A local restaurant in downtown HCM City. Travel & Leisure has listed Hà Nội and HCM City as two of Asia's top ten cities for low travel costs, particularly for accommodation and food. — VNS Photo Bồ Xuân Hiệp

HCM CITY — Hà Nội and HCM City, two major cities in Việt Nam, have been named among Asia's top ten cities with the lowest travel costs, according to Travel & Leisure.

The US-based travel magazine has published a list of the ten cities in Asia with the lowest travel costs with HCM City in southern Việt Nam ranking second with an average trip cost of US$1,452.

Hà Nội, the capital city in northern Việt Nam, ranks ninth, with an average trip cost of around $1,546.

Ethan Crowley, a trip planner from the travel firm Asia Desk, said Việt Nam has earned acclaim as the most cost-effective destination in Southeast Asia, highlighting the affordability of food and lodging.

The Southeast Asian nation could be the “lowest-cost country for travelers” in the region, he noted.

Despite initial perceptions of high travel expenses to Asia, flights are currently nine per cent cheaper than last year, according to Kayak.

Crowley noted the convenience of direct flights from the US and the value of both business and economy class options in Việt Nam.

The list of the ten most affordable Asian cities was compiled using data from Kayak, a metasearch engine for travel services, including airline flights, hotels, rental cars, and vacation packages.

The ranking is based on average round-trip economy airfare and standard double room prices from June to December.

Taipei has been named the most affordable city in Asia. Japan is represented by two cities on this list: Tokyo and Osaka.

Other cities included in the list are Jakarta, New Delhi, Bangkok, Manila, and Kuala Lumpur. — VNS