Which place is cheaper, Xiamen 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 Xiamen?
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 Xiamen can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Ho Chi Minh City or Xiamen?
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.
Xiamen
Xiamen is a coastal city in the Fujian Province of China and has been a major port city and gateway to China for centuries. This vibrant and modern city was named the most livable city in the world in 2002 and one of the first cities to be named a Special Economic Zone. Xiamen is best known for being home to Gulangyu Island, a beautiful island full of historic colonial buildings and lovely walking paths.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in Vietnam, The Best 10-Day Tours in Vietnam, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, and The Best Historical Tours in China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHo Chi Minh City $81Xiamen $64
The average daily cost (per person) in Ho Chi Minh City is $81, while the average daily cost in Xiamen 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 Xiamen in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHo Chi Minh City $49Xiamen $30
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHo Chi Minh City $98Xiamen $60
Compare Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City and Xiamen
Looking for a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City or Xiamen? 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 $15Xiamen $5.98
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$1.40
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Taxi From Airport$7.99
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Cyclo Ride (One Hour)$1.60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ho Chi Minh City
Also for Ho Chi Minh City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Cam Ranh HTL-APT (CXR): $18
- Try find better than us! Airport Transfer in Ho Chi Minh HTL-APT (SGN): $19
- Try find better than us! Airport Transfer in Ho Chi Minh APT-HTL (SGN): $13
- Transfer from Ho Chi Minh to Airport Tan Sơn Nhat: $16
- The Anam Resort to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- Tan Son Nhat International Airport Transfer: $23
- Tan Son Nhat International Airport Private Transfer: $18
- Tan Son Nhat Airport: Private Transfer to/from Ho Chi Minh: $22
- Swandor Cam Ranh Resort to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- Saigon Airport to Ho Chi Minh City Center Private Transfer: $21
- Sai Gon Airport Departure Private Transfer: $32
- SGN Airport: the private transfer to Center (District 1 & 3): $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Xiamen
Also for Xiamen, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer between Xiamen City and Tianluokeng Tulou Village: $115
- Private Transfer to Tianluokeng Tulou and Hekeng Hakka Tulou from Xiamen City : $98
- Private Transfer to Gaobei Tulou and Hongkeng Tulou from Xiamen City: $98
- Private Transfer between Xiamen City and Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster : $89
- Private Transfer Service between Xiamen and Anxi : $89
- Private Transfer Between Xiamen City and HongKeng Hakka Tulou Cluster: $89
- Private Transfer between Xiamen City and Hua’an Earth Building: $89
- Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport Chauffeur Service ,Xiamen Airport Transfer: $47
- Private Transfer between Riyue Gu Hotspring Resort and Xiamen City : $32
- Private Xiamen Gaoqi Airport Arrival Transfer to City Area: $30
- Xiamen North Railway Station Private Transfer from City Area: $19
- Xiamen Gaoqi Airport Private Transfer to Local Railway Station : $19
Is it cheaper to fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Xiamen?
Prices for flights to both Xiamen 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 $14Xiamen $26
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)$4.27
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Pizza$5.19
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Sweet Rice$1.20
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Pork Sandwich$0.60
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.78
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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:
- Private Walking Food Tour with Local Students : $26
- Ho Chi Minh Street Food Tour By Motorbike (Unique & Authentic): $26
- Ho Chi Minh Street Food Tour By Motorbike + Sightseeing: $27
- Saigon: Backstreets Private Walking Food Tour & 10 Tastings: $27
- Food Tour by Scooter with Eleven Tastings: $27
- Ho Chi Minh Food Tour on Back of Motobike with Local Guide: $27
- Super Niche Walking Street Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $28
- Private Walking Food Tour with 13 Tastings: $28
- Ho Chi Minh: Original Walking Street Food Tour With Local: $29
- Private Half-Day Ho Chi Minh Food Tour with Local Students: $29
- Ho Chi Minh: Super Niche Walking Street Food Tour With Local: $29
- Private 4-Hour Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $29
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $20Xiamen $16
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$5.59
Tours and Activities in Ho Chi Minh City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ho Chi Minh City.
- Chan May Port to Hoi An Ancient Town & Marble Mountains Car/Tour: $10
- Cu Chi Tunnels half day tours: $39
- From Ho Chi Minh to Mui Ne 3 Days Tour | 4 Star Beach Resort : $170
- Half Day Private Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $70
- Mekong Delta Discovery Day Tour - My Tho - Ben Tre: $46
- Mekong Vespa Tour 5 hours: $92
- Mui Ne,Fairy Spring, Sand dunes, Fishing Village, Private Tour: $290
- Non-Touristy Mekong Delta with Biking in Ben Tre Private Tour: $40
- SAIGON SHORE EXCURSION: Past and Present Tour from Cruise Port: $111
- Saigon Vegetarian Tour by Motorbike and Scooter: $39
- Vietnam Classic Day Tour in Ho Chi Minh with Cu Chi Tunnels: $18
- 'Cost-Saving' Cu Chi Tunnels & Mekong Delta 1-Day Tour: $65
Tours and Activities in Xiamen
For Xiamen, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Fujian Tulou Private Day Tour to World Heritage Site Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster: $178
- Xiamen Private One Day Tailor Made Tour with Gulangyu and City Highlights : $176
- 1-Day Xiamen City Highlights and Gulangyu Island Private Tour: $244
- 4-Hour Xiamen Private Shore Excursion Tour in Your Way: $121
- 4-hour Xiamen Private Flexible Tour in Your Way: $113
- A Night Tour to Xiamen Gulang Island: $100
- Day Tour to Admire the Panorama of Gulangyu Island and Visit the Precious Birds: $110
- Dongshan Island Highlights Full-Day Private Tour: $232
- Flexible Private Half-Day Tour to Visit the Top Attraction Xiamen Yuanbo Garden: $110
- Flexible Private Xiamen Layover Tour with Meal: $176
- Flexible Xiamen Private Half Day Tour to Experience Xiamen Botanical Garden: $105
- Flexible Xiamen Private Half Day Tour with Meal Option: $109
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHo Chi Minh City $7.98Xiamen $17
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$0.40
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ho Chi Minh City and Xiamen, we can see that Ho Chi Minh City is more expensive. And not only is Xiamen much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Xiamen would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Xiamen 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 Xiamen.
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 Xiamen Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ho Chi Minh City or Xiamen?
Ho Chi Minh City has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Xiamen. When comparing the sizes of Ho Chi Minh City and Xiamen, 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.