Which place is cheaper, Ho Chi Minh City or Petra?
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 Petra or Ho Chi Minh City?
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 Petra and Ho Chi Minh City can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Petra or Ho Chi Minh City?
Petra
Whether you're checking off the Seven Wonders of the World, or you're just a huge Indiana Jones fan, the city of Petra must be on your bucket list. The "rose red city, half as old as time," was the capital of the Nabataean kingdom in the 6th century BC. It was the center for trade and commerce until an earthquake took out buildings and destroyed their water management system. After this destruction, the city of Petra seemed to be lost to western civilization.
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 Historical Tours in Jordan, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Jordan, The Best Historical Tours in Vietnam, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Vietnam.
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Petra Prices
Jordan PricesHo Chi Minh City Prices
Vietnam Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPetra $153Ho Chi Minh City $87
The average daily cost (per person) in Petra is $153, 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 Petra and Ho Chi Minh City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPetra $59Ho Chi Minh City $48
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPetra $118Ho Chi Minh City $96
Compare Hotels in Petra and Ho Chi Minh City
Looking for a hotel in Petra 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: Petra Hotel Prices and Ho Chi Minh City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Petra $23Ho Chi Minh City $15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Petra
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Petra:
- Petra Private Transfer To Jerusalem: $290
- From Eilat: Petra Full-Day Guided Tour with Transfers: $219
- Private Transfers from Petra Inside Jordan and Vice Versa: $176
- Comfort VIP Private Transfer: Petra to Aqaba South Beach Hotels: $140
- Petra to Aqaba Border (Yitzhak Rabin Terminal) – Private Transfer: $130
- Private Transfer Amman Airport to Petra or vice versa via the King's Highway: $120
- Petra Private Transfer To Multiple Destinations: $115
- Petra Private Transfer To Aqaba: $100
- Comfortable and Reliable Private Transfer: Petra to Wadi Rum: $100
- Private Transfer From Petra to Amman or Airport With Optional: $94
- Private Departure Transfer: Petra Hotels to Amman Airport: $93
- Airport Transfer to and from Petra: $92
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:
- Mui Ne Beach: Bus transfer from/to Saigon City: $8.67
- Private transfer Tan Son Nhat airport - Hotels in Ho Chi Minh: $12
- Private Car Transfer: Cam Ranh Airport to Nha Trang City: $14
- Ho Chi Minh Airport: Private Transfer: $14
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Cam Ranh HTL-APT (CXR): $14
- Ho Chi Minh Airport Arrival Or Departure By Private Car Transfers: $15
- Private Arrival Transfer: Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh City Hotels: $15
- Ho Chi Minh Airport Arrival Or Departure Private Car Transfers: $15
- Ho Chi Minh to Ho Chi Minh City Airport (SGN) Departure Transfer: $16
- Private Transfer from Cam Ranh Airport to Nha Trang City Center: $17
- Private Ho Chi Minh City Airport Pickup & Hotel Transfer: $17
- Ho Chi Minh to Ho Chi Minh City Airport (SGN) - Private Transfer: $17
Is it cheaper to fly into Petra or Ho Chi Minh City?
Prices for flights to both Ho Chi Minh City and Petra 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 dayPetra $66Ho Chi Minh City $23
Typical Food Prices in Petra
Some typical examples of dining costs in Petra are as follows:
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Dinner for Two$12
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Juice$1.76
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Petra
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Petra.
- Cooking outside in little Petra between the Mountains.: $50
- Private Outdoor bedouin Dinner in Petra: $150
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 Street Food Tour with Local LGBT Student Guide: $1.87
- 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
- Saigon Sightseeing & Street Food Tour By scooter with Student: $20
- Cu Chi Tunnels & Countryside Cooking Class with Organic Farm: $20
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour & Sightseeing By Motorbike: $26
- Ho Chi Minh Street Food Tour and Vietnamese Coffee: $27
- Super Niche Walking Street Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $28
- Michelin-Recognized Food Tour with Local Expert: $29
- Saigon Evening Street Food Tour with 6 Dishes: $29
- Private 4-Hour Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $29
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Petra $47Ho Chi Minh City $19
Typical Entertainment Prices in Petra
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Petra are as follows:
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Entry to Petra for One$71
Tours and Activities in Petra
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Petra are as follows:
- 2 day tour to Petra from Eilat: $299
- 3 Hour Horse Riding Adventure around the Petra Area: $145
- 6 Hours Private Tour in Petra: $125
- Amman: Petra by Night Tour with Optional Day Visit: $99
- From Petra : Wadi Rum Private 8 - hours roundtrip tour .: $190
- Guided 3 Hour Tour of Petra's Iconic Landmarks: $44
- Half-Day Private Indiana Jones Petra Back Road Trial Tour: $165
- Petra Back Entrance Private Walking Tour | Guide Sami Nawafleh: $225
- Petra Highlight Tour with Private Guide Sami Nawafleh | 2.5 Hours: $120
- Petra Highlights Guided Golf Cart Tour with Hotel Pickup: $169
- Private 2-Day Jordan Tour: Petra, Wadi Rum & Dead Sea: $210
- Private 3-Day Jordan Tour: Petra, Wadi Rum & Dead Sea: $270
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.
- Highlights & Hidden Gems - Free Walking Tour: $0.66
- Cu Chi Tunnels History And Mekong Delta Culture River Cruise Tour: $1.87
- Ho Chi Minh City Private City Tour with Highlights Hidden Gems: $1.87
- Can Gio Monkey Island and Mangrove Biosphere Full-Day Tour: $1.87
- Classic Mekong Delta My Tho Ben Tre Tour with Vinh Trang Pagoda: $1.87
- Ho Chi Minh City Flexible Private Tour with Spa, City Highlights: $1.87
- Cat Tien National Park Adventure Biking Hiking Nature Day Tour: $1.87
- Tan Lap Floating Village Authentic Mekong Delta Nature Tour: $1.87
- Ho Chi Minh City Sightseeing Private Tour By U.S Army Jeep: $1.87
- Ho Chi Minh City Sightseeing Panoramic Cyclo Private Tour: $1.87
- Private Long Tan Battlefield, Nui Dat Base and Vung Tau Day Tour: $1.87
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Walking Tour with Optional Activity: $1.87
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPetra $15Ho 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:
- Bike And Craft Beer Brewery Mekong Delta Cycling Tour: $152
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Petra and Ho Chi Minh City, we can see that Petra is more expensive. And not only is Ho Chi Minh City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Petra is in Middle East 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 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 Petra would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Petra 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 Petra Expensive? and Is Ho Chi Minh City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Petra or Ho Chi Minh City?
Ho Chi Minh City has a larger population, and is about 250 times larger than the population of Petra. When comparing the sizes of Petra 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.