Which place is cheaper, Tanah Rata 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 Tanah Rata?
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 Tanah Rata can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Ho Chi Minh City or Tanah Rata?
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.
Tanah Rata
Tanah Rata is one of the main tourist towns in the Cameron Highlands. The Cameron Highlands are in western Malaysia and are a popular retreat for Malaysian residents and international travelers alike. The area's higher elevation offers an often much needed break from the country's oppressive heat. It also has a beautiful setting that is rich in agriculture and has rolling hills that are beautifully covered in tea plantations. Tanah Rata has many of the area's tourist amenities. ATMS, banks, and the area's main hospital are all found in town. For some, the area feels too touristy, but if you linger longer, and explore on your own, you can easily escape the mass tourism and see the area for what it is.
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 $83Tanah Rata $151
The average daily cost (per person) in Ho Chi Minh City is $83, while the average daily cost in Tanah Rata is $151. 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 Tanah Rata in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHo Chi Minh City $50Tanah Rata $74
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHo Chi Minh City $100Tanah Rata $148
Compare Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City and Tanah Rata
Looking for a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City or Tanah Rata? 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 Tanah Rata Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $16Tanah Rata $32
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:
- 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 7 Seats Car: $41
- Airport Transfers (Airport - Ho Chi Minh,Private 16 Seats Car): $52
- Airport transfer Ho Chi Minh Tan Son Nhat Airport to Mui Ne: $29
- Airport transfer from TAN SON NHAT airport to HO CHI MINH: $23
- CONVENIENT AIRPORT TRANSFER by PRIVATE CAR or SCOOTERS | KissTour: $28
- Cam Ranh Riviera to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- Can Tho: Bus transfer directly to/from Saigon City: $9.76
- Da Lat: Bus transfer from/to Sai Gon with FUTA Bus Lines: $14
- Duyen Ha Resort to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- HCM: Cu Chi Ben Duoc Tunnel Day Trip with Hotel Transfers: $23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tanah Rata
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tanah Rata:
- Departure Transfer from Cameron Highland to KLIA/KLIA2: $169
- Cameron Highland to KUL Hotel (One Way Transfer): $153
- Cameron Highland to Kuala Besut Jetty One Way SIC Transfer: $150
- Shared Transfer : Cameron Highland to Taman Negara via Kuala Tembeling Jetty: $150
- Chauffeur: Cameron Highlands to Singapore Van Transfer: $124
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur Airport Departure Transfer: $110
- CameronHighland CityHotel to KualaLumpur Airport One-way Transfer: $109
- Cameron Highlands City To Kuala Lumpur City Transfer: $94
- Cameron Highlands Hotels to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $94
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $93
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $93
- Cameron Highlands City to Kuala Lumpur City One-way Transfer: $92
Is it cheaper to fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Tanah Rata?
Prices for flights to both Tanah Rata 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 $14Tanah Rata $49
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
Typical Food Prices in Tanah Rata
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Tanah Rata:
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Dinner for Two$6.23
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Dessert$0.69
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Lunch$4.39
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Afternoon tea$4.27
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $20Tanah Rata $38
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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Tanah Rata
Here are a few typical costs in Tanah Rata for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Tea Factory Visit$6.23
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Tour of Orang Asli Village$23
Tours and Activities in Tanah Rata
Here are a few actual costs in Tanah Rata for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cameron Highlands Sightseing Tour: $33
- Cameron Highlands City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur Airport EN-ROUTE Batu Caves Tour: $110
- Cameron Highlands City to Kuala Lumpur Airport EN-ROUTE Batu Caves Tour: $109
- Cameron Highlands Full Day Tour: $75
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur International Airport EN-ROUTE Batu Caves Tour: $110
- Cameron Highlands: Agro Delight Tour: $61
- Special Cameron Highlands ~ Day tour;Solo;Couple;Group: $292
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHo Chi Minh City $8.12Tanah Rata $21
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 Tanah Rata, we can see that Tanah Rata is more expensive. And not only is Ho Chi Minh City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Tanah Rata would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tanah Rata 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 Tanah Rata Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ho Chi Minh City or Tanah Rata?
Ho Chi Minh City has a larger population, and is about 500 times larger than the population of Tanah Rata. When comparing the sizes of Ho Chi Minh City and Tanah Rata, 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.