Which place is cheaper, Ho Chi Minh City or Nairobi?
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 Nairobi or Ho Chi Minh City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Nairobi and Ho Chi Minh City can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Nairobi or Ho Chi Minh City?
Nairobi
Nairobi is Kenya's capital as well as the country's largest city. With a population of about 3 million, it is also one of the largest cities in Africa. It is a prominent city both politically and financially within the region. There are many international companies that are located in Nairobi and the Nairobi Securities and Exchange is one of the largest in Africa.
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 Safaris in Kenya, The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Historical Tours in Vietnam, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Vietnam.
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Nairobi Prices
Kenya PricesHo Chi Minh City Prices
Vietnam Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNairobi $67Ho Chi Minh City $87
The average daily cost (per person) in Nairobi 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 Nairobi and Ho Chi Minh City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNairobi $12Ho Chi Minh City $48
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNairobi $24Ho Chi Minh City $96
Compare Hotels in Nairobi and Ho Chi Minh City
Looking for a hotel in Nairobi 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: Nairobi Hotel Prices and Ho Chi Minh City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nairobi $11Ho Chi Minh City $15
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Nairobi
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Nairobi:
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Taxi from Airport$9.26
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nairobi
Also for Nairobi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Road Transfer from Nairobi to Amboseli national park: $197
- Airport transfers: $180
- Private Transfer in Nairobi: $180
- Private Transfer from Nairobi Airport or City to Mara by road: $160
- Private Shuttle Van Transfer: $100
- Nairobi Airports Private Transfers: $100
- Nairobi National Park Tour with Game Drive and Transfer: $95
- Nairobi National Park Tour with Game Drive and Transfer: $95
- Airport Transfer (one Way): $80
- Private Transfer from Nairobi to Naivasha: $70
- Airport Transfers in Nairobi City: $70
- Airport Transfers In Nairobi City: $67
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:
- Vinpearl Resort & Spa Long Beach to Nha Trang - Private Transfer: $20
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Cam Ranh HTL-APT (CXR): $14
- Transfer from Ho Chi Minh to Phan Thiet or Mui Ne, Japan Quality: $14
- Tan Son Airport Arrival Private Transfer to Ho Chi Minh City: $40
- Shared Arrival Transfer - Hanoi Airport to Sapa Hotel: $150
- Round-trip Private Transfer Ho Chi Minh - Vung Tau (7 Seats Car): $122
- Round-trip Private Transfer Ho Chi Minh - Vung Tau (16 Seats Car): $141
- Private transfer from Mui Ne to Ho Chi Minh City: $87
- Private transfer Tan Son Nhat Airport (SGN) - Hotels In City: $17
- Private Transfer: Vinh Airport to/from Vinh City Center: $37
- Private Transfer: Tuy Hoa Airport to/from Phu Yen City Center: $37
- Private Transfer: SGN/HCM City → Mui Ne/Phan Thiet | Fixed: $154
Is it cheaper to fly into Nairobi or Ho Chi Minh City?
Prices for flights to both Ho Chi Minh City and Nairobi 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 dayNairobi $13Ho Chi Minh City $23
Typical Food Prices in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner for Two$5.02
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Kenyan Cooking Class & Authentic Dining Experience with a Local: $40
- Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class & Local Market Tour: $55
- Private Interactive Cooking Class and Market Tour in Kinoo: $65
- Dinner/Lunch Eating Experience Carnivore Restaurant & Transport: $75
- Safari Park dinner with live band music and cat dance show.: $90
- Nairobi Nightlife and Safari Park Hotel Dinner Experience: $90
- Safari Cat Dancers Show And Dinner: $100
- Barbecue Lunch/ Dinner At The Carnivore Restaurant - Nairobi: $100
- Nairobi National Park Afternoon Game Drive/ Dinner Carnivore Restaurant: $100
- Nairobi dinner and safari cat dancers: $100
- Authentic home dinner with a local Family in Nairobi: $108
- Authentic Local Kenyan Food Tour: $108
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:
- Ho Chi Minh City Local Street Food Tour With Local Students: $1.87
- Water Puppet Show And Dinner Cruise On Saigon River Private Tour: $1.87
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour with Local LGBT Student Guide: $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
- 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 Street Food Tour and Vietnamese Coffee: $27
- Super Niche Walking Street Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $28
- Walking Food Tour in HCM: 10 Must- Try Local Dishes & Hidden Gems: $29
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Nairobi $46Ho Chi Minh City $19
Typical Entertainment Prices in Nairobi
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Nairobi's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Village Visit$15
Tours and Activities in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1 Day Bike Tour to Hell’s Gate And Lake Naivasha: $139
- 1 Day Hell's Gate Bicycle Tour (minimum 2 Pax): $280
- 1 Day Hiking Adventure At Mt Longonot From Nairobi(minimum 2 Pax): $225
- 1 Day Purple Farm Tour from Nairobi Tea Tasting and Lunch: $295
- 1-Day Mount Longonot Hiking Adventure From Nairobi: $195
- 3 Day Maasai Mara Group Joining Safari With Guided Tour: $250
- 3 Days 8th Wonder Of The World with Maasai Mara Great Tour: $242
- 3 Days Maasai Mara Group Safari on 4x4 Land Cruiser Jeep: $295
- 3 Days Maasai Mara Shared Tour with Private Accommodation: $250
- 3 Days Maasai Mara Small Group Safari in a 4 x4 Land Cruiser Jeep: $220
- 3 Days and 2 Night Maasai Mara Group Safari Tour: $295
- 3 Hour Nairobi National Museum and Snake Park Tour: $95
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 City Tour: Saigon Chinatown, Must-See Icons & Cyclo Ride: $128
- 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 Mekong Delta Tour: Cai Be Market, Local Island and Cycling: $125
- 2 Day Mekong Delta Adventure and Floating Market Tour: $99
- 2 Days 1 Night Mekong Delta Tour: $141
- 2 Days 1 Night Shared Tour in K50 Waterfall: $238
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNairobi $16Ho Chi Minh City $7.59
Sample the Local Flavors in Nairobi
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Nairobi:
- Food and Wine Tasting Experience at Five Senses Restaurant: $155
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
- Bike And Craft Beer Brewery Mekong Delta Cycling Tour: $152
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nairobi and Ho Chi Minh City, we can see that Ho Chi Minh City is more expensive. And not only is Nairobi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Nairobi is in Africa and Ho Chi Minh City is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Nairobi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Nairobi 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 Nairobi.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Nairobi Expensive? and Is Ho Chi Minh City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Nairobi or Ho Chi Minh City?
Ho Chi Minh City has a larger population, and is about 26% larger than the population of Nairobi. When comparing the sizes of Nairobi 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.