Which place is cheaper, Ho Chi Minh City or Lahore?
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 Lahore or Ho Chi Minh City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Lahore and Ho Chi Minh City. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Lahore or Ho Chi Minh City?
Lahore
As Pakistan's second largest city and the capital of the north-eastern Punjab province, Lahore is widely considered the country's cultural capital. Some of its best-known features include the Lahore Fort, Badshahi Mosque and Gurdwara, a mall surrounded by buildings from the British Raj, and many unique markets and neighborhoods.
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 Adventure Tours to Pakistan, The Best Cultural Tours in Pakistan, The Best Historical Tours in Vietnam, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Vietnam.
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Lahore Prices
Pakistan PricesHo Chi Minh City Prices
Vietnam Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLahore $67Ho Chi Minh City $87
The average daily cost (per person) in Lahore is $67, while the average daily cost in Ho Chi Minh City is $87. 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 Lahore and Ho Chi Minh City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLahore $37Ho Chi Minh City $48
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLahore $74Ho Chi Minh City $96
Compare Hotels in Lahore and Ho Chi Minh City
Looking for a hotel in Lahore 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: Lahore Hotel Prices and Ho Chi Minh City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Lahore $9.94Ho Chi Minh City $15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lahore
Also for Lahore, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transit Trip: Lahore Guided Day Trip With Round Trip Airport Transfers: $140
- Airport Transfer: $60
- Chauffeur: Lahore International Airport Transfer - Departure: $30
- Chauffeur: Lahore International Airport Transfer - Arrival: $30
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$1.33
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Taxi From Airport$7.60
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Cyclo Ride (One Hour)$1.52
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ho Chi Minh City
Also for Ho Chi Minh City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Taxi transfer from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City: $358
- Hanoi Private Transfer from Vinh City to Hanoi (HAN) Airport: $278
- Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $259
- Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Phang Rang Thap Cham: $254
- Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Ha Tien Pier: $246
- Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Ca Mau: $246
- Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Vinh Tan: $240
- Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN) to Mui Ne - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $233
- Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN) to Vung Tau Round-Trip Private Transfer: $219
- Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Soc Trang: $214
- Private Car Transfer Phong Nha to Hue (stops at Vinh Moc and DMZ): $200
- Golden Bridge, Marble mount, guide, lunch, transfer from Cruises: $199
Is it cheaper to fly into Lahore or Ho Chi Minh City?
Prices for flights to both Ho Chi Minh City and Lahore 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 dayLahore $24Ho Chi Minh City $23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lahore
For Lahore, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Street Food Tour of Lahore's Walled City: $85
- Lahore's Complete Night Food Tour: Local Culinary Experience: $110
- Ganda Singh Border Flag Ceremony 1-day Tour with Dinner: $120
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)$4.07
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Pizza$4.94
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Sweet Rice$1.14
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Pork Sandwich$0.57
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.45
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Western Lunch (for Two)$11
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:
- Water Puppet Show And Dinner Cruise On Saigon River Private Tour: $1.87
- Saigon Food Tour & Culture Explore Ho Chi Minh City Walking Tour: $15
- 1 hour Egg Coffee Cooking Class with Snack and Local Instructor: $15
- Mekong Delta 4 Islands, TukTuk, Boat, Try Khot Cake Local Cooking: $16
- HCM:Mekong Delta Boat,Khotcake cooking Coconut Village,SmallGroup: $16
- Cu Chi Tunnels & Countryside Cooking Class with Organic Farm: $20
- Saigon Sightseeing & Street Food Tour By scooter with Student: $20
- Saigon Scooter Adventure - City Sights & Street Food Tour: $21
- Ho Chi Minh city Walking Chinatown / HCM city walking food tour: $25
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour & Sightseeing By Motorbike: $26
- Saigon Walking Food Tour & Hidden Alleys with Locals: $26
- Ho Chi Minh Street Food Tour and Vietnamese Coffee: $27
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Lahore $5.06Ho Chi Minh City $19
Tours and Activities in Lahore
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Lahore.
- 2 Days Private Guided Tour in Lahore: $240
- 2-Perfect Days in Lahore with a Local Tour Guide: $300
- Full Day Private Guided Lahore Sightseeing Tour: $95
- Guided Walking Tour: Walled City of Lahore: $90
- Kartarpur Corridor and Gurdwara Sahib Yatra Guided Tour: $175
- Katas Raj Temple and Khewra Salt Mines in Kalar Kahar Day Tour: $250
- Khewra Salt Mines & Katas Raj Temple One Day Guided Tour: $190
- Lahore Big Bus City Tour: $40
- Lahore City, Fort, Museums and Walled City Exploration Tour: $120
- Lahore Full Day Sightseeing Guided Tour: $149
- Lahore Full Day Sightseeing Tour: $140
- Lahore Full Day Sightseeing Tour: $150
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$5.32
Tours and Activities in Ho Chi Minh City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ho Chi Minh City.
- 'Cost-Saving' Cu Chi Tunnels & Mekong Delta 1-Day Tour: $59
- 1 Day Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta Private Adventure: $156
- 1 Day Mekong Delta to Cai Be from Ho Chi Minh City Tour: $45
- 1 Day Private Cai Rang Floating Market and My Tho Boat Tour: $150
- 1 Hour Saigon River Tour in Ho Chi Minh: $13
- 1-Day Explore Non-Touristy Side Of Mekong Delta- Group 10 Max: $130
- 1-Day Tour of Black Virgin Mountain - Cao Dai Temple - Cu Chi Tunnels from HCMC: $62
- 1-day Ho Chi Minh city and Cu Chi tunnels group tour: $46
- 1-day Mekong Delta Tour: Cai Be Market, Local Island and Cycling: $125
- 1-day My Tho boat trip in Mekong Delta group tour from Ho Chi Minh: $34
- 12 Street Food with Seafood on Scooter Tour Ho Chi Minh: $51
- 2 Day Mekong Delta Adventure and Floating Market Tour: $99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLahore $4.87Ho Chi Minh City $7.59
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$0.38
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:
- Make Your Own Gin Experience and Saigon Baigur Distillery Tour: $29
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lahore and Ho Chi Minh City, we can see that Ho Chi Minh City is more expensive. And not only is Lahore much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Lahore would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lahore 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 Lahore.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Lahore Expensive? and Is Ho Chi Minh City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Lahore or Ho Chi Minh City?
Lahore has a larger population, and is about 82% larger than the population of Ho Chi Minh City. When comparing the sizes of Lahore and Ho Chi Minh City, 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.