Which place is cheaper, Sandakan 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 Sandakan?
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 Sandakan can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Ho Chi Minh City or Sandakan?
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.
Sandakan
Located on the Northeast side of the state of Sabah in Borneo is the city of Sandakan, which is the 2nd largest city in the country. Sandakan was a prosperous port town in the 1800s because of its exports of tobacco, timber, pearls, and ivory. However, this booming town that was formerly the administrative capital in North Borneo was bombed practically out of existence at the end of World War II.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Ho Chi Minh City, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Vietnam, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Malaysia, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Malaysia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHo Chi Minh City $83Sandakan $64
The average daily cost (per person) in Ho Chi Minh City is $83, while the average daily cost in Sandakan is $64. 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 Sandakan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHo Chi Minh City $50Sandakan $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHo Chi Minh City $100Sandakan $44
Compare Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City and Sandakan
Looking for a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City or Sandakan? 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 Sandakan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $16Sandakan $36
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$1.42
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Taxi From Airport$8.13
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Cyclo Ride (One Hour)$1.63
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
- Can Tho: Bus transfer directly to/from Saigon City: $9.76
- Ho Chi Minh City airport transfer: $10
- Shared Bus Transfer Between Saigon and Nha Trang City: $11
- Private transfer: Ho Chi Minh Airport to district 1,3,10: $11
- Nha Trang: Bus transfer from/to Saigon City: $11
- Ho Chi Minh Airport: Vip Fast Track Lane & Private Transfer: $14
- Da Lat: Bus transfer from/to Sai Gon with FUTA Bus Lines: $14
- Try find better than us! Airport Transfer in Ho Chi Minh HTL-APT (SGN): $15
- Try find better than us! Airport Transfer in Ho Chi Minh APT-HTL (SGN): $15
- Ho Chi Minh Airport Transfer Service: $15
- Private Arrival Transfer: Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh City Hotels: $15
Is it cheaper to fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Sandakan?
Prices for flights to both Sandakan 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 $14Sandakan $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)$4.35
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Pizza$5.28
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Sweet Rice$1.22
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Pork Sandwich$0.61
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.90
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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: Street Food Tour and The Local Life: $4.23
- 1 hour Egg Coffee Cooking Class with Snack and Local Instructor : $11
- Saigon Food Tour & Culture Explore Ho Chi Minh City Walking Tour: $15
- Saigon Unseen & Food Tour By scooter w Student | Saigon Adventure: $20
- Saigon: City Day Sights & Local Food Tour|Opt: Ao Dai Riders: $24
- Saigon: Night Sights & Local Food Tour w Ao Dai Rider Option: $25
- Private Walking Food Tour with Local Students : $26
- Ho Chi Minh city Street Food Tour By Motorbike/ Car + SAFE + FUN: $27
- Saigon: Private Backstreets Walking Food Tour & 12+ Tastings: $27
- Saigon Private/Small Group Walking Food Tour with 13 Tastings: $28
- Saigon Evening Street Food Tour with 6 Dishes : $28
- Saigon Private/Small Group Eleven-Tastings Food Tour by Scooter: $28
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sandakan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sandakan.
- Mangrove Cruise with Fireflies Tour Including Dinner from Sandakan: $64
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $20Sandakan $7.92
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$5.69
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 Free Walking Tour: $0.02
- Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour: $0.50
- Explore Mekong Delta Tour With Local Guide: $0.85
- Ho Chi Minh City private walking tours with young local volunteers: $1.92
- Ho Chi Minh Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $4.20
- Saigon Sites and Stories - Walking Tour: $4.23
- Walking Tour: $5.00
- Walking tour to Chinatown in Saigon: $5.13
- Ho chi minh: Nguyen's Royal Museum Ticket: $6.31
- Ho Chi Minh: Sights & Highlights Walking tour: $6.60
- Panoramic City Bus Tour: $7.00
- Saigon: City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $7.00
Tours and Activities in Sandakan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Sandakan are as follows:
- 2D1N Sandakan Private Tour with Kinabatangan River Cruise: $290
- Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre & Sepilok Orang Utan Rehab Centre Tour: $112
- Borneo Kinabatangan River Cruise Day Trip: $78
- Borneo Wildlife Tour 2 Days 1 Night At Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp Kinabatangan: $200
- Borneo Wildlife Tour 3 Days 2 Nights At Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp Kinabatangan: $250
- Kinabatangan River Cruise from Sandakan: $90
- Labuk Proboscis, Sepilok, Sun Bear, Sandakan City Tour & Lunch: $147
- Private Full Day Sepilok Orang Utan, Bornean Sun Bear and Rainforest Discovery Center Tour: $125
- Private Tour: Half Day Sandakan City Tour Including Local Lunch: $51
- Kinabatangan River Wildlife Cruise with Lunch: $189
- Orangutan Sanctuary Shared Day Trip Tour: $334
- Sepilok Orang Utan & Bornean Sun Bear Centre with Sandakan City Tour with Lunch: $191
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHo Chi Minh City $8.12Sandakan $7.26
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$0.41
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ho Chi Minh City and Sandakan, we can see that Ho Chi Minh City is more expensive. And not only is Sandakan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Sandakan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sandakan 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 Sandakan.
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 Sandakan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ho Chi Minh City or Sandakan?
Ho Chi Minh City has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Sandakan. When comparing the sizes of Ho Chi Minh City and Sandakan, 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.