Which place is cheaper, Kingston 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 Kingston?
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 Kingston can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Ho Chi Minh City or Kingston?
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.
Kingston
Kingston is Jamaica's capital city with a population of about 579,000. For being located on an island, Kingston is a very large city with several different zip codes. Not only is Kingston the cultural capital of the country, but also the commercial one as well.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in Vietnam, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Vietnam.
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Ho Chi Minh City Prices
Vietnam PricesKingston Prices
Jamaica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHo Chi Minh City $87Kingston $126
The average daily cost (per person) in Ho Chi Minh City is $87, while the average daily cost in Kingston is $126. 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 Kingston in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHo Chi Minh City $48Kingston $63
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHo Chi Minh City $96Kingston $126
Compare Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City and Kingston
Looking for a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City or Kingston? 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 Kingston Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $15Kingston $29
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$7.60
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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:
- #1 Da Lat to Ho Chi Minh / SGN Airport : Private Luxury Transfer: $145
- CONVENIENT AIRPORT TRANSFER by PRIVATE CAR or SCOOTERS | KissTour: $28
- Comfort Van Transfer From Phong Nha or Dong Hoi to Hue: $15
- Fusion Resort to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- Golden Bridge, Marble mount, guide, lunch, transfer from Cruises: $199
- Golden peak Resort to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- HO CHI MINH AIRPORT: CAR 7s PICK UP HOTEL (one way transfer): $20
- Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN) to Mui Ne - Arrival Private Transfer: $141
- Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN) to Vung Tau - Arrival Private Transfer: $110
- Ho Chi Minh Airport Arrival Or Departure By Private Car Transfers: $15
- Ho Chi Minh Airport Arrival Or Departure Private Car Transfers: $15
- Ho Chi Minh Airport: Private Transfer: $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kingston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kingston:
- Montego Bay: 5-Day Jamaica Tour with Meals and Transfers: $2,200
- From Kingston Airport: One Way Private Transfer to Ocho Rios: $319
- Norman Manley Airport Private Round-trip Transfer to Kingston: $274
- Private Transfer from Montego Bay Cruise Port to Kingston Hotels: $265
- Group Private Kingston Airport Transfers (10 - 15 Persons): $251
- Private Transfer Kingston Airport (KIN) To & From Sandals South Coast: $240
- Port Antonio Hotel Private Roundtrip Airport Transfer from Kingston Airport(KIN): $235
- Private Transfers: Kingston Airport ↔ Montego Bay Area: $215
- Kingston Airport to & From Sandals Ocho Rios Transfer: $200
- Kingston Airport Private Transfer to Riu Ocho Rios: $200
- Private Transfer from Kingston hotel to Falmouth Cruise Port: $199
- Private Transfer Kingston Airport to Hilton Rose Hall: $187
Is it cheaper to fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Kingston?
Prices for flights to both Kingston 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 $23Kingston $45
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)$4.07
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Pizza$4.94
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Sweet Rice$1.14
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Pork Sandwich$0.57
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.45
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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: $1.87
- 1 hour Egg Coffee Cooking Class with Snack and Local Instructor: $15
- Mekong Delta 4 Islands, TukTuk, Boat, Try Khot Cake Local Cooking: $16
- HCM:Mekong Delta Boat,Khotcake cooking Coconut Village,SmallGroup: $16
- Saigon Sightseeing & Street Food Tour By scooter with Student: $20
- Ho Chi Minh city Walking Chinatown / HCM city walking food tour: $25
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour & Sightseeing By Motorbike: $26
- Saigon Evening Street Food Tour with 6 Dishes: $27
- Unique Mekong Delta 1 Day with Cooking Class & Cycling MAX 12 PAX: $29
- Super Niche Walking Street Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $29
- Michelin-Recognized Food Tour with Local Expert: $29
- Ho Chi Minh Street Food Tour By Motorbike (Unique & Authentic): $29
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $19Kingston $12
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$5.32
Tours and Activities in Ho Chi Minh City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ho Chi Minh City.
- Highlights & Hidden Gems - Free Walking Tour: $0.67
- Hidden Bunker & Vietnam War - Free Walking Tour: $0.67
- Phu My Port: Ho Chi Minh City Shore Excursion Tour With Massage: $1.87
- Cu Chi Tunnels History And Mekong Delta Culture River Cruise Tour: $1.87
- Ho Chi Minh City Sightseeing Private Tour By U.S Army Jeep: $1.87
- Black Virgin Mountain, Cao Dai Temple, Cu Chi Tunnel Private Tour: $1.87
- 2-Day Mekong Delta Tour: Can Tho Floating Market, Flower Village: $1.87
- Tan Lap Floating Village Authentic Mekong Delta Nature Tour: $1.87
- Vung Tau Beach and Coastal Landmarks Full Day Tour With Students: $1.87
- Private Long Tan Battlefield, Nui Dat Base and Vung Tau Day Tour: $1.87
- Can Gio Monkey Island and Mangrove Biosphere Full-Day Tour: $1.87
- Cat Tien National Park Adventure Biking Hiking Nature Day Tour: $1.87
Tours and Activities in Kingston
Here are a few actual costs in Kingston for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Bamboo Rafting Adventure in Ocho Rios: $62
- Bamboo Rafting and Boston Jerk Centre Tour in Portland Jamaica: $220
- Blue Mountain Bicycle Tour from Kingston: $231
- Blue Mountain Coffee Tasting & Farm Tour from Kingston: $150
- Blue Mountain Craighton Estate Coffee Tasting Tour / Devon House: $155
- Blue Mountain Waterfall and Sightseeing Ecotour: $200
- Bluehole, Dunn's River Falls and Port Royal all in one tour: $690
- Bob Marley Guided City Tour: $95
- Bob Marley Museum Express Tour from Port Royal Cruise Port: $141
- Bob Marley Museum and Kingston Sightseeing from Port Royal Cruise Port: $205
- Bob Marley's Mausoleum Tour: $167
- Bunny Lee Museum and Recording Studio Admission Ticket: $30
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHo Chi Minh City $7.59Kingston $11
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: $29
Sample the Local Flavors in Kingston
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Kingston:
- Worthy Park Estate Rum Distillery Tour with Tasting: $144
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ho Chi Minh City and Kingston, we can see that Kingston is more expensive. And not only is Ho Chi Minh City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ho Chi Minh City is in Asia and Kingston is in Caribbean Islands, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Ho Chi Minh City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ho Chi Minh City 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 Kingston would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kingston than you might in Ho Chi Minh City.
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 Kingston Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ho Chi Minh City or Kingston?
Ho Chi Minh City has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Kingston. When comparing the sizes of Ho Chi Minh City and Kingston, 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.