort to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- Fusion Resort to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- Golden Bridge Trip with guide, lunch &Transfer from Chan May Port: $189
- Golden peak Resort to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- HO CHI MINH AIRPORT: CAR 7s PICK UP <-> HOTEL (one way transfer): $22
- HO CHI MINH AIRPORT: Car 16s pick up <-> hotel (one way transfer): $32
- Hanoi Private Transfer from Thanh Hoa to Hanoi (HAN) Airport: $158
- Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN) to Mui Ne - Arrival Private Transfer: $79
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chongqing
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chongqing:
- Dazu Rock Carvings Private Transfer or Tour: $278
- Chongqing Private Round Trip Transfer to Dazu Rock Carvings: $128
- Chongqing Jiangbei Airport Chauffeur Service, Chongqing Airport Transfer, Pickup: $60
- Datong Yungang Airport Chauffeur Service , to Datong Transfer: $40
- Private Transfer from Chongqing hotel to Chongqing Train Station : $27
- Private Arrival Transfer: Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport(CKG) to Hotel: $25
- Chongqing Jiangbei Airport (CKG) private round-trip transfer: $24
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Any Railway Station in Chongqing: $24
- Private Arrival Transfer:Any Chongqing Railway Station to Hotel: $24
- Private Arrival Transfer: Chongqing Jiangbei Airport (CKG) to Hotel: $22
Is it cheaper to fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Chongqing?
Prices for flights to both Chongqing 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 dayHo Chi Minh City $14Chongqing $24
Typical Food Prices in Ho Chi Minh City
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Ho Chi Minh City:
-
Street Food Dinner (for Two)$4.27
-
Pizza$5.19
-
Sweet Rice$1.20
-
Pork Sandwich$0.60
-
Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.78
-
Western Lunch (for Two)$12
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:
- Saigon Unseen & Food Tour By scooter w Student | Saigon Adventure: $19
- Private Walking Food Tour with Local Students : $26
- Ho Chi Minh Street Food Tour By Motorbike (Unique & Authentic): $26
- Saigon: Backstreets Private Walking Food Tour & 10 Tastings: $27
- Food Tour by Scooter with Eleven Tastings: $27
- Super Niche Walking Street Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $28
- Ho Chi Minh Street Food Tour By Motorbike/Car + Sightseeing + Fun: $28
- Private Walking Food Tour with 13 Tastings: $28
- Ho Chi Minh: Original Walking Street Food Tour With Local: $29
- Private Half-Day Ho Chi Minh Food Tour with Local Students: $29
- Ho Chi Minh: Super Niche Walking Street Food Tour With Local: $29
- Ho Chi Minh City Food Tour: $29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chongqing
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chongqing.
- Chongqing Liangjiang Night Cruise Including Authentic Hot Pot Dinner: $115
- CHONGQING:Strolling through the city(Include dinner): $127
- Chongqing City Private Night Tour with Hot Pot Dinner: $158
- Private Chongqing night tour with dinner hot pot: $170
- Chongqing Port Transfer Service with Half-Day Tour and Hot Pot Dinner: $193
- From Port Transfer with Half Day Tour and Hot Pot Dinner: $197
- Private Chongqing Night View Tour with Hot Pot or Local Dinner: $199
- Chongqing Night view private tour with hot-pot dinner: $200
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $20Chongqing $13
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:
-
Massage$5.59
Tours and Activities in Ho Chi Minh City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ho Chi Minh City.
- Chinatown Walking Tour Ho Chi Minh City: $0.80
- Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour: $0.80
- Saigon Sites and Stories - Free Walking Tour: $2.05
- Saigon: Free Food Walking Tour: $2.13
- Walking Tour: $5.00
- Saigon: City Sightseeing 45-Minute Panoramic Night Tour: $7.00
- Saigon: City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $7.00
- City Sightseeing Panoramic Bus Tour: $7.00
- Floating Village Eco-Tourism Tan Lap - Trekking Day Trip: $7.39
- Ho Chi Minh Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
- Ho Chi Minh Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.78
- 3-Hours Trekking Tour to Hidden Waterfall and Sturgeon Farm: $8.09
Tours and Activities in Chongqing
Here are a few actual costs in Chongqing for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1-Day Chongqing Dazu Rock Carvings Private Tour With the Lunch: $143
- 3-Hour Walking Tour of Chongqing Shancheng (Mountain City) Lane: $65
- All-In-One Chongqing Trendy Spots Private Tour: $220
- Best of Chongqing One Day Tour: Stilwell Museum, Arhat Temple, Eling Park, Panda: $157
- Chongqing All-in-One Private Tour With Entire City Night View: $250
- Chongqing City Sightseeing Private Day Tour: $196
- Chongqing Private City Tour Extention: $220
- Chongqing Private Day Tour Of Meet popular Chongqing: $160
- Chongqing Wulong Exploration Private Day Tour With the Lunch: $185
- Chongqing Wulong National Park Private Tour : $280
- Chongqing Yangtze River Cruise and Illuminated Night Tour: $158
- City Highlights Guided Private Tour with Lunch: $208
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayHo Chi Minh City $7.98Chongqing $6.90
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:
-
Beer$0.40
When comparing the travel costs between Ho Chi Minh City and Chongqing, we can see that Chongqing 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.
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 Chongqing Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ho Chi Minh City or Chongqing?
Chongqing has a larger population, and is about 14% larger than the population of Ho Chi Minh City. When comparing the sizes of Ho Chi Minh City and Chongqing, 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.