Vietnam is one of the cheapest and most popular travel destinations in South East Asia. A visit to this beautiful country with stunning landscape, amazing food, and authentic experiences should be at the top of your bucket list.
Unlike its more expensive neighbors like Thailand and Cambodia, a trip to Vietnam will not burn a hole in your wallet. It usually costs around $40 to $55 per day for budget travelers and around $150 per day for luxury travelers.
Let’s take a look at how much it costs to travel to Vietnam so that you can plan your budget accordingly.
Please note: All prices are provided in US dollars.
Before you book your hotels and plan out your itinerary, you need to get a visa. Getting a visa is a pretty straightforward process. You can either apply online or offline. But I recommend getting your Vietnam visa online since it's faster and easier.
A Vietnam visa will cost around $17 to $65 depending on whether you opt for a single entry or multiple entries.
After you get your visa, it is time to book your flight ticket. International flight tickets will usually cost $800.
Vietnam has different types of accommodation depending on your budget.
Most travelers who come to Vietnam stay in hostels. You can find a good budget stays for as little as $2. You can also find clean and homely hostels for around $5 to $10 per night.
For mid-range hotels, you can expect to shell out from as little as $15 to upwards of $60 depending on the hotel you choose. Book your hotel with BDATrip now.
If you want to splurge a bit on your accommodation, Vietnam has plenty of luxury hotels, particularly in its two biggest cities, Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi. A room at a luxury hotel can set you back around $90 to $100 per night.
You can also check out the top 5 luxury hotels in Ho Chi Minh city.
Vietnam is famous for its delicious food and this is something you don’t want to miss out on. And the best part? The food is extremely affordable. You won’t have to spend more than $10 to $15 per day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if you are a fan of street food.
If you are in Hoi An but don’t have any clue where to get the best street food, you can choose to go on a Hoi An food tour.
For a more formal place like a restaurant or a cafe, you can expect to shell out $15 to $30 per meal.
Vietnam has a thriving cafe culture. This means you get to drink tons of amazing coffee. If you like your morning with a cup of coffee, expect to shell out anything from $0.43 to upwards of $3 per drink.
You can’t drink tap water in Vietnam so you’ll have to buy bottled water which costs around $0.43 for a large bottle.
Alcohol is another expense you need to keep in mind. Beers are available from as little as $0.25 to $2. Some places in the bigger cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh sell craft beers which cost around $3. Wine is generally more expensive and can set you back $5 per glass.
Vietnam is a relatively large country. To get from one end to the other you will have to travel either by plane, train, bus, or taxi.
Cheap domestic flights connect all major cities( Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Danang, Phu Quoc, and Nha Trang) in Vietnam. If you book well in advance you can expect to pay around $30 to $85 per flight.
Another great and cheap way to get around Vietnam is by train. Air-conditioned trains link Hanoi, Hue, Danang, Nha Trang, and Ho Chi Minh. There are also trains from Hanoi to Halong Bay and Sapa. An average train trip will cost anywhere between $10 to $60 depending on your destination.
Buses are the most affordable way to get around Vietnam. Though some bus journeys can be uncomfortable, you can always choose the more expensive buses for a comfortable journey. Bus tickets cost around $3 for a 1-hour journey, 6$ for a 4-hour journey, and $7 to $20 for 8 to 9 hours.
Grab is a popular rideshare app that is commonly used across Vietnam. If you can't find a grab anywhere nearby then you can hail a taxi. Most taxi fares should cost between $0.56 to $0.6 per km.
Besides accommodation, food, and transportation costs, you also have to put some money aside for a SIM card, shopping, and any other expenses that might come up unexpectedly.
You can get a SIM card at the airport for around $9 and an additional $4 for a top-up.
For shopping, put at least $80 to $100 aside, especially if you’re in Hoi An. The silk clothes from Hoi An can get pretty expensive but it's a souvenir worth buying.
A lot of tourist sights have entrance fees but if you are part of a tour it’s already included in your tour fee.
At the end of the day, Vietnam is still a relatively new tourist destination. You can expect prices to rise significantly over the next few years. But for now, it is still one of the cheapest destinations in South East Asia. You can plan a one-week holiday to Vietnam for around $350 to $400 approx.
