Which place is cheaper, Quito 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 Quito?
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 Quito can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Ho Chi Minh City or Quito?
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.
Quito
Nestled between two mountain ranges lies the world's highest capital city, Quito, Ecuador. For history lovers, Quito is a very desirable destination as it's home to the Quito Historic Center – one of the largest and best-preserved historic centers in the Americas.
Even though Quito is full of people – in fact, it's the second most populous city in the country – very few of its inhabitants speak English. Luckily, however, the citizens of Quito tend to speak a slower and more clear Spanish than surrounding areas. This is the perfect place to practice what you read in your Intro to Spanish book.
Before visiting Quito, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, give yourself a few days to grow accustomed to the elevation. Staying 9,350 feet above sea level takes some getting used to. Second, don't be fooled into thinking that just because you're visiting a town on the equator that you'll need all your summer clothes. Because of the city's elevation, the area keeps a relatively cool climate year round.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in Vietnam, The Best 10-Day Tours in Vietnam, The Best Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHo Chi Minh City $80Quito $52
The average daily cost (per person) in Ho Chi Minh City is $80, while the average daily cost in Quito is $52. 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 Quito in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHo Chi Minh City $48Quito $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHo Chi Minh City $96Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City and Quito
Looking for a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City or Quito? 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 Quito Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $15Quito $6.99
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$1.38
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Taxi From Airport$7.87
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Cyclo Ride (One Hour)$1.57
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ho Chi Minh City
Also for Ho Chi Minh City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer (From Hotels in Ho Chi Minh to Airport) Private 4 Seats Car: $38
- Airport Transfer (From Hotels in Ho Chi Minh to Airport) Private 7 Seats Car: $47
- Airport Transfer From Hotel in Ho Chi Minh to Airport By 4 Seats Car: $35
- Airport Transfer From Hotel in Ho Chi Minh to Airport By 7 Seats Car: $41
- Airport Transfers (Airport - Ho Chi Minh,Private 16 Seats Car): $52
- Airport transfer from TAN SON NHAT airport to HO CHI MINH: $23
- CONVENIENT AIRPORT TRANSFER by PRIVATE CAR or SCOOTERS | Kiss Tours: $28
- Duyen Ha Resort to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- Fusion Resort to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- Golden Bridge Trip with guide, lunch &Transfer from Chan May Port: $189
- Golden peak Resort to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- HO CHI MINH AIRPORT: CAR 7s PICK UP <-> HOTEL (one way transfer): $22
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Quito
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Quito:
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Taxi from Bus Terminal to Hotel$10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quito
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Quito:
- Private Transpor for tours, transfers, visits, etc, for 8 hours: $165
- From Quilotoa Lake Private Tour with Transfer & Lunch: $145
- From Mindo Cloud Forest Day Trip with Transfer: $119
- Quito Airport Private Transfer Service: $112
- Transfer to Mashpi Reserve one way : $99
- Private City Tour & Intiñam Museum Visit w/ Transfer: $94
- Private Transfer from Quito to Baños or Baños to Quito (one way): $90
- Transfer in and Transfer out: $75
- Private Transfers Quito to Tena: $65
- Private Transfer In from International Airport Mariscal Sucre to Quito : $60
- Private Transfer Quito Airport To Quito City/hotel : $57
- Airport Transfer- Hotel in Quito 1 Way: $55
Is it cheaper to fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Quito?
Prices for flights to both Quito 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 $14Quito $20
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)$4.21
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Pizza$5.12
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Sweet Rice$1.18
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Pork Sandwich$0.59
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.68
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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:
- Saigon Unseen & Food Tour By scooter w Student | Saigon Adventure: $19
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour by Motorbike/ Car with Student : $19
- Ho Chi Minh Street Food Tour By Motorbike (Unique & Authentic): $26
- Private Walking Food Tour with Local Students : $26
- Saigon: Backstreets Private Walking Food Tour & 10 Tastings: $27
- Food Tour by Scooter with Eleven Tastings: $27
- Super Niche Walking Street Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $28
- Ho Chi Minh Street Food Tour By Motorbike/Car + Sightseeing + Fun: $28
- Top Notch Street Food Tour With Saigon Vibes: $28
- Private Walking Food Tour with 13 Tastings: $28
- Private Half-Day Ho Chi Minh Food Tour with Local Students: $29
- Ho Chi Minh City Food Tour With Saigon Vibes: $29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quito
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Quito.
- Old Town Highlights & Food Tour: $35
- 3 Hours Local Food Tour in Quito: $39
- Guilty Pleasures Walking Food Tours in Quito: $45
- Cooking class In-home space: $75
- Private Famous Food Tour of Historic Old Town in Quito: $95
- Ecuadorian Cooking Class and Local Market Tour: $114
- Ecuadorian Cooking Classes Rooftop (English): $120
- Premium Cooking Class Quito Tour: $130
- Quito Private & All Inclusive Cooking Class with Certified Chef: $235
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $20Quito $16
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$5.51
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 Walking Tour Ho Chi Minh City: $0.80
- Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour: $0.80
- Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour - Architecture, History & Food: $1.86
- Ho Chi Minh City private walking tours with young local volunteers: $1.86
- Saigon: Free Food Walking Tour: $2.13
- Walking Tour: $5.00
- City Sightseeing Panoramic 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
- Ho Chi Minh Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.73
- Ho Chi Minh Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.78
- 3-Hours Trekking Tour to Hidden Waterfall and Sturgeon Farm: $8.09
Typical Entertainment Prices in Quito
Here are a few typical costs in Quito for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entrance to Guyasimine Museum for Two$8.00
Tours and Activities in Quito
Here are a few actual costs in Quito for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Flavors, Colors and History of Quito Private Tour: $185
- Otavalo Market Private Sightseeing and Surroundings: $110
- Tour Full-Day Mercado de Otavalo + Cotacachi, Ecuador.: $130
- 2 Full Days Exploring The Ecuadorian Amazon | Tour Start In Quito: $268
- 2-Day Private Tour from Quito:Baños and Quilotoa Lagoon: $329
- 2-Day Private Tour to Otavalo Market, Cuicocha Lake, Peguche and Condor´s Park: $295
- 2-day Quilotoa Lagoon and the adventure city of Baños: $265
- 3-Day Andes Adventure Visiting Cotopaxi, Quilotoa and Baños: $239
- 3-Day Private Tour of Quito: $120
- 3-Days Andes & Amazon | Tour From Quito: $858
- 8 Hours Mindo Cloud Forest Tour from Quito includes Lunch: $100
- All inclusive Quito to Banos 2 day tour: $250
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHo Chi Minh City $7.86Quito $17
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$0.39
Typical Alcohol Prices in Quito
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Quito from other travelers:
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Beers for Two$9.00
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ho Chi Minh City and Quito, we can see that Ho Chi Minh City is more expensive. And not only is Quito much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ho Chi Minh City is in Asia and Quito is in South America, 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 Quito would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Quito 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 Quito.
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 Quito Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ho Chi Minh City or Quito?
Ho Chi Minh City has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Quito. When comparing the sizes of Ho Chi Minh City and Quito, 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.