Which place is cheaper, Ho Chi Minh City or Koh Samet?
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 Koh Samet or Ho Chi Minh City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Koh Samet or Ho Chi Minh City, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Koh Samet or Ho Chi Minh City?
Koh Samet
The country of Thailand is full of some of the world's most stunning beauty and peaceful settings. So it begs the question, where the Thai people go to get away from it all? They go to Ko Samet on the eastern gulf coast. Located just outside of Bangkok, Ko Samet provides visitors an easily accessible and desirable weekend getaway spot. With white beaches and coral of every other color, this island has steadily developed over the last few years without an intense construction increase like many other Thai beaches. Once thought to be the home of pirates, this island provides plenty to wonder about including, are there hidden treasures under that gorgeous white sand?
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Thailand, The Best 2-Week Tours in Thailand, The Best Historical Tours in Vietnam, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Vietnam.
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Koh Samet Prices
Thailand PricesHo Chi Minh City Prices
Vietnam Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKoh Samet $125Ho Chi Minh City $89
The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Samet is $125, while the average daily cost in Ho Chi Minh City is $89. 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 Koh Samet and Ho Chi Minh City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKoh Samet $35Ho Chi Minh City $49
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKoh Samet $70Ho Chi Minh City $98
Compare Hotels in Koh Samet and Ho Chi Minh City
Looking for a hotel in Koh Samet or Ho Chi Minh City? 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: Koh Samet Hotel Prices and Ho Chi Minh City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Koh Samet $74Ho Chi Minh City $15
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$1.35
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Taxi From Airport$7.74
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Cyclo Ride (One Hour)$1.55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ho Chi Minh City
Also for Ho Chi Minh City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Ho Chi Minh: SGN Airport Private Transfer to/from Downtown: $5.00
- Mui Ne Beach: Bus transfer from/to Saigon City: $8.00
- Ho Chi Minh: SGN Airport Private Transfer to/from City Center: $8.85
- Nha Trang: Bus transfer from/to Saigon City: $11
- Private transfer Tan Son Nhat airport - Hotels in Ho Chi Minh: $12
- Ho Chi Minh City airport transfer: $13
- Ho Chi Minh Airport Arrival Or Departure By Private Car Transfers: $13
- Grand Park Water Park & Rides Ticket with Optional Transfer: $14
- Private Car Transfer: Cam Ranh Airport to Nha Trang City: $14
- Can Tho: Bus transfer directly to/from Saigon City: $14
- Ho Chi Minh Airport: Private Transfer: $14
- Ho Chi Minh Airport Transfer Service: $14
Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Samet or Ho Chi Minh City?
Prices for flights to both Ho Chi Minh City and Koh Samet 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 dayKoh Samet $51Ho Chi Minh City $23
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)$4.14
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Pizza$5.03
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Sweet Rice$1.16
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Pork Sandwich$0.58
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.57
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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:
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour with Local LGBT Student Guide: $1.90
- Ho Chi Minh City Authentic Street Food Tour With Local Students: $7.93
- Ho Chi Minh City Local Street Food Tour With Local Students: $7.93
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour & Hidden Local Gems Sightseeing: $9.92
- Mekong With Cai Be Less Tourist - Cooking Class: $14
- Saigon Food Tour & Culture Explore Ho Chi Minh City Walking Tour: $15
- Express Cooking Experience: $15
- Mekong Delta 4 Islands, TukTuk, Boat, Try Khot Cake Local Cooking: $16
- Vietnamese Spring Roll Cooking Class: $16
- HCMC: Saigon Food Tour & Chinatown & Local Market on Scooter: $17
- Ho Chi Minh City Cyclo Ride with Lunch or Dinner Experience: $18
- Ho Chi Minh City Michelin & Street Food Tour by Motorbike or Car: $18
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Koh Samet $9.73Ho Chi Minh City $20
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$5.42
Tours and Activities in Ho Chi Minh City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ho Chi Minh City.
- Chinatown Hidden Treasures – Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour: $0.62
- Highlights & Hidden Gems - Free Walking Tour: $0.62
- Ho Chi Minh City private walking tours with young local volunteers: $1.82
- Vung Tau Beach and Coastal Landmarks Full Day Tour With Students: $1.90
- Tan Lap Floating Village Authentic Mekong Delta Nature Tour: $1.90
- Ho Chi Minh City Flexible Private Tour with Spa, City Highlights: $1.90
- Private Long Tan Battlefield, Nui Dat Base and Vung Tau Day Tour: $1.90
- Budget-Friendly Guided Walking Tour: $1.91
- Ho Chi Minh Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $3.57
- Langbiang Nature Park Experience with Tickets: $4.81
- Ho Chi Minh city private tour guide: $5.00
- Ao Dai Experience Vietnamese Culture in Style: $5.00
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKoh Samet $5.08Ho Chi Minh City $7.73
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$0.39
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:
- Rooftops, Hidden Bars & Iconic Pub Crawl: $8.04
- Make Your Own Gin Experience and Saigon Baigur Distillery Tour: $36
- Make-Your-Own Gin Experience & Saigon Baigur Distillery Tour: $36
- Saigon After Dark: Pub Crawl & Party Adventure: $69
- Bike And Craft Beer Brewery Mekong Delta Cycling Tour: $152
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Samet and Ho Chi Minh City, we can see that Koh Samet 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 Koh Samet would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Koh Samet 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 Koh Samet Expensive? and Is Ho Chi Minh City Expensive?.
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.