Which place is cheaper, Saint John 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 Saint John?
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 Saint John can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Ho Chi Minh City or Saint John?
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.
Saint John
With the popularity of the Caribbean rising, many islands have become touristy and expensive – but not St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
At only nine miles long and five miles wide, St. John is the smallest of the Virgin Islands, and, many argue, the prettiest. It's the kind of place that has maintained it's cultural identity, but still welcomes visitors from all over the world. With a population of just 5,000, the residents of St. John know everyone and everything happening on the island.
This island is perfect for people who want an undisturbed island getaway at any price. Between resorts and campgrounds there is a spot for everyone on St. John.
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 PricesSaint John Prices
USVI Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHo Chi Minh City $87Saint John $233
The average daily cost (per person) in Ho Chi Minh City is $87, while the average daily cost in Saint John is $233. 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 Saint John in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHo Chi Minh City $48Saint John $106
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHo Chi Minh City $96Saint John $212
Compare Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City and Saint John
Looking for a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City or Saint John? 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 $15Saint John $49
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
- Airport Transfers (Airport - Ho Chi Minh,Private 16 Seats Car): $50
- CONVENIENT AIRPORT TRANSFER by PRIVATE CAR or SCOOTERS | KissTour: $28
- Cam Ranh Riviera to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- Chan May Private transfer to Hoian via Hai Van Pass, marble Hills: $66
- Duyen Ha Resort to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- From Phu My Port: Ho Chi Minh City Tour and Transfers: $143
- 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: $139
Is it cheaper to fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Saint John?
Prices for flights to both Saint John 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 $23Saint John $97
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
- Ho Chi Minh City Local Street Food Tour With Local Students: $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
- Cu Chi Tunnels & Countryside Cooking Class with Organic Farm: $20
- Saigon Sightseeing & Street Food Tour By scooter with Student: $20
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour & Sightseeing By Motorbike: $26
- Ho Chi Minh Street Food Tour and Vietnamese Coffee: $27
- Super Niche Walking Street Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $28
- Authentic Street Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $29
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $19Saint John $23
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: $0.66
- Hidden Bunker & Vietnam War - Free Walking Tour: $0.66
- Chinatown Hidden Treasures – Free Walking Tour: $0.66
- Ho Chi Minh City private walking tours with young local volunteers: $1.79
- Ho Chi Minh City Sightseeing Panoramic Cyclo Private Tour: $1.87
- Tan Lap Floating Village Authentic Mekong Delta Nature Tour: $1.87
- Mekong Delta My Tho and Ben Tre with Boat Cruise Private Tour: $1.87
- Phu My Port: Ho Chi Minh City Shore Excursion Tour With Massage: $1.87
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Walking Tour with Optional Activity: $1.87
- Private Long Tan Battlefield, Nui Dat Base and Vung Tau Day Tour: $1.87
- Vung Tau Beach and Coastal Landmarks Full Day Tour With Students: $1.87
- Cu Chi Tunnels History And Mekong Delta Culture River Cruise Tour: $1.87
Tours and Activities in Saint John
Here are a few actual costs in Saint John for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- St. John: A Private Island Adventure Tour & Trunk Bay Beach: $627
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHo Chi Minh City $7.59Saint John $44
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
- Bike And Craft Beer Brewery Mekong Delta Cycling Tour: $152
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ho Chi Minh City and Saint John, we can see that Saint John 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 Saint John 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 Saint John would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint John 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 Saint John Expensive?.
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.