Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City on a budget: how much to plan?
Plan €1165 for 7 nights in Ho Chi Minh City, return flight from London included, or €582 travelling cheap. On the ground that works out at €118 per person per day.
Ho Chi Minh City - estimate transport, lodging, and meals before you book.
- From
- €42/day
- vs. London
- 47%
- Best month
- Jan
Your trip to Ho Chi Minh City
Set the length, the number of travellers and the comfort level: the figures recompute here.
€1,165
per person, flight included
- on the ground
- €826
- flight from London
- €339
- per person per day, on the ground
- €118
InstantTripCost estimate
Full 7-night budget breakdown
Per-person estimate including flights from London, split across the six expense categories.
per person · Comfort
| Category | Budget | Comfort | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flights | €288 | €339 | €509 |
| Hotel | €35 | €161 | €378 |
| Food | €168 | €378 | €945 |
| Transport | €56 | €126 | €315 |
| Activities | €21 | €98 | €378 |
| Misc | €14 | €63 | €245 |
| 7-night total | €582 | €1165 | €2770 |
Flight from London (annual median).
Unit prices
comfort
Enough to check the total yourself, line by line, at the comfort level you picked.
- €8
- Breakfast
- €15
- Lunch
- €31
- Dinner
- €6
- City ride
- €14
- Site admission
- €118
- A full day
Orders of magnitude derived from our measured ranges, not surveyed venue by venue. Prices vary by neighbourhood and season.
Why go
Why visit Ho Chi Minh City
With a cost index of 47 % versus London, Ho Chi Minh City ranks among the most economical capitals for a leisure trip.
Ho Chi Minh City is one of the rare destinations whose winter average stays above 18 °C, making it a credible escape during the grayest European months.
Real budget
What a trip to Ho Chi Minh City actually costs
Let's break it down. Lodging: a hostel dorm or entry-level hotel runs around €5 per night, a well-rated 3-star around €23, and 4 to 5-star around €54. Food: around €8 a day eating local, €18 mixing canteens and restaurants, €45 if you sit down for dinner every evening.
Local transport: roughly €8 a day on public transit, €18 adding a few taxi rides. Activities: about €18 a day at a normal sightseeing pace, €45 if you stack paid entries and day trips.
On a 5-to-7-day trip, lodging accounts for roughly 35-45 % of total budget, food 15-20 %, flights 20-30 % depending on the booking window, with the remainder split between local transport, activities, and miscellaneous (visa, insurance, tipping, SIM card). A Ho Chi Minh City trip that goes over budget is almost always because the hotel is oversized for the rest, rarely because of activities.
Seasonality
When to go and what it costs
The best price-weather compromise is January: temperatures in the 18-25 °C sweet spot, crowds still manageable, and airfares near the annual median. If budget is the priority, September delivers the cheapest flight of the year (€268 round-trip from London in median), at the cost of generally less pleasant weather.
Money saving
How to cut the Ho Chi Minh City budget
Start with lodging, the heaviest line in the budget. In Ho Chi Minh City, a hotel 1 or 2 metro stops from the hyper-center often costs half what an equivalent charges right in the middle. Booking timing matters too: aim for 6 to 8 weeks before departure, not the night before, not a year out.
Trip dates weigh as much as hotel choice. For Ho Chi Minh City, a shoulder-season departure cuts the flight by 45 % versus peak. That leaves activities: one well-chosen guided tour or day trip per day beats a string of rushed paid tickets.
Practical info
Language, currency, and logistics in Ho Chi Minh City
Language: Vietnamese, English is understood in most hotels and restaurants in tourist areas. Currency: Dong (₫) - plan €50-100 in cash for the first days and use a fee-free card for the rest.
The three tiers
What a budget traveller, a comfort traveller and a premium traveller typically spend.
Budget
€37
per day, approx
- Hotel / night
- €5
- Meal
- €8
- Transit / day
- €8
Comfort
€95
per day, approx
- Hotel / night
- €23
- Meal
- €18
- Transit / day
- €18
Luxury
€234
per day, approx
- Hotel / night
- €54
- Meal
- €45
- Transit / day
- €45
Weather & best time to visit
Average temperatures and conditions by month in Ho Chi Minh City.
Best month to visitJanuary
Where to sleep in Ho Chi Minh City
The hotels we measured
Accommodation picks by price range.
Language Exchange Hotel 3
Hotel, standard (6/10) from 210 reviews.
Language Exchange Hostel 1
Hostel, standard (6.6/10) from 105 reviews.
Sakura Dormitory Saigon
Hostel, very well rated (8.6/10) from 102 reviews.
Bonita Signature The View
Hotel, decent (7.9/10) from 515 reviews.
