Which place is cheaper, Zhangye or Ho Chi Minh City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Ho Chi Minh City or Zhangye?
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 Zhangye can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Ho Chi Minh City or Zhangye?
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.
Zhangye
Zhangye, China is a city in the Gansu Province in the central north part of the country, close to Mongolia. This ancient city has often been used as a military strong hold, having been the headquarters of General Huo among many others. Zhangye is a fabulous day trip city to visit when staying in larger nearby cities.
Zhangye is privy to beautiful summer weather, with lots of sunshine and temperatures in the high 70's Fahrenheit. The best times to visit are between July and September, when temperatures and sunshine are at their highest. Autumn, Winter, and Spring tend to be a little chillier and rainier.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in Vietnam, The Best 10-Day Tours in Vietnam, The Best Historical Tours in China, and The Best 10-Day Tours in China.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHo Chi Minh City $81Zhangye $85
The average daily cost (per person) in Ho Chi Minh City is $81, while the average daily cost in Zhangye is $85. 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 Zhangye in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHo Chi Minh City $49Zhangye $38
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHo Chi Minh City $98Zhangye $76
Compare Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City and Zhangye
Looking for a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City or Zhangye? 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
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $15Zhangye $38
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:
-
Short Taxi Ride$1.40
-
Taxi From Airport$7.99
-
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:
- Mui Ne Beach: Bus transfer from/to Saigon City: $7.73
- Ho Chi Minh City airport transfer: $10
- Nha Trang: Bus transfer from/to Saigon City: $11
- Try find better than us! Airport Transfer in Ho Chi Minh APT-HTL (SGN): $13
- Private Airport Arrival / Departure transfer Ho Chi Minh City Airport (SGN): $14
- Private Arrival Transfer: Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh City Hotels: $15
- SGN Airport: the private transfer to Center (District 1 & 3): $16
- Ho Chi Minh City Airport Arrival Transfer to Hotel: $16
- Ho Chi Minh City Airport (SGN) to Ho Chi Minh hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $16
- Ho Chi Minh to Ho Chi Minh City Airport (SGN) Departure Transfer: $16
- Ho Chi Minh to Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN) - Departure Transfer: $16
- Transfer from Ho Chi Minh to Airport Tan Sơn Nhat: $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zhangye
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zhangye:
- Private Airport Transfer: Zhangye Hotel to Zhangye Airport (YZY): $59
- Private Airport Transfer: Zhangye Airport (YZY) to Zhangye Hotel: $59
Is it cheaper to fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Zhangye?
Prices for flights to both Zhangye 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
-
Food Meals for one dayHo Chi Minh City $14Zhangye $25
Typical Food Prices in Ho Chi Minh City
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Ho Chi Minh City:
-
Street Food Dinner (for Two)$4.27
-
Pizza$5.19
-
Sweet Rice$1.20
-
Pork Sandwich$0.60
-
Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.78
-
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
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $20Zhangye $10
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:
-
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.
- Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour: $0.80
- Chinatown Walking Tour Ho Chi Minh City: $0.80
- Ho Chi Minh City private walking tours with young local volunteers: $1.85
- Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour - Architecture, History & Food: $1.86
- Saigon Sites and Stories - Free Walking Tour: $2.05
- Saigon: Free Food Walking Tour: $2.13
- Walking Tour: $5.00
- City Sightseeing Panoramic Bus Tour: $7.00
- Saigon: City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $7.00
- Saigon: City Sightseeing 45-Minute Panoramic Night Tour: $7.00
- Floating Village Eco-Tourism Tan Lap - Trekking Day Trip: $7.39
- Ho Chi Minh Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
Tours and Activities in Zhangye
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Zhangye are as follows:
- Private day tour to Zhangye Danxia Landform the Rainbow Mountain: $150
- Private Day Tour: Horse Hoof Temple Grottoes and Zhangye Danxia Landform: $299
- Private Hiking Tour: Binggou Danxia and Zhangye Danxia Geopark from Zhangye: $299
- Private Hiking Tour: Pingshanhu Grand Canyon and the Horse Hoof Temple Grottoes: $235
- Private day tour to Zhangye Mati temple & Giant Buddha Temple start from Zhangye: $155
- Zhangye Danxia Half Day tour: $195
- Zhangye One Day City Tour: $77
- Zhangye Rainbow Danxia Private Day Tour: $214
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayHo Chi Minh City $7.98Zhangye $6.90
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:
-
Beer$0.40
When comparing the travel costs between Ho Chi Minh City and Zhangye, we can see that Zhangye is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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 Zhangye Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ho Chi Minh City or Zhangye?
Ho Chi Minh City has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Zhangye. When comparing the sizes of Ho Chi Minh City and Zhangye, 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.