Ho Chi Minh - A Big City On A Low Budget. A Super Affordable Metropolis!

Ho Chi Minh City has become a shining light of Vietnam’s incredible economic boom, the city is rapidly emerging as one of the great hubs of Asia. However it is still a very affordable city and still has a lot of it’s old world charm, so you get the best of both worlds.

⭐️ Airport - Like most airports in Vietnam there is no direct rail or metro connection to the city - the options are bus, coach or car. I advise booking airport transfers ahead of time with trip to guarantee someone is waiting for you. If you arrive without a booking it can be hard to find an honest driver to get you to the city. So be safe and book ahead!

⭐️ Hotels - A lot of western hotels have opened new luxury hotels as the city has boomed, and the prices for rooms is starting to increase. However you can still get affordable stays if you are willing to stay a little further out of downtown. I found nice bed and breakfast offerings around Ben Thanh - and also a lot of homestays and rentals if that is something you would consider. The rooms are small and convenient and within walking distance of most sites.

⭐️ Transport - Ho Chi Minh has only just opened its metro network and it still has one line, it covers some of the sights but not all. There are a lot of areas you can walk to from the metro,but for some sites you will need a taxi - so use the grab app to make sure you are safe. A lot of the older parts of the city still has plenty of tuk tuks and mopeds, cash in hand for the drivers and you get a good view of the city!

⭐️ Food - Like Hanoi the majority of the food here is locally sourced and there is a limited spread of western restaurants. I mainly ate at markets and street vendors as it’s great to see them cooking your order fresh in front of you. I was also amazed at the range of coffee shops here in the city, some of them are attractions in themselves. Check Instagram for the latest viral spot! Also conveniences stores like Circle K are great for air conditioning, water and snacks in the day!

⭐️ Attractions - The city has a lot of history and there are some really fascinating museums here about the war, and the reunification of vietnam. They can be quite busy and often have one or two small windows to get tickets that get very busy, so buy ahead online! The prices are usually the same but it saves you a lot of time! :)

Overall a great city that is great to explore, it just takes some planning due to the lack of transport compared to other cities of this size!

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Post by Jamie Daniel Ali | Jun 8, 2025