Which place is cheaper, Sihanoukville 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 Sihanoukville?
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 Sihanoukville can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Ho Chi Minh City or Sihanoukville?
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.
Sihanoukville
Sihanoukville, also known by locals as Kompong Som, was named after King Sihanouk. Also Cambodia's youngest city, construction started in 1955 to build Cambodia's first and only deep water port so that ships would no longer have to go through the Mekong Delta in order to trade with Cambodia. Today, many visit Sihanoukville as a hub to visit Cambodia's islands.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in Vietnam, The Best 10-Day Tours in Vietnam, The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia.
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Ho Chi Minh City Prices
Vietnam PricesSihanoukville Prices
Cambodia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHo Chi Minh City $87Sihanoukville $65
The average daily cost (per person) in Ho Chi Minh City is $87, while the average daily cost in Sihanoukville is $65. 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 Sihanoukville in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHo Chi Minh City $48Sihanoukville $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHo Chi Minh City $96Sihanoukville $46
Compare Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City and Sihanoukville
Looking for a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City or Sihanoukville? 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: Sihanoukville Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $15Sihanoukville $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:
- #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
- 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
- HO CHI MINH AIRPORT: CAR 7s PICK UP HOTEL (one way transfer): $20
- Hanoi Private Transfer from Vinh City to Hanoi (HAN) Airport: $273
- Ho Chi Minh ↔ Mui Ne Daily Transfer: Shared & Private: $24
- Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN) to Mui Ne - Arrival Private Transfer: $138
- Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN) to Mui Ne - Arrival Private Transfer: $115
- Ho Chi Minh Airport Arrival Or Departure By Private Car Transfers: $15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sihanoukville
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sihanoukville:
- Private taxi transfer from Sihanoukville to Battambang: $290
- Private Taxi Transfer to Kampot: $224
- Private Transfer in Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh by VIP Alphard: $180
- Private Transfer to/from Battambang - Sihanoukville: $115
- Private Taxi Transfer Sihanoukville - Battambang Car - Mini-Van: $107
- Private Transfer : Phnom Penh ↔ Sihanouk Ville: $105
- Private Shuttle Transfer From Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh: $70
- Sihanoukville To Phnom Penh Private Transfer Mini-Van-Car: $65
- Private Taxi Transfer From Kampot - Phnom Penh City: $46
- Convenient Taxi Transfers from Sihanoukville to Kampot: $36
- Private Transfer From Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh: $35
- Sihanoukville Airport Transfers: $25
Is it cheaper to fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Sihanoukville?
Prices for flights to both Sihanoukville 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 $23Sihanoukville $32
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:
- Water Puppet Show And Dinner Cruise On Saigon River Private Tour: $1.87
- 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
- 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
- Ho Chi Minh Street Food Tour and Vietnamese Coffee: $27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sihanoukville
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sihanoukville.
- Cooking class in Kampot: $20
- Sihanoukville - Khmer Traditional Cooking Class: $110
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $19Sihanoukville $5.39
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
- Chinatown Hidden Treasures – Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour: $0.66
- Gangster Island: Saigon Street Food & Hidden Alleys Walking Tour: $0.66
- Hidden Bunker & Vietnam War - Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour: $0.66
- Hidden Jungle War Experience – The Untold Side of Saigon: $1.79
- Ho Chi Minh City private walking tours with young local volunteers: $1.79
- Mekong Delta My Tho and Ben Tre with Boat Cruise Private Tour: $1.87
- Ho Chi Minh City Highlights And Street Food Cycling Private Tour: $1.87
- Black Virgin Mountain, Cao Dai Temple, Cu Chi Tunnel Private Tour: $1.87
- 2-Day Mekong Delta Tour: Can Tho Floating Market, Flower Village: $1.87
- Vung Tau Beach and Coastal Landmarks Full Day Tour With Students: $1.87
- Private Long Tan Battlefield, Nui Dat Base and Vung Tau Day Tour: $1.87
Tours and Activities in Sihanoukville
Here are a few actual costs in Sihanoukville for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Best Sihanoukville Day Tours from Cruise Port: $79
- Best of Kep, Kampot from Sihanoukville Cruise Port: $259
- Best of Sihanoukville City Tour from Cruise Port: $75
- Bokor Mountain Adventure - History, Sights and Waterfalls: $29
- Day Trip from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh for Cruise Passengers: $189
- Discovery Tour: Caving, Climbing, Via Ferrata and Abseiling in Kampot: $53
- Exploring Bokor National Park Full-Day Tour from Sihanoukville: $99
- Exploring Kampot: A Memorable Tour from Sihanoukville: $63
- Exploring Shore Excursions from Cruise Ports: $59
- Exploring the Best of Kampot and Kep in a Full-Day Tour: $55
- From Phnom Penh Day Trip for Cruise Ship Guests: $189
- Full Day Bokor National Park Tour with Lunch & Water Included: $43
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHo Chi Minh City $7.59Sihanoukville $4.43
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 Sihanoukville, we can see that Ho Chi Minh City is more expensive. And not only is Sihanoukville much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Sihanoukville would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sihanoukville 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 Sihanoukville.
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 Sihanoukville Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ho Chi Minh City or Sihanoukville?
Ho Chi Minh City has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Sihanoukville. When comparing the sizes of Ho Chi Minh City and Sihanoukville, 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.