Which place is cheaper, Roatan or Ho Chi Minh City?
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 Ho Chi Minh City or Roatan?
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 Ho Chi Minh City and Roatan can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Ho Chi Minh City or Roatan?
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.
Roatan
Your next great vacation lies just thirty miles off the north coast of Honduras. Right above the world's largest coral reef is the island of Roatan. As a popular tourist attraction and standard cruise destination, it's not uncommon to see tons of Americans during your trip. In fact, the cruising industry has had huge impact on the island's culture. While ships are in port, traffic will be heavier and prices may go up. Because of the growth of tourism, most locals speak both Spanish and English.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Ho Chi Minh City, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Vietnam, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, and The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras.
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Ho Chi Minh City Prices
Vietnam PricesRoatan Prices
Honduras Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHo Chi Minh City $87Roatan $42
The average daily cost (per person) in Ho Chi Minh City is $87, while the average daily cost in Roatan is $42. 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 Ho Chi Minh City and Roatan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHo Chi Minh City $48Roatan $11
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHo Chi Minh City $96Roatan $22
Compare Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City and Roatan
Looking for a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City or Roatan? 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 and Roatan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $14Roatan $18
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$7.58
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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 Arrival Or Departure By Private Car Transfers: $13
- Ho Chi Minh city Private Airport Transfer: $14
- Try find better than us! Airport Transfer in Ho Chi Minh HTL-APT (SGN): $15
- Ho Chi Minh Airport Arrival Or Departure Private Car Transfers: $15
- Private Arrival Transfer: Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh City Hotels: $15
- Private Transfer From Saigon Center To Tan Son Nhat Airport (SGN): $16
- Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN) to Ho Chi Minh hotels Arrival Transfer: $17
- Ho Chi Minh to Ho Chi Minh City Airport (SGN) Departure Transfer: $17
- Private transfer Tan Son Nhat Airport (SGN) - Hotels In City: $17
- Ho Chi Minh City Airport Arrival Transfer to Hotel: $19
- HO CHI MINH AIRPORT: CAR 7s PICK UP <-> HOTEL (one way transfer): $20
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Roatan are as follows:
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Water Taxi$4.00
Is it cheaper to fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Roatan?
Prices for flights to both Roatan and Ho Chi Minh City 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 dayHo Chi Minh City $23Roatan $15
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)$4.06
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Pizza$4.93
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Sweet Rice$1.14
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Pork Sandwich$0.57
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.43
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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:
- Vietnamese Cooking and Craft Workshop by the Lake: $12
- Saigon Food Tour & Culture Explore Ho Chi Minh City Walking Tour: $15
- Mekong Delta 4 Islands, TukTuk, Boat, Try Khot Cake Local Cooking: $24
- Saigon Street Food Tour with Local Guide: $25
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour With Students: $27
- Saigon - Tasty Food Tour By Scooters: $28
- Private Half-Day Ho Chi Minh Food Tour with Local Students: $29
- From Hochiminh & Saigon City: Private Motorbike Street Food Tour : $29
- The Coolest Vegan Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $29
- Super Niche Walking Street Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $29
- Ho Chi Minh Street Food Tour With Young Local (Safe & Authentic): $29
- Ho Chi Minh Private Half Day Street Food Tour with Local Students: $29
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $19Roatan $26
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$5.31
Tours and Activities in Ho Chi Minh City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ho Chi Minh City.
- Chinatown Hidden Treasures – Free Walking Tour: $0.74
- Highlights & Hidden Gems - Free Walking Tour: $0.74
- All In One Saigon Walking Tour: $3.11
- Saigon Local Sightseeing Free Walking Tour: $3.84
- Ho Chi Minh city private tour guide: $5.00
- Walking Tour: $5.00
- Essential Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour: All Must-see: $5.00
- Ho Chi Minh Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $8.98
- Private Ho Chi Minh 30 minutes Experience by Electric Cart: $9.71
- Bitexco Financial Tower: Saigon Skydeck General Admission Ticket: $10
- One hour cyclo tour around Saigon: $11
- Vietnam Saigon Skydeck Admission Ticket: $12
Tours and Activities in Roatan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Roatan are as follows:
- Monkeys and sloths, private tour , and beach: $89
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHo Chi Minh City $7.57Roatan $6.64
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ho Chi Minh City and Roatan, we can see that Ho Chi Minh City is more expensive. And not only is Roatan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ho Chi Minh City is in Asia and Roatan is in Central 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 Roatan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Roatan 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 Roatan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ho Chi Minh City Expensive? and Is Roatan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ho Chi Minh City or Roatan?
Ho Chi Minh City has a larger population, and is about 460 times larger than the population of Roatan. When comparing the sizes of Ho Chi Minh City and Roatan, 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.