Which place is cheaper, Khao Sok National Park 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 Khao Sok National Park?
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 Khao Sok National Park can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Ho Chi Minh City or Khao Sok National Park?
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.
Khao Sok National Park
In the south of Thailand, visitors will find a gorgeous getaway of pure nature. The Khao Sok National Park is a jungle reserve that covers over 700 square kilometers, and described as one of the most beautiful wildlife reserves in the country.
Many say this jungle is over 160 million years old making it one of the world's oldest rainforests. The lush environment of limestone, waterfalls and thickets of vegetation will make any wanderer eager to discover more. Keep your eyes peeled for bears, boars, gaurs, tapirs, gibbons, deer, marbled cats, wild elephants and more. Look to the sky for over 300 species of bird and 38 different types of bats.
You'll find the best time to book is from December to April, better known as the dry season. From June to October there is significantly more rain and the threat of monsoons. Not only does it rain on your parade, but also it causes the leeches to emerge.
To enter the park is a 300 baht fee for foreigners, 150 for children, and 40 for Thai citizens. If someone tries to sell you a ticket for more than that, simply buy one at the park entrance. When planning your stay remember that your entrance fee is only valid for 24 hours. If you're staying multiple days, you'll need to pay up front. Often if you're with a tour, the entrance fee is included in the tour price, but you should inquire about this to make sure.
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 Hiking & Trekking Tours in Thailand, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Thailand.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHo Chi Minh City $83Khao Sok National Park $95
The average daily cost (per person) in Ho Chi Minh City is $83, while the average daily cost in Khao Sok National Park is $95. 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 Khao Sok National Park in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHo Chi Minh City $50Khao Sok National Park $24
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHo Chi Minh City $100Khao Sok National Park $48
Compare Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City and Khao Sok National Park
Looking for a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City or Khao Sok National Park? 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 $16Khao Sok National Park $70
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$1.42
-
Taxi From Airport$8.13
-
Cyclo Ride (One Hour)$1.63
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ho Chi Minh City
Also for Ho Chi Minh City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Can Tho: Bus transfer directly to/from Saigon City: $9.76
- Ho Chi Minh City airport transfer: $10
- Private transfer: Ho Chi Minh Airport to district 1,3,10: $11
- Shared Bus Transfer Between Saigon and Nha Trang City: $11
- Nha Trang: Bus transfer from/to Saigon City: $11
- Da Lat: Bus transfer from/to Sai Gon with FUTA Bus Lines: $14
- Try find better than us! Airport Transfer in Ho Chi Minh APT-HTL (SGN): $15
- Ho Chi Minh Airport Arrival Or Departure Luxury Car Transfers: $15
- Private Arrival Transfer: Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh City Hotels: $15
- VIP Tour: Cu Chi Tunnels – Discover History, Optional Transfer: $16
- Ho Chi Minh City Airport Arrival Transfer to Hotel: $16
- Transfer from Ho Chi Minh to Airport Tan Sơn Nhat: $17
Is it cheaper to fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Khao Sok National Park?
Prices for flights to both Khao Sok National Park 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 $14Khao Sok National Park $28
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)$4.35
-
Pizza$5.28
-
Sweet Rice$1.22
-
Pork Sandwich$0.61
-
Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.90
-
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 Food Tour & Culture Explore Ho Chi Minh City Walking Tour: $15
- Saigon: Night Sights & Local Food Tour w Ao Dai Rider Option: $25
- Private Walking Food Tour with Local Students : $26
- Saigon: Backstreets Private Walking Food Tour & 13+ Tastings: $27
- Ho Chi Minh city Street Food Tour By Motorbike/ Car + SAFE + FUN: $27
- Saigon Evening Street Food Tour with 6 Dishes : $28
- Ho Chi Minh Street Food Tour By Motorbike (Unique & Authentic): $28
- Saigon Private/Small Group Eleven-Tastings Food Tour by Scooter: $28
- Food Tour by Scooter with Eleven Tastings: $28
- From Hochiminh & Saigon City: Private Motorbike Street Food Tour : $29
- Private Walking Food Tour with 13 Tastings: $29
- Ho Chi Minh Private Half Day Street Food Tour with Local Students: $29
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $20Khao Sok National Park $31
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$5.69
Tours and Activities in Ho Chi Minh City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ho Chi Minh City.
- Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour: $0.50
- Ho Chi Minh City private walking tours with young local volunteers: $1.92
- Ho Chi Minh Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $4.22
- Walking Tour: $5.00
- Walking tour to Chinatown in Saigon: $5.13
- Saigon City Tour By Walking: $5.13
- Ho Chi Minh: Sights & Highlights Walking tour: $6.64
- Panoramic City Bus Tour: $7.00
- Saigon: City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $7.00
- Saigon: City Sightseeing 45-Minute Panoramic Night Tour: $7.00
- Night Bus Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $7.50
- 3-Hours Trekking Tour to Hidden Waterfall and Sturgeon Farm: $8.29
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayHo Chi Minh City $8.12Khao Sok National Park $6.14
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$0.41
When comparing the travel costs between Ho Chi Minh City and Khao Sok National Park, we can see that Khao Sok National Park 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 Khao Sok National Park Expensive?.
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.