Which place is cheaper, Mexico City or Vientiane?
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 Vientiane or Mexico City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Vientiane or Mexico 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: Vientiane or Mexico City?
Vientiane
You wouldn't expect the capital city to have such a relaxing environment, but in Vientiane, Laos you can sit back and take in the beautiful scenery without feeling pressure to see every little thing. With Vientiane, what you see is what you get.
While picturesque temples and markets line the streets, the city is still experiencing a successful building boom. Even the Presidential Palace has undergone some hefty renovations.
Mexico City
Mexico City is one of the largest and most populated cities in the world. There are an estimated 26 million people living in the greater Mexico City metropolitan area. The area is about 60 kilometers by 40 kilometers and is surrounded by tall mountains and volcanoes on three sides. Mexico City proper has about 8.8 million people and is the capital of the country. More than a third of the country's economy is based here, making it the wealthiest city in all of Latin America.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in Laos, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Laos, The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico.
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Vientiane Prices
Laos PricesMexico City Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayVientiane $23Mexico City $215
The average daily cost (per person) in Vientiane is $23, while the average daily cost in Mexico City is $215. 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 Vientiane and Mexico City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personVientiane $8.17Mexico City $39
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomVientiane $16Mexico City $78
Compare Hotels in Vientiane and Mexico City
Looking for a hotel in Vientiane or Mexico 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: Vientiane Hotel Prices and Mexico City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Vientiane $1.94Mexico City $12
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vientiane
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vientiane are as follows:
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Tuk Tuk Ride$4.02
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vientiane
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Vientiane:
- Wattay Airport (VTE): Private Transfer to/from Vientiane: $20
- Vientiane Private Transfer: Wattay Airport -Hotel-Railway Station: $9.90
- Vientian Private Airport Transfer - Wattay Airport: $15
- Private transfer from Vientiane to Vang vieng: $120
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Mexico City
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Mexico City:
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Metro$1.10
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Uber Ride$3.85
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mexico City
Also for Mexico City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- MEX Airport Private Transfer to/from City Center: $15
- Transfer Mexico city Airport - Mexico city Downtown hotels: $18
- Mexico to Mexico City Airport (MEX) Departure Arrival Transfer: $30
- Mexico City International Airport (MEX) to Mexico City- Private Arrival Transfer: $30
- Transfer Airport Hotel Airport Mexico City: $30
- Roundtrip Private Transfer from Mexico City Airport (MEX): $34
- Toluca to Toluca Airport (TLC) - Departure Private Transfer: $47
- Toluca Airport (TLC) to Toluca - Arrival Private Transfer: $47
- Inbursa Aquarium optional Round trip transfer: $48
- Private transfer from AICM Airport in CDMX to CDMX Hotels: $55
- Airport Transfer to Hotel in Mexico City: $56
- Transfer Airport - Hotel or vice versa: $58
Is it cheaper to fly into Vientiane or Mexico City?
Prices for flights to both Mexico City and Vientiane 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 dayVientiane $12Mexico City $44
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vientiane
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Vientiane.
- Vientiane Private Lao Cooking Class with Market Tour and Lunch: $70
- Vientiane classic Food tour ( Included Food ): $78
- Night Market, Dinner, and Nightclub: $90
- Small-Group Street Food Tour with Tastings: $91
- Vientiane Private Lao Cooking Class with Market Tour: $122
- Cooking Class Garden House: $335
Typical Food Prices in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$12
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Coffee and Snacks$4.29
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Dinner for 2$25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Mexico City Coyoacan Food Tour & Optional Frida Kahlo Museum: $20
- Private Street Food Tour Mexico City - Best rated: $35
- Cable Car, Cultural Spaces, and Traditional Food Tour: $40
- Polanco Food Tour: 5 Tastings, Tacos, Mezcal & Churros: $49
- Mexico : Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $58
- Street Food Tour in Mexico with a Local Guide: $60
- 3 Hours Food Tour Best Vegan Tacos in Mexico City: $61
- 3h Cooking Class in 8 Recipes & Drinks: $68
- Tamales Cooking Class in Mumu’un Baj: $68
- Coyoacán Cultural and Food Tour with Frida Kahlo Museum Admission: $69
- Roma–Condesa: Haute Cuisine and Renowned Restaurants Food Tour: $70
- Street Food Tour with Michelin-Starred Taco: $70
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Vientiane $3.68Mexico City $14
Tours and Activities in Vientiane
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Vientiane are as follows:
- 1-Day Tour to Vang Vieng with Private Guide: $200
- 1-Day Vientiane City Adventure: Top Sights & Hidden Gems: $110
- Explore Vientiane with Lao Art Museum Tour: $61
- From Plain of Jars Tour & Homestay: $1,650
- From Vang Vieng 2-Day Tour with Blue Lagoon: $443
- From Vang Vieng Tour with Cave Kayak & Zipline: $113
- Guided Vientiane City and Buddha Park Full-Day Tour: $99
- Half Day Private Tour in City Highlights: $120
- Half-Day Vientiane City Bike Tour | Laos: $168
- Lao Arts Museum & City Highlights Tour with Lunch: $122
- Laos Railway Tickets Easily: Avoid Long Queues & Wasted Time: $8.50
- Laos Railway Tickets Online: Skip Long Queues, Avoid Missing: $12
Tours and Activities in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- MUCHO Museum of Chocolate Entrance Ticket: $4.65
- Mexico City Coyoacán, Frida Kahlo Exploration Game and Tour: $4.72
- Mexico City Historic Self-Guided Walking Tour: $5.00
- Mexico City Walking Tour 2h40 and 24 audio reviews: $6.72
- Puebla Audio Guided Walking Tour 3h and 26 Audio Comments: $6.75
- Mexico City Jewish History Smartphone Guided Audio Walking Tour: $7.75
- Night City Tour in a Double Decker Bus: $10
- Night Tour of Mexico City Panoramic Ride on a Double-Decker Bus: $11
- Mexico City Walking Tour with Audioguide on Your Smartphone: $11
- KidZania Santa Fe Entrance Ticket: $12
- KidZania Cuicuilco Entrance Ticket: $12
- Double Decker Bus Night Tour: $12
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayVientiane $2.05Mexico City $19
Sample the Local Flavors in Mexico City
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mexico City:
- CDMX Pub Crawl: Guided Pub Crawl with Party Games: $24
- The Mexico City Pub Crawl: A real chilango night: $33
- THE MEXICO CITY PUB CRAWL: A real chilango night: $35
- Make Your Own Tequila or Mezcal with Distillery and Cocktails: $89
- Zona Rosa Pub Crawl Experience: $100
- Distillery Tour and Lucha Libre Spirits and Showdown: $119
- Mexican Wine Tasting with Food Pairing: $126
- Full Day Harvest Season Wine Tour & Grape Stomping Tequisquiapan: $136
- Private Cheese and Wine Tour to Queretaro: $511
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Vientiane and Mexico City, we can see that Mexico City is more expensive. And not only is Vientiane much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Vientiane is in Asia and Mexico City is in North America, 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 Vientiane would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Vientiane 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 Mexico City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mexico City than you might in Vientiane.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Vientiane Expensive? and Is Mexico City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Vientiane or Mexico City?
Mexico City has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of Vientiane. When comparing the sizes of Vientiane and Mexico 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.