Junk boat on Ha Long Bay at sunset, Vietnam

Custom Trips Vietnam Spending Money

Vietnam Travel Guide

How much spending money for Vietnam?

Vietnam is one of the world's best-value destinations — but what you spend day to day varies enormously depending on how you travel. Here's an honest breakdown of what to expect.

All prices are in USD. Accommodation and transport between cities are handled as part of your custom trip with us — the costs below cover food, drinks, activities, shopping, and tips.

Why Vietnam Is Different

Your money goes further here than almost anywhere.

Vietnam