Which place is cheaper, Johor Bahru 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 Johor Bahru?
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 Johor Bahru can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Ho Chi Minh City or Johor Bahru?
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.
Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru is the capital of the state of Johor in Southern Malaysia. Though it is largely industrial and does not typically cater to tourists, especially compared to the grandeur of neighboring Singapore, the city does have some opportunities for shopping, dining, and entertainment.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in Vietnam, The Best 10-Day Tours in Vietnam, The Best Luxury Tours to Malaysia, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Malaysia.
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Ho Chi Minh City Prices
Vietnam PricesJohor Bahru Prices
Malaysia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHo Chi Minh City $89Johor Bahru $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Ho Chi Minh City is $89, while the average daily cost in Johor Bahru is $66. 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 Johor Bahru in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHo Chi Minh City $48Johor Bahru $41
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHo Chi Minh City $96Johor Bahru $82
Compare Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City and Johor Bahru
Looking for a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City or Johor Bahru? 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 Johor Bahru Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $15Johor Bahru $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$1.35
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Taxi From Airport$7.72
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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 City airport transfer: $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
- 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
- Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN) to Ho Chi Minh hotels Arrival Transfer: $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Johor Bahru
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Johor Bahru:
- Johor Bahru to Cameron Highland Hotels (Door to Door) Private Transfer: $235
- Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur Transfer [Car]: $216
- Singapore Universal Studio & S.E.A Aquarium-COMBO One-Day Pass(Shared transfer): $212
- LEGOLAND Malaysia Admission Ticket with Return Transfer from Kuala Lumpur: $189
- Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Penang Island Transfer [Van]: $159
- Private Transfer from Legoland (Malaysia) to Seletar Airport (XSP): $148
- Johor Hotels to Malacca Hotels (Door to Door) Transfer: $142
- Private Transfer : Johor Bharu (JB) to Kuala Lumpur (KL): $136
- Chauffeur: Johor Bahru to Cameron Highlands Transfer [Van]: $123
- Universal Studios Singapore Tickets with Round-trip Transfers: $117
- LEGOLAND Malaysia to Kuala Lumpur City One-way Transfer: $105
- LEGOLAND Malaysia to Kuala Lumpur City Hotels One-way Transfer: $105
Is it cheaper to fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Johor Bahru?
Prices for flights to both Johor Bahru 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 $23Johor Bahru $16
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)$4.13
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Pizza$5.01
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Sweet Rice$1.16
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Pork Sandwich$0.58
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.55
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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 Local Street Food Tour With Local Students: $1.89
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour with Local LGBT Student Guide: $1.89
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour & Hidden Local Gems Sightseeing: $9.85
- 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 Cyclo Ride with Lunch or Dinner Experience: $18
- Saigon Sightseeing & Street Food Tour By scooter with Student: $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
- Street Food Tour In Ho Chi Minh City By Motorbike: $26
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $19Johor Bahru $8.07
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$5.40
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 Hidden Treasures – Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour: $0.63
- Pho-nomenal 10 Tastings - Saigon Street Food & Hidden Alleys Tour: $0.63
- Hidden Bunker & Vietnam War - Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour: $0.63
- Highlights & Hidden Gems - Free Walking Tour: $0.63
- Ghosts & Legends of Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City Night Walking Tour: $0.63
- Ho Chi Minh City private walking tours with young local volunteers: $1.81
- Cu Chi Tunnels History And Mekong Delta Culture River Cruise Tour: $1.89
- Mekong Delta My Tho and Ben Tre with Boat Cruise Private Tour: $1.89
- Ho Chi Minh City Flexible Private Tour with Spa, City Highlights: $1.89
- 2-Day Mekong Delta Tour: Can Tho Floating Market, Flower Village: $1.89
- Private Long Tan Battlefield, Nui Dat Base and Vung Tau Day Tour: $1.89
- Phu My Port: Ho Chi Minh City Shore Excursion Tour With Massage: $1.89
Tours and Activities in Johor Bahru
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Johor Bahru are as follows:
- Adventure Cove WaterPark Sentosa Island Singpore: $34
- Adventure Cove Waterpark Tickets: $49
- Adventure Waterpark Desaru Coast Admission Ticket in Johor: $29
- Adventure Waterpark Desaru Coast Admission Ticket in Johor: $30
- Adventure Waterpark Ticket Desaru Coast: $19
- DaVinci & The Wheel of Time - Cinematic Walkthrough VR Experience: $19
- Firefly Tour Johor Bahru@Kota Tinggi Firefly Park: $6.55
- Harry Potter Visions of Magic Singapore Entry Ticket with Voucher: $72
- Johor Bahru : Seadoo JetSki 30mins Self Ride Tour (Double): $86
- Johor Bahru : Seadoo JetSki 30mins Self Ride Tour(Single): $62
- Brooklyn Cruise at Puteri Harbour: $11
- Johor Day Tour - Ostrich Farm, Beach, Waterfall, Fireflies [Car]: $281
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHo Chi Minh City $7.71Johor Bahru $5.26
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$0.39
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ho Chi Minh City and Johor Bahru, we can see that Ho Chi Minh City is more expensive. And not only is Johor Bahru much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Johor Bahru would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Johor Bahru 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 Johor Bahru.
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 Johor Bahru Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ho Chi Minh City or Johor Bahru?
Ho Chi Minh City has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Johor Bahru. When comparing the sizes of Ho Chi Minh City and Johor Bahru, 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.