Loftic Pink Church - Aparthotel
Hotel, very well rated (8.5/10) from 158 reviews.
Cherry Hotel and Apartment
Hotel, decent (7.5/10) from 726 reviews.
Vy Khanh Guesthouse
guesthouse, rated excellent (9.2/10) from 1,127 reviews.
Loftic Tan Dinh - Urban Stay
Hotel, very well rated (8.5/10) from 209 reviews.
Jan Hostel Central Point
guesthouse, well rated (8.3/10) from 4,494 reviews.
All observed hotels in Ho Chi Minh City
24 properties, nightly rate for a 2-night stay arriving 15 October 2026.
| Hotel | Category | Rating | From / night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Language Exchange Hotel 3 | Budget | ★ 6 | €3 |
| Language Exchange Hostel 1 | Budget | ★ 6.6 | €3 |
| Sakura Dormitory Saigon | Budget | ★ 8.6 | €4 |
| Vy Da Backpacker Hostel | Budget | ★ 8.3 | €4 |
| Cactos Chill & Homestay | Budget | ★ 7.8 | €5 |
| 9 Hostel and Suites | Budget | ★ 7.8 | €5 |
| Saigon Cozy House & coffee | Budget | ★ 7.7 | €5 |
| VY DA CENTRAL MARKET HOSTEL | Budget | ★ 8.3 | €5 |
| Bonita Signature The View | Mid-range | ★ 7.9 | €13 |
| Vy Khanh Guesthouse | Luxury | ★ 9.2 | €13 |
| Loftic Tan Dinh - Urban Stay | Luxury | ★ 8.5 | €15 |
| Loftic Pink Church - Aparthotel | Mid-range | ★ 8.5 | €16 |
| Cherry Hotel and Apartment | Mid-range | ★ 7.5 | €18 |
| Linh Dan Hotel Phan Xich Long By Urban B - Addr 12-7 Cù Lao | Mid-range | ★ 8.7 | €20 |
| Secret Garden Hotel Bình Thạnh by Urban B | Mid-range | ★ 8.8 | €20 |
| Aloha Boutique Hotel | Mid-range | ★ 8.9 | €20 |
| Lovera Hotel Airport | Mid-range | ★ 8.3 | €21 |
| Jan Hostel Central Point | Luxury | ★ 8.3 | €21 |
| The One Ben Thanh Hotel-City Center | Mid-range | ★ 7.5 | €22 |
| Happy Life Green Hotel | Luxury | ★ 7.9 | €29 |
| Annie House | Luxury | ★ 9.5 | €40 |
| Bluesky Serviced Apartment Airport Plaza | Luxury | ★ 8.9 | €40 |
| White Lotus Hotel Saigon | Luxury | ★ 8 | €41 |
| Oscar Saigon Hotel | Luxury | ★ 7.7 | €42 |
Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City
Recommended activities and tours.
War Remnants Museum
The War Remnants Museum (Vietnamese: Bảo tàng chứng tích chiến tranh, IPA: [ɓâw tàŋ cɯ̌ŋ tǐʲc cǐən ʈ͡ʂāɲ]) is a war museum at 28 Võ Văn Tần Street, Xuân Hòa, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It contains exhibits relating to the First Indochina War and the Vietnam War.
Military museum
Museum of Ho Chi Minh City
Museum of Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Bảo tàng Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh), formerly known as Gia Long Palace (Vietnamese: Dinh Gia Long), is a historical site and museum in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The museum is situated at the corner of Lý Tự Trọng and Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa streets, located on a 2-hectare block near the Independence Palace.
Museum
Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts
Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts (Vietnamese: Bảo tàng Mỹ thuật Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh) is the major art museum of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and second in the country only to the Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts in Hanoi. The museum covers three three-floor buildings which house a collection featuring Vietnamese art works in sculpture, oil, silk painting and lacquer painting, as well as traditional styles including woodcut paintings in the Hàng Trống, Đông Hồ, and Kim Hoàng styles, as well as Vietnamese ceramics and a collection of ancient Buddhist art.
Art museum
Tan Dinh church
Tân Định Church or Tân Định Parish Church (Vietnamese: Nhà thờ Tân Định, Giáo xứ Tân Định) is a Roman Catholic church in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Its formal name is the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Vietnamese: Nhà thờ Thánh Tâm Chúa Giêsu).
Church
Paris Commune Square
Paris Commune Square (Vietnamese: Công trường Công xã Paris) is a small square and roundabout located in Saigon ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It lies between Lê Duẩn Boulevard and Nguyễn Du Street and surrounds the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon.
