Which place is cheaper, Manila or Ho Chi Minh City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ho Chi Minh City or Manila?
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 Manila can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Ho Chi Minh City or Manila?
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.
Manila
A sprawling metropolis that is home to more than 12 million people, Manila is one huge, misunderstood concrete jungle, full of diverse cultures, traffic, pollution, restaurants, shopping malls, noise and nightlife. If you're looking to soak in culture and feel the vibe of a place rather than seeking a city that specifically caters to tourists, Manila is the place to be. Capital of the Philippines, Manila is also the center for education, business, and transportation.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in Vietnam, The Best 10-Day Tours in Vietnam, The Best Eco Tours in Philippines, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Philippines.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHo Chi Minh City $81Manila $94
The average daily cost (per person) in Ho Chi Minh City is $81, while the average daily cost in Manila is $94. 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 Manila in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHo Chi Minh City $49Manila $55
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHo Chi Minh City $98Manila $110
Compare Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City and Manila
Looking for a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City or Manila? 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 Manila Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $15Manila $14
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$1.40
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Taxi From Airport$7.99
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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:
- Mui Ne Beach: Bus transfer from/to Saigon City: $7.73
- Ho Chi Minh City airport transfer: $10
- Nha Trang: Bus transfer from/to Saigon City: $11
- Private Arrival Transfer: Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh City Hotels: $15
- SGN Airport: the private transfer to Center (District 1 & 3): $16
- Ho Chi Minh City Airport Arrival Transfer to Hotel: $16
- Transfer from Ho Chi Minh to Airport Tan Sơn Nhat: $16
- Ho Chi Minh City Airport (SGN) to Ho Chi Minh hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $16
- Ho Chi Minh to Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN) - Departure Transfer: $16
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Cam Ranh HTL-APT (CXR): $18
- Tan Son Nhat International Airport Private Transfer: $18
- Ho Chi Minh: Tan Son Nhat Airport Private Car/Bus Transfer: $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Manila
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Manila:
- Full On 5-7 hours ATV Adventure Rivers-Mountains-Jungle with Transfers Manila: $280
- Tagaytay-Pagsanjan Falls combo tour with transfers** updated 2024: $180
- Escape to Enchanting Hidden Valley Springs! with Transfers***: $170
- Adventure Awaits: Spelunking at Cavinti Cave Complex w/ Transfers: $160
- Active Taal Volcano experience 2024 (with transfers): $140
- Amazing Pagsanjan Falls with Authentic filipino lunch Plus Transfers frm manila*: $139
- Nagpatong Rock Day hike + Tungtong Falls(with transfers**) 2023: $130
- Day Hike Mt. Batulao 811 meters with transfers from Manila** 2024: $130
- Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Paranaque Private Transfer: $120
- ⭐ Manila International Airport Car Transfer To & From City⭐: $72
- Half Day Historical Manila City tour and much more with transfers: $70
- Private Arrival Transfer: Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Manila: $68
Is it cheaper to fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Manila?
Prices for flights to both Manila 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 $14Manila $18
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)$4.27
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Pizza$5.19
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Sweet Rice$1.20
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Pork Sandwich$0.60
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.78
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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:
- 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
- Ho Chi Minh Street Food Tour By Motorbike +Sightseeing SAFE & FUN: $27
- Food Tour by Scooter with Eleven Tastings: $27
- Super Niche Walking Street Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $28
- Ho Chi Minh: Thirteen-Tastings Private Walking Food Tour: $28
- Ho Chi Minh: Original Walking Street Food Tour With Local: $29
- Ho Chi Minh: Super Niche Walking Street Food Tour With Local: $29
- Private 4-Hour Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $29
- HO CHI MINH Street Food Tour and Vietnamese Coffee: $30
- Private Saigon Street Food Tour On SCOOTER OR WALKING TOUR: $30
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Manila
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Manila.
- Manila Night Market and food tour Experience: $58
- Makati Street Food Tour Experience: $63
- ⭐ Manila Street Food Tour in the Downtown, Eat and Drink⭐: $63
- Manila Food Tour: Explore World's Oldest Chinatown: $65
- Manila Food Tour: Introduction to Philippine Street Food: $65
- Manila Chinatown Food Tour Experience with Mari: $81
- Cultural Dance Show with Dinner in Manila: $120
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $20Manila $20
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$5.59
Tours and Activities in Ho Chi Minh City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ho Chi Minh City.
- Ho Chi Minh City private walking tours with young local volunteers: $1.85
- Saigon: Free Walking Tour: $2.04
- Saigon: Free Food Walking Tour: $3.27
- Walking Tour: $5.00
- Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Double-Decker: $5.88
- 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: $7.36
- Ho Chi Minh Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.68
- Ho Chi Minh Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.83
- 3-Hours Trekking Tour to Hidden Waterfall and Sturgeon Farm: $8.06
Tours and Activities in Manila
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Manila are as follows:
- Active Taal Volcano Sightseeing & Pagsanjan Falls Day Tour (2in1): $135
- Club Crawl and Party Experience at BGC: $72
- Corregidor daytour Via Manila to Bataan: $298
- Discover Tagaytay's Countryside: Half-Day Sightseeing Tour : $80
- Experience Intramuros with Bamboo Bicycle - Ecotours: $37
- From 4-Day Sagada and Banaue Rice Terraces Tour: $339
- From Day Tour to Enchanting Hidden Valley: $160
- From Majestic Pagsanjan Falls Adventure: $160
- From Pagsanjan Falls Day Tour: $99
- From Panoramic Tagaytay Ridge Tour: $150
- From Taal Volcano Island & Pagsanjan Falls Day Tour: $135
- From Taal Volcano and Lake Boat Sightseeing Tour: $125
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHo Chi Minh City $7.98Manila $9.97
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$0.40
When comparing the travel costs between Ho Chi Minh City and Manila, we can see that Manila 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 Manila Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ho Chi Minh City or Manila?
Manila has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Ho Chi Minh City. When comparing the sizes of Ho Chi Minh City and Manila, 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.