Which place is cheaper, Pingyao 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 Pingyao?
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 Pingyao can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Ho Chi Minh City or Pingyao?
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.
Pingyao
Pingyao is a small city in the Shanxi Province of China, dating back over 2700 years. The city is most famous for their old town, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old town is one of the best preserved ancient walled cities in the world dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
The climate in Pingyao is influenced by monsoons, and therefore gets hot and humid summers and chillier springs. Autumn is a great time to visit as temperatures are fairly mild-in the 50-60's Fahrenheit- and you can avoid the heavy rains of summer. Winter is also a pleasant time to visit, especially since temperatures tend not to dip below 30 and there is not much snow or bad weather.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in Vietnam, The Best 10-Day Tours in Vietnam, The Best Historical Tours in China, and The Best 10-Day Tours in China.
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Ho Chi Minh City Prices
Vietnam PricesPingyao Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHo Chi Minh City $87Pingyao $72
The average daily cost (per person) in Ho Chi Minh City is $87, while the average daily cost in Pingyao is $72. 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 Pingyao in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHo Chi Minh City $48Pingyao $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHo Chi Minh City $96Pingyao $48
Compare Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City and Pingyao
Looking for a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City or Pingyao? 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 $15Pingyao $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$1.33
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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:
- Mui Ne Beach: Bus transfer from/to Saigon City: $8.67
- Private transfer Tan Son Nhat airport - Hotels in Ho Chi Minh: $12
- Ho Chi Minh Airport Arrival Or Departure By Private Car Transfers: $13
- Private Car Transfer: Cam Ranh Airport to Nha Trang City: $14
- Ho Chi Minh Airport: Private Transfer: $14
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Cam Ranh HTL-APT (CXR): $14
- Comfort Van Transfer From Phong Nha or Dong Hoi to Hue: $15
- Ho Chi Minh Airport Arrival Or Departure Private Car Transfers: $15
- Private Arrival Transfer: Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh City Hotels: $15
- Private Departure Transfer: Ho Chi Minh City Hotels to Tan Son Nhat Airport: $15
- Private Transfer From Saigon Center To Tan Son Nhat Airport (SGN): $16
- Transfer from Ho Chi Minh to Phan Thiet or Mui Ne, Japan Quality: $16
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Pingyao
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Pingyao:
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Taxi to Train Station$1.47
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pingyao
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pingyao:
- Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Wutaishan from Pingyao: $190
- Private Transfer Servcie to Mianshan (Mian Mountain) from Pingyao: $60
Is it cheaper to fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Pingyao?
Prices for flights to both Pingyao 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 $23Pingyao $36
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
- Water Puppet Show And Dinner Cruise On Saigon River Private Tour: $1.87
- 1 hour Egg Coffee Cooking Class with Snack and Local Instructor: $15
- Saigon Food Tour & Culture Explore Ho Chi Minh City Walking Tour: $15
- Ho Chi Minh city Walking Chinatown / HCM city walking food tour: $16
- Cu Chi Tunnels & Countryside Cooking Class with Organic Farm: $20
- Saigon Sightseeing & Street Food Tour By scooter with Student: $20
- Saigon Walking Food Tour & Hidden Alleys with Locals: $26
- Saigon Evening Street Food Tour with 6 Dishes: $27
- Authentic Street Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $29
- Super Niche Walking Street Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $29
- Walking Food Tour in HCM: 10 Must- Try Local Dishes & Hidden Gems: $29
Typical Food Prices in Pingyao
Some typical examples of dining costs in Pingyao are as follows:
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Casual Lunch (for 2)$5.29
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Mango Juice$0.73
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $19Pingyao $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$5.32
Tours and Activities in Ho Chi Minh City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ho Chi Minh City.
- Chinatown Hidden Treasures – Free Walking Tour: $0.67
- Hidden Bunker & Vietnam War - Free Walking Tour: $0.67
- Highlights & Hidden Gems - Free Walking Tour: $0.67
- Hidden Jungle War Experience – The Untold Side of Saigon: $1.79
- Ho Chi Minh City private walking tours with young local volunteers: $1.79
- Classic Mekong Delta My Tho Ben Tre Tour with Vinh Trang Pagoda: $1.87
- Vung Tau Beach and Coastal Landmarks Full Day Tour With Students: $1.87
- Tan Lap Floating Village Authentic Mekong Delta Nature Tour: $1.87
- Cu Chi Tunnels History And Mekong Delta Culture River Cruise Tour: $1.87
- Black Virgin Mountain, Cao Dai Temple, Cu Chi Tunnel Private Tour: $1.87
- Ho Chi Minh City Highlights And Street Food Cycling Private Tour: $1.87
- Ho Chi Minh City Private City Tour with Highlights Hidden Gems: $1.87
Typical Entertainment Prices in Pingyao
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Pingyao are as follows:
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All Day Bike Rental (for 2)$2.94
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Temple Entrance Fee (for 2)$7.34
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Bike Parking Fee (for 2)$0.59
Tours and Activities in Pingyao
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Pingyao are as follows:
- 1-Day Pingyao Ancient Town Sightseeing Walking Tour: $170
- 1-Day Pingyao tour to Wang Family's Compound and Zhangbi Ancient Fortress: $206
- All Inclusive Pingyao Private Tour to Qiao Family Compound and Shuanglin Temple: $142
- Day tour to Wang Family Compound shuanglin temple &zhangbi castle: $210
- Half-Day Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Ancient City: $72
- One Day Tour Exploration of Pingyao Old Town and Wang Family Mansion: $183
- Pingyao Ancient City Full-Day Walking Tour: $145
- Pingyao Day Tour: Wang Family Mansion and Zhangbi Ancient Castle: $163
- Pingyao Private Tour: Shuanglin Temple And Wang's Compound: $269
- Pingyao in One Day: Including City Highlights and Shuanglin Temple Private Tour: $204
- Shuanglin Temple Tour or Entry Ticket Only Option: $18
- Private Day Tour in Pingyao Including Zhenguo and Shuanglin Temple: $164
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHo Chi Minh City $7.59Pingyao $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:
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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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ho Chi Minh City and Pingyao, we can see that Ho Chi Minh City is more expensive. And not only is Pingyao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Pingyao would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pingyao 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 Pingyao.
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 Pingyao Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ho Chi Minh City or Pingyao?
Ho Chi Minh City has a larger population, and is about 80 times larger than the population of Pingyao. When comparing the sizes of Ho Chi Minh City and Pingyao, 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.