Which place is cheaper, Puerto Princesa 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.
Jump to 
Should you visit Ho Chi Minh City or Puerto Princesa?
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 Puerto Princesa can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Ho Chi Minh City or Puerto Princesa?
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.
Puerto Princesa
The island of Palawan is known the Philippines' last frontier and its capital, Puerto Princesa, is considered the greenest city in the Philippines. With plenty of land that has yet to be explored and inundated with tourists, Puerto Princesa, also known as "The City of the Living God," is a nature buff's dream. Whether you want to swim with starfish, walk among the mangrove treetops, or visit the world's largest saltwater crocodile at the Palawan Nature Conservation Center, Puerto Princesa and its surrounding area offers plenty of opportunities to get into the great wide open.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in Vietnam, The Best 10-Day Tours in Vietnam, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines.
-
Ho Chi Minh City Prices
Vietnam PricesPuerto Princesa Prices
Philippines Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHo Chi Minh City $87Puerto Princesa $80
The average daily cost (per person) in Ho Chi Minh City is $87, while the average daily cost in Puerto Princesa is $80. 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 Puerto Princesa in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHo Chi Minh City $48Puerto Princesa $22
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHo Chi Minh City $96Puerto Princesa $44
Compare Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City and Puerto Princesa
Looking for a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City or Puerto Princesa? 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 Puerto Princesa Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $15Puerto Princesa $47
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$1.33
-
Taxi From Airport$7.60
-
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:
- Vinpearl Resort & Spa Long Beach to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Cam Ranh HTL-APT (CXR): $14
- Transfer from Ho Chi Minh to Phan Thiet or Mui Ne, Japan Quality: $16
- Tan Son Nhat Airport Ho Chi Minh City Private Transfer: $23
- Tan Son Airport Arrival Private Transfer to Ho Chi Minh City: $40
- Swandor Cam Ranh Resort to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- Saigon Airport to Ho Chi Minh City Center Private Transfer: $19
- Round-trip Private Transfer Ho Chi Minh - Vung Tau (16 Seats Car): $141
- Radisson Blu Resort to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- Private transfer from Mui Ne to Ho Chi Minh City: $78
- Private transfer Tan Son Nhat airport - Hotels in Ho Chi Minh: $12
- Private Transfer: Thanh Hoa Airport to/from Thanh Hoa City Center: $65
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Princesa
Also for Puerto Princesa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Astoria Water Park Day Pass & Transfers: $232
- Private Transfer from Puerto Princesa to El Nido: $203
- Private Transfer to El Nido: $169
- Palawan: Private San Vicente Airport Transfers: $160
- 3day van transportation: airport transfer, city sightseeing van, beach transfers: $120
- Van Transfers to/from Sabang or Astoria: $116
- Private for your group - transfers Puerto princesa to elnido: $100
- Honda Bay Island: Island Tour with Lunch & Transfer: $52
- Puerto Princesa Palawan Private Transfers - Airport Transfers: $27
- Puerto Princesa City Van Transfers: $23
- Relaxing Massage with optional transfers: $23
- Private Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $21
Is it cheaper to fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Puerto Princesa?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Princesa 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 $23Puerto Princesa $31
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)$4.07
-
Pizza$4.94
-
Sweet Rice$1.14
-
Pork Sandwich$0.57
-
Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.45
-
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: $1.87
- 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
- Saigon Food Tour & Culture Explore Ho Chi Minh City Walking Tour: $15
- 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
- Cu Chi Tunnels & Countryside Cooking Class with Organic Farm: $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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Princesa
For Puerto Princesa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Firefly Watching Paddle Boat Tour & Dinner: $27
- Jungle Firefly Watching Boat Tour & Dinner: $32
- Firefly Watching Bay Cruise with Dinner: $34
- Firefly Watching with Dinner: $39
- Firefly Watching Tour with Dinner: $53
- Seafood Lunch or Dinner with transfers: $59
- Underground River with Dinner at Kalui: $80
- Underground River and Firefly Watching with Dinner: $87
- Balayong People's Park with Dinner and Show: $116
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $19Puerto Princesa $6.27
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$5.32
Tours and Activities in Ho Chi Minh City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ho Chi Minh City.
- 'Cost-Saving' Cu Chi Tunnels & Mekong Delta 1-Day Tour: $59
- 1 Day Mekong Delta to Cai Be from Ho Chi Minh City Tour: $45
- 1 Day Private Cai Rang Floating Market and My Tho Boat Tour: $150
- 1 Day Small Group Tour in Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta: $89
- 1 Hour Saigon River Tour in Ho Chi Minh: $13
- 1-Day Tour of Black Virgin Mountain - Cao Dai Temple - Cu Chi Tunnels from HCMC: $62
- 1-day Ho Chi Minh city and Cu Chi tunnels group tour: $46
- 1-day Mekong Delta Tour: Cai Be Market, Local Island and Cycling: $125
- 12 Street Food with Seafood on Scooter Tour Ho Chi Minh: $51
- 2 Day Mekong Delta Adventure and Floating Market Tour: $99
- 2 Day Private Mekong Delta, Riverside and Ecolodge Nature Tour: $225
- 2 Days 1 Night Mekong Delta Tour: $141
Tours and Activities in Puerto Princesa
For Puerto Princesa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 3D2N El Nido Experience: $250
- 3d2n ELNIDO Package tour: $280
- 5D4N Puerto Princesa & El Nido Experience: $299
- Best of Puerto Princesa Palawan Signature 3Day Tour in 1 Package: $195
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines: $20
- El Nido Day Tour: $80
- From Honda Bay Island Hopping Full-Day Tour: $40
- Full Day Excursion: UNESCO Underground River Tour: $48
- Full-Day UNESCO Underground River Tour: $60
- Half Day City Joiners Tour | Puerto Princesa: $34
- Half-Day City Tour from Puerto Princesa: $27
- Half-Day City Tour | Puerto Princesa: $53
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayHo Chi Minh City $7.59Puerto Princesa $13
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$0.38
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 comparing the travel costs between Ho Chi Minh City and Puerto Princesa, we can see that Ho Chi Minh City 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 Puerto Princesa Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ho Chi Minh City or Puerto Princesa?
Ho Chi Minh City has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Puerto Princesa. When comparing the sizes of Ho Chi Minh City and Puerto Princesa, 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.