Which place is cheaper, Datong 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 Datong?
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 Datong can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Ho Chi Minh City or Datong?
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.
Datong
If you're looking for an old world city, with a renovated feel, you might want to spend some time in Datong, China. This city was once walled-in and the newest initiative is to rebuild their great wall to maintain their old world charm. Datong is definitely done a lot to make itself a contender in the world of vacation destinations.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Ho Chi Minh City, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Vietnam, The Best Cultural Tours in China, and The Best Luxury Tours to China.
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Ho Chi Minh City Prices
Vietnam PricesDatong Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHo Chi Minh City $87Datong $71
The average daily cost (per person) in Ho Chi Minh City is $87, while the average daily cost in Datong is $71. 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 Datong in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHo Chi Minh City $48Datong $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHo Chi Minh City $96Datong $46
Compare Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City and Datong
Looking for a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City or Datong? 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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $14Datong $13
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$1.33
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Taxi From Airport$7.58
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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: $283
- Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $259
- Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Phang Rang Thap Cham: $256
- Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Ca Mau: $248
- Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Vinh Tan: $242
- Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN) to Mui Ne - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $236
- Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Soc Trang: $216
- Private Transfer from Phu My Port to Ho Chi Minh hotels: $214
- Private Transfer from Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN) to Phu My Port: $214
- Private Transfer from Phu My Port to Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN): $214
- Private Transfer: Ho Chi Minh City Center to Mui Ne: $196
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Datong
Also for Datong, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From 4-Day Private Tour to Pingyao with Transfer: $988
- Private One Way Transfer from Datong to Beijing : $211
- Chengdu: Private Round-Trip Transfer to Leshan Budda: $128
- Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Hanging Temple and Hengshan from Datong: $118
- Transfer or Tour to Yungang Grottoes&Hanging Temple: $102
- Dunhuang Private Round Trip Transfer to Jiayuguan and Xuanbi Great Wall : $100
- Datong Hanging Temple Private Transfer from Hotel or Station: $69
- Transfer from Datong Railway Stations to Hotels in City Center: $35
- Private Transfer Service from Yungang Airport to Datong Hotel: $29
- Datong Yungang Airport Chauffeur Service , to Datong Transfer: $12
Is it cheaper to fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Datong?
Prices for flights to both Datong 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 $23Datong $35
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)$4.06
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Pizza$4.93
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Sweet Rice$1.14
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Pork Sandwich$0.57
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.43
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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:
- 1 hour Egg Coffee Cooking Class with Snack and Local Instructor : $12
- Vietnamese Cooking and Craft Workshop by the Lake: $12
- Saigon Food Tour & Culture Explore Ho Chi Minh City Walking Tour: $15
- Mekong Delta 4 Islands, TukTuk, Boat, Try Khot Cake Local Cooking: $20
- Saigon Street Food Tour with Local Guide: $25
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour On American Jeep/ Motorbike: $25
- Committed Non-Touristy Saigon Street Food Tour By Scooters/Car : $25
- HO CHI MINH Street Food Tour and Vietnamese Coffee: $25
- Street Food Tour In Ho Chi Minh City By Motorbike: $26
- Ho Chi Minh Scooter Adventure - City Sights & Street Food Tour: $27
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour With Students: $27
- Saigon - Tasty Food Tour By Scooters: $28
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $19Datong $25
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$5.31
Tours and Activities in Ho Chi Minh City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ho Chi Minh City.
- Cu Chi Tunnels and Sai Gon City Tour : $64
- Cu Chi Tunnels half day tours: $39
- From Ho Chi Minh to Mui Ne 3 Days Tour | 4 Star Beach Resort : $170
- Half Day Private Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $54
- Historical Walking Tour of Saigon: $36
- Ho Chi Minh Afternoon Half Day City Tour : $30
- Ho Chi Minh City Bus Tour Experience: $100
- Ho Chi Minh City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour | Vietnam: $27
- Ho Chi Minh City Private Tour: $93
- Street Food Walking Tour with 12 Tastings: $30
- Jeep tour Sai Gon Private half day culture and history tour: $100
- Mekong Delta Discovery Day Tour - My Tho - Ben Tre: $46
Tours and Activities in Datong
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Datong.
- 1 Day Datong Yungang Grottoes & Hanging Temple Tour/from Beijing: $275
- 1-Day Pingyao tour from Datong and ends of Beijing or Xi'an by Bullet Train: $267
- 2-Day Private Datong Tour:Hanging Temple, Yugang Grottoes,Wooden Pagoda and More: $298
- 4-8 hours Private Datong Great Wall Tour: $99
- All Inclusive Private Day Tour to Hanging Temple at Hengshan from Datong : $188
- All-Inclusive Private Day Tour to Wooden Pagoda and Hanging Temple from Datong: $220
- All-Inclusive Private Tour to Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Temple from Datong: $220
- Datong Classic Day Tour: $208
- Datong Day Tour to Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Temple: $203
- Datong Hanging Temple Wooden Pagoda Self-guided Tour by Car: $95
- Datong Private Day Tour to Deshengbu and Zhenchuankou Great Wall with Lunch: $190
- Datong Private Day Tour to Yanmenguan Great Wall and Yingxian Wooden Pagoda: $258
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHo Chi Minh City $7.57Datong $12
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ho Chi Minh City and Datong, we can see that Ho Chi Minh City is more expensive. And not only is Datong much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Datong would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Datong 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 Datong.
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 Datong Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ho Chi Minh City or Datong?
Ho Chi Minh City has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Datong. When comparing the sizes of Ho Chi Minh City and Datong, 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.