Should you visit Ho Chi Minh City or Ulaanbaatar?
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 Ulaanbaatar can help you decide which place is right for you.
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.
Ulaanbaatar
Ulaanbaatar is Mongolia's capital city. It has a population of slightly over two million people, or about sixty percent of the country's entire population. You are likely to arrive in Ulaanbaatar either by train, coming from China or Russia, or by plane. Many people use Ulaanbaatar as a stop off while doing the Transsiberian Railway. The city is a great place to organize a tour of the surrounding countryside. It's also good city to relax, so make sure you allow yourself a few days to recover from your tour, enjoy some of the great food options, and see some of the fascinating cultural sights around town.
Which city is cheaper, Ulaanbaatar or Ho Chi Minh City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Ho Chi Minh City is $71, while the average daily cost in Ulaanbaatar is $24. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Ho Chi Minh City and Ulaanbaatar in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $86 in Ho Chi Minh City For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $11. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Ulaanbaatar the cost is $22 on average.
Food
The average traveler spends about $13 per day in Ho Chi Minh City for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
In Ulaanbaatar travelers spend around $8.63 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
Ho Chi Minh City $13
Ulaanbaatar $8.63
Typical Food prices in Ho Chi Minh City
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Ho Chi Minh City:
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:
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Ho Chi Minh Private Half Day Street Food Tour with Local Students:
$18
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SaiGon Street Food Tour By Scooter With Student:
$22
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Walking Food Tour With Local Student:
$26
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Private Street Food Tour on Motorbikes:
$28
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Private Half-Day Ho Chi Minh Food Tour with Local Students:
$28
-
Saigon Food Tour by Motorbike with Local Students:
$30
-
Walking market food tour by night in Ho Chi Minh city - private groups:
$32
-
Street food Tours:
$35
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Small Floating Market & Mekong Delta Tour with Kayak, Boat, Bike, Cooking Class:
$35
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Private Street Food Tour by Scooter in Ho Chi Minh City:
$35
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Half-Day Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour By Motorbike:
$36
-
Private Walking Saigon Food Tour with Ao Dai Girl by Night:
$38
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ulaanbaatar
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ulaanbaatar.
-
Cooking Class in a Traditional Ger Home in the Suburbs of Ulaanbaatar:
$50
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Cooking famous Mongolian dumplings with local nomads:
$205
Local Transportation
Ho Chi Minh City's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $13 per person, per day on transportation in Ho Chi Minh City.
The cost of a taxi ride in Ulaanbaatar is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $2.81 per person, per day, on local transportation in Ulaanbaatar.
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
$1.54
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Taxi From Airport
$8.80
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Cyclo Ride (One Hour)
$1.76
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ho Chi Minh City
Also for Ho Chi Minh City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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2-Days Cu Chi Tunnels-Mekong Delta with Airport Transfer Small Group Tour:
$69
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Airport Transfer:
$85
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Airport Transfer (From Airport - Ho Chi Minh City (Private 16 Seats Car):
$54
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Airport Transfer (From Hotels in Ho Chi Minh to Airport) Private 4 Seats Car:
$28
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Airport Transfer (From Hotels in Ho Chi Minh to Airport) Private 7 Seats Car:
$34
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Airport Transfers (Airport - Ho Chi Minh,Private 16 Seats Car):
$52
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Airport Transfers From Airport to Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City 7 seat Car:
$46
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CONVENIENT AIRPORT TRANSFER by PRIVATE CAR or SCOOTERS | Kiss Tours:
$28
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Cu Chi Tunnels VIP Tour from Ho Chi Minh with Transfer by Limo including Lunch:
$48
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Ho Chi Minh Airport Transfer: Hotels to Tan Son Nhat Airport:
$35
-
Ho Chi Minh City Private Airport Arrival Transfer:
$19
-
Ho Chi Minh City Private Airport Departure Transfer:
$19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ulaanbaatar
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ulaanbaatar:
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Departure Private Transfer to New Ulaanbaatar Airport UBN by Business Vehicle:
$52
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Transfer service to Terelj national park:
$51
-
Airport transfer service:
$43
-
Ulaanbaatar Arrival Transfer: Airport to Hotel:
$33
-
Ulaanbaatar Departure Transfer: Hotel to Airport:
$33
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Private Pickup Transfer from Chinggis Khaan Airport to Hotels in Ulaanbaatar:
$27
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Private Drop off Transfer to Chinggis Khaan Airport from Downtown Ulaanbaatar:
$27
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Airport Transfer Service:
$25
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Airport Transfer:
$21
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Arrival Private Transfer Ulaanbaatar Train Station to City by Business Vehicle:
$16
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Departure Private Transfer City to Ulaanbaatar Train Stationby Business Vehicle:
$16
Is it cheaper to fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Ulaanbaatar?
Prices for flights to both Ulaanbaatar 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.
Entertainment
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Ho Chi Minh City can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $18 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Entertainment and activities in Ulaanbaatar typically cost an average of $4.27 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
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:
Tours and Activities in Ho Chi Minh City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ho Chi Minh City.
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The Bachelorette Full Day Private Tour with Pickup:
$3.24
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Bitexco Financial Tower: Saigon Skydeck General Admission Ticket:
$9.00
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Small-Group Half-Day Cu Chi Tunnels Tour from Ho Chi Minh City:
$9.24
-
The Insider's Saigon - Private and Custom Motorbike Tour:
$12
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Exploring Cu Chi Tunnel with Pioneer Travel Tour Guide:
$12
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Water Puppet Show Ticket in Ho Chi Minh City with Hotel Delivery:
$15
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Skip the Line: Golden Dragon Water Puppet Tickets:
$17
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Skip the Line: Golden Dragon Water Puppet Tickets:
$17
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Golden Dragon Water Puppet Entrance Tickets:
$17
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Private Ho Chi Minh Sightseeing by Motorbike with Local Students:
$19
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Private City Tour Half Day By Scooter:
$19
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Cu Chi Ben Duoc Tunnel Tour:
$20
Tours and Activities in Ulaanbaatar
Here are a few actual costs in Ulaanbaatar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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1 Day - Tour of Hustai National Park:
$262
-
1 Day City Sightseeing with Bogd Khan Winter Palace:
$77
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1 Day City Sightseeing with Bogd Khan Winter Palace and Traditional Concert:
$97
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1 Day Coach Tour of Aglag Buteel Monastery and Meditation Center Including Lunch:
$106
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1 Day Coach Tour of Genghis Khan Statue Complex and Terelj (FREE dog sledding):
$163
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1 Day Coach Tour of Genghis Khan Statue Complex and Terelj National Park Including Lunch:
$124
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1 Day Coach Tour of Genghis Khan Statue Complex and Terelj National Park Including Lunch and FREE Concert ticket:
$138
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1 Day Coach Tour of Manzushir Monastery Including Lunch:
$106
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1 Day Coach Tour of Terelj National Park Including Lunch And Free Camel Ride:
$123
-
1 Day Erdenezuu Monastery Coach Tour Including Lunch:
$118
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1 Day Horseback Riding Tour with Historic Temple in Mongolia Including Lunch:
$111
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1 Day Private Tour of Taste of Mongolia (With Hotel Pickup and Meals):
$790
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Ho Chi Minh City, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $7.04.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Ulaanbaatar may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $3.70 per day on alcoholic beverages.
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:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ho Chi Minh City and Ulaanbaatar, we can see that Ho Chi Minh City is more expensive. And not only is Ulaanbaatar much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Ulaanbaatar would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ulaanbaatar 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 Ulaanbaatar.
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