Square
Tao Dan Park
Tao Đàn Park or fully known as Tao Đàn Cultural Park (Vietnamese: Công viên Tao Đàn, Công viên Văn Hóa Tao Đàn), also known as Tao Đàn Garden (Vườn Tao Đàn) is an urban park in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam behind the Independence Palace with an address 55C Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, Bến Thành. It is one of the largest parks in the city, covering 10 hectares.
Park
Sacred Heart Church
church building in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Church
Saint Francis Xavier Church
church building in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Church
Lam Sơn Square
Lam Sơn Square (Vietnamese: Công trường Lam Sơn) is the city square surrounding the Municipal Theatre of Ho Chi Minh City in Saigon ward, downtown Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The square extends from Đồng Khởi Street to Hai Bà Trưng Street, although it is commonly known for its section in front of the Municipal Theatre's façade, Hotel Continental Saigon and Caravelle Hotel are located.
Square
Ho Chi Minh City Museum of History
The Ho Chi Minh City Museum of History is located at 2 Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Formerly known as the Musée Blanchard de la Brosse, and The National Museum of Vietnam in Saigon, it received its current name in 1979.
Museum
Places referenced on Wikidata. Admission prices vary by season - check each venue's official site.
Paying less in Ho Chi Minh City
What moves the needle
What each decision takes off the €1165 total, strongest lever first.
- − €532
Travel cheap rather than mid-range
Hostel or entry-level hotel, local canteens, public transport. Accommodation is where the gap opens up.
- − €236
Stay five nights instead of seven
Two fewer nights also removes two days of meals, transport and sightseeing.
- − €80
Travel as a pair
The room is shared, nothing else is. Travellers themselves name this as the strongest lever.
Differences computed from our own measurements, for a 7-night mid-range stay, excluding flights.
FAQ
FAQ - Ho Chi Minh City
- How much should I budget for a trip to Ho Chi Minh City?
- For a 7-day trip to Ho Chi Minh City, expect roughly €582 - €2770 per person depending on your travel style, flights included. The budget profile (hostels, local food, public transit) sits at the lower end ; mid-range comfort sits in the middle ; luxury (premium hotel, fine dining) approaches the top.
- When is the best time to visit Ho Chi Minh City?
- The best value is in January, with pleasant temperatures and usually cheaper flights than during peak tourist season. This window combines moderate crowds and lower airfare.
- How do I get around in Ho Chi Minh City?
- Local transport (metro, bus, taxi) costs an average of €8 - €45 per day depending on your style. Public transit stays the cheapest option ; a day or weekly pass usually pays off after just two rides per day.
- How can I do Ho Chi Minh City on a budget?
- For a cheap trip to Ho Chi Minh City, target around €42 - €118 per day per person excluding flights: a hostel or budget hotel, meals at local eateries, public transit, and 1-2 free activities per day. Across a week, plan to land below the lower bound of the global range.
- What's the budget for a weekend in Ho Chi Minh City?
- For a 3-day / 2-night weekend in Ho Chi Minh City, plan around €414 - €693 per person, flights included. Booking 6 to 8 weeks ahead and flying out Thursday evening / back Sunday evening cuts the total by 10-20 % on average.
- Is Ho Chi Minh City an expensive or affordable destination?
- At 36 % of our reference index, Ho Chi Minh City ranks among the most affordable destinations we track. In practice, a daily budget about 64 % below the average destination we track.
- How many days do you need in Ho Chi Minh City?
- Plan 4 days for the essentials. A full week lets you add the surroundings without rushing, for roughly €354 more per person. Beyond ten days the cost grows linearly: each extra night adds about €118, lodging and daily spending included.
- Do you need a car in Ho Chi Minh City?
- Our estimates assume public transport, which covers the centre and its near surroundings. Rental, fuel, parking and tolls are not included: if your route leaves the served area, add them as a separate line.
- How much cash should you bring to Ho Chi Minh City?
- Bring €50 to €100 for the first days, until you see where cards work. When paying or withdrawing, decline the conversion into your home currency that terminals offer: it applies its own rate, consistently worse than your bank's.
At a glance
Wikidata, Wikipedia and Open-Meteo data
- Population
- 14M
- Area
- 6,773 km²
- Elevation
- 13 m
- Language
- Vietnamese
- Currency
- ₫
- Time zone
- Indochina Time
- Founded
- 1976
- Avg. July temp.
- 27°
- Avg. Jan. temp.
- 26°
- Rainy days / year
- 214
inhabitants
Dong
24° - 31°
22° - 31°
About
Ho Chi Minh City in brief
Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, is the most populous municipality of Vietnam, with a population of more than 14 million in 2025. Its geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigon River. As the largest financial centre in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City has the largest gross regional domestic product out of all Vietnam provinces and municipalities, contributing around a quarter of the country's total GDP.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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