Before and after Tet, it is the time when many people are worried about the situation of service price increases when booking ride-hailing services or eating at eateries. However, according to actual records, the fares of ride-hailing applications in Ho Chi Minh City do not show abnormal fluctuations. At many time frames, the displayed price is assessed by users as not increasing too much and quickly stabilizing again.
Mr. Tran Duy Tuan (resident of Gia Dinh ward), who regularly uses the ride-hailing service, said he was quite surprised that the fare after Tet did not increase sharply as predicted.
I booked a car to go to work, but the price is only slightly higher than before Tet. At some times, there is almost no difference. However, the waiting time for drivers to receive rides is relatively long, perhaps because the number of operating drivers is not large and the travel demand is high" - Mr. Tuan said.
Similarly, Ms. Ngoc Ha (resident of Lai Thieu ward) shared that traveling in the first days of the year is quite convenient. "I think it will be difficult to book a car or the price will be high after Tet, but in reality I can still book a car and the price does not increase significantly" - Ms. Ha said.
Not only transportation services, the food market in Ho Chi Minh City also recorded a stable trend. At many eateries and cafes, the selling prices of popular dishes such as rice, pho, vermicelli or drinks are almost kept unchanged throughout Tet. Some places adjusted but at a low level, not creating great pressure on consumers.
Ms. Thanh Thao - owner of a chicken rice restaurant in Nhieu Loc ward, said that the restaurant decided to keep the price unchanged throughout Tet to maintain the number of regular customers. "If the price increases sharply, customers will easily be lost. We proactively source ingredients from before, so the cost does not fluctuate too much" - Ms. Thao said.
Many small traders and business owners also said that competitive pressure and consumer caution make keeping prices a reasonable choice. In addition, many stores have calculated costs and prepared goods before Tet to limit the impact of raw material price fluctuations.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade, the goods market in the area in the first days of Binh Ngo 2026 is generally stable, supply is abundant, and there is no shortage or sudden price increase. Currently, all 3 wholesale markets and more than 400 people's markets have resumed operation, mainly stalls selling essential food and foodstuffs. Purchasing power increased slightly compared to the 1st and 2nd days of Tet, when people organized parties, gatherings and prepared to return to work.
