Which place is cheaper, Ho Chi Minh City or Yangon?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Yangon 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 Yangon 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: Yangon or Ho Chi Minh City?
Yangon
Yangon, formerly known as Rangoon, is the largest city and economic center for the nation of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. The city is a mix of British, Burmese, Chinese, and Indian influences, and is host to beautiful 19th-century colonial architecture as well as modern skyscrapers. The people of Yangon mainly follow the Buddhist religion and it is common to see monks wandering along the busy streets amidst gilded temples.
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 2-Week Tours from Ho Chi Minh City, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Vietnam.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayYangon $40Ho Chi Minh City $83
The average daily cost (per person) in Yangon is $40, while the average daily cost in Ho Chi Minh City is $83. 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 Yangon and Ho Chi Minh City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personYangon $20Ho Chi Minh City $50
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomYangon $40Ho Chi Minh City $100
Compare Hotels in Yangon and Ho Chi Minh City
Looking for a hotel in Yangon 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: Ho Chi Minh City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Yangon $1.54Ho Chi Minh City $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Yangon
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Yangon:
- One Way Yangon Hotel to Airport Transfer with Airport Lounge access: $52
- Yangon Airport (RGN): Private Transfer to/from Yangon City: $41
- Private Yangon Departure Transfer: Hotel to Yangon Airport: $40
- Private Hotel Transfers to or from YIA Airport: $27
- Yangon Airport Private Transfer : $27
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Yangon International Airport (RGN): $23
- Private Arrival Transfer: Yangon International Airport (RGN) to Hotel: $23
- Yangon Airport Private Arrival Transfer : $20
- Private Arrival Transfer: Bagan Nyaung-U Airport (NYU) to Hotel: $14
- Bagan Airport Transfer with Private Car: $13
- Bagan (Nyaung Oo) Airport Private Transfer : $8.54
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$1.42
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Taxi From Airport$8.13
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Cyclo Ride (One Hour)$1.63
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: $8.73
- Ho Chi Minh City airport transfer: $10
- Can Tho: Bus transfer directly to/from Saigon City: $11
- Shared Bus Transfer Between Saigon and Nha Trang City: $12
- Nha Trang: Bus transfer from/to Saigon City: $12
- Ho Chi Minh Airport: Vip Fast Track Lane & Private Transfer: $14
- Da Lat: Bus transfer from/to Sai Gon with FUTA Bus Lines: $14
- Try find better than us! Airport Transfer in Ho Chi Minh HTL-APT (SGN): $15
- Try find better than us! Airport Transfer in Ho Chi Minh APT-HTL (SGN): $15
- Ho Chi Minh Airport Transfer Service: $15
- Ho Chi Minh Airport Arrival Or Departure Luxury Car Transfers: $15
- Private Arrival Transfer: Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh City Hotels: $15
Is it cheaper to fly into Yangon or Ho Chi Minh City?
Prices for flights to both Ho Chi Minh City and Yangon 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 dayYangon $6.28Ho Chi Minh City $14
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Yangon
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Yangon.
- Yangon Evening Food Tour and trishaw ride: $26
- Yangon morning food tour with train ride : $27
- Yangon Street Food Tours: $28
- Cooking Myanmar Food and Explore Dala: $46
- Cooking class in the down town of Yangon, half day tour (07:30 AM - 12:30 PM): $65
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)$4.35
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Pizza$5.28
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Sweet Rice$1.22
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Pork Sandwich$0.61
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.90
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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:
- Saigon: Street Food Tour and The Local Life: $4.20
- Saigon Food Tour & Culture Explore Ho Chi Minh City Walking Tour: $15
- Saigon tour Walking Chinatown or HCM city walking food tour: $19
- Saigon Unseen & Food Tour By scooter w Student | Saigon Adventure: $20
- Saigon: City Day Sights & Local Food Tour|Opt: Ao Dai Riders: $24
- Saigon: Night Sights & Local Food Tour w Ao Dai Rider Option: $25
- Ho Chi Minh city Street Food Tour By Motorbike/ Car + SAFE + FUN: $26
- Private Walking Food Tour with Local Students : $26
- Ho Chi Minh Food Tour With Saigon Vibes: $27
- Super Niche Walking Street Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $27
- Ho Chi Minh Food Tour By Walking With Saigon Vibes: $27
- Saigon: Private Backstreets Walking Food Tour & 12+ Tastings: $27
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Yangon -Ho Chi Minh City $20
Tours and Activities in Yangon
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Yangon are as follows:
- 3-day Yangon Sightseeing & Shopping : $296
- Adventure Full day visit in Yangon : $116
- Adventure Half-day visit in Yangon including Shwedagon Pagoda: $78
- Bagan Cultrue Tour : $50
- Bagan Sightseeing Tour by Private Guide and Car: $42
- Bagan Temples Tour by Private car and Tour guide.: $46
- Bago Full-Day Private Tour from Yangon: $132
- Bago Full-Day Private Tour from Yangon: $138
- Bago Full-Day Private Tour from Yangon: $110
- Best Yangon City Tour with Experience English Speaking Guide: $142
- Bus Ticket ( Yangon - Mandalay): $21
- Dala And Twantay Biking Adventure: $180
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$5.69
Tours and Activities in Ho Chi Minh City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ho Chi Minh City.
- Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour: $0.02
- Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour: $0.50
- Explore Mekong Delta Tour With Local Guide: $0.84
- Ho Chi Minh City private walking tours with young local volunteers: $1.91
- Saigon Sites and Stories - Walking Tour: $4.20
- Walking Tour: $5.00
- Ho chi minh: Nguyen's Royal Museum Ticket: $6.26
- Saigon: City Sightseeing 45-Minute Panoramic Night Tour: $7.00
- Saigon: City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $7.00
- Panoramic City Bus Tour: $7.00
- Night Bus Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $7.50
- Ho Chi Minh City Tour and Independence Palace Ticket 2 in 1: $8.46
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayYangon -Ho Chi Minh City $8.12
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$0.41
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Yangon and Ho Chi Minh City, we can see that Ho Chi Minh City is more expensive. And not only is Yangon much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Yangon would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Yangon 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 Yangon.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Yangon Expensive? and Is Ho Chi Minh City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Yangon or Ho Chi Minh City?
Yangon has a larger population, and is about 29% larger than the population of Ho Chi Minh City. When comparing the sizes of Yangon 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.