Which place is cheaper, Ho Chi Minh City or Yangon?
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 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 Historical Tours in Vietnam, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Vietnam.
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Yangon Prices
Myanmar PricesHo Chi Minh City Prices
Vietnam Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayYangon $70Ho Chi Minh City $87
The average daily cost (per person) in Yangon is $70, 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 Yangon and Ho Chi Minh City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personYangon $31Ho Chi Minh City $48
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomYangon $62Ho Chi Minh City $96
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 $2.38Ho Chi Minh City $15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Yangon
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Yangon:
- Private Yangon Departure Transfer: Hotel to Yangon Airport: $80
- Yangon Airport Private Arrival Transfer: $60
- Yangon Airport Private Transfer: $45
- Private Airport Transfer: Yangon Airport (RGN) → Yangon Hotel: $35
- Private Transfer from or to Rangon International Airport (YIA): $31
- Bagan (Nyaung Oo) Airport Private Transfer: $27
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Yangon International Airport (RGN): $23
- Private Arrival Transfer: Yangon International Airport (RGN) to Hotel: $23
- Private Arrival Transfer: Bagan Nyaung-U Airport (NYU) to Hotel: $16
- Bagan Airport Transfer with Private Car: $13
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
- 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
- Comfort Van Transfer From Phong Nha or Dong Hoi to Hue: $15
- Private Departure Transfer: Ho Chi Minh City Hotels to Tan Son Nhat Airport: $15
- Ho Chi Minh Airport Arrival Or Departure Private Car Transfers: $15
- Private Transfer From Saigon Center To Tan Son Nhat Airport (SGN): $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: $18
- Saigon Airport to Ho Chi Minh City Center Private Transfer: $19
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 $17Ho Chi Minh City $23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Yangon
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Yangon.
- Morning Yangon Food Tour: $24
- 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
- Cooking Class in Yangon,Myanmar: $67
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
- Ho Chi Minh city Walking Chinatown / HCM city walking food tour: $25
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour & Sightseeing By Motorbike: $26
- Saigon Evening Street Food Tour with 6 Dishes: $27
- Unique Mekong Delta 1 Day with Cooking Class & Cycling MAX 12 PAX: $29
- Super Niche Walking Street Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $29
- Michelin-Recognized Food Tour with Local Expert: $29
- Ho Chi Minh Street Food Tour By Motorbike (Unique & Authentic): $29
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Yangon -Ho Chi Minh City $19
Tours and Activities in Yangon
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Yangon are as follows:
- 8hrs - Dalla & Twantay Small Town One Day Tour: $142
- : Memorable Moment in The Heart of Yangon (08:00 AM - 06:00 PM)Full Day Tour: $110
- Adventure Full day visit in Yangon: $116
- Adventure Full day visit to Thanlyin (Syriam): $70
- Adventure Half-day visit in Yangon: $72
- 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: $138
- Bago by Train: Full-day sightseeing tour: $117
- Best Yangon City Tour with Experience English Speaking Guide: $142
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: $0.67
- Hidden Bunker & Vietnam War - Free Walking Tour: $0.67
- Ho Chi Minh City Highlights And Street Food Cycling Private 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
- Black Virgin Mountain, Cao Dai Temple, Cu Chi Tunnel Private Tour: $1.87
- 2-Day Mekong Delta Tour: Can Tho Floating Market, Flower Village: $1.87
- Vung Tau Beach and Coastal Landmarks Full Day Tour With Students: $1.87
- Cu Chi Tunnels History And Mekong Delta Culture River Cruise Tour: $1.87
- Private Long Tan Battlefield, Nui Dat Base and Vung Tau Day Tour: $1.87
- Phu My Port: Ho Chi Minh City Shore Excursion Tour With Massage: $1.87
- Can Gio Monkey Island and Mangrove Biosphere Full-Day Tour: $1.87
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayYangon -Ho 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 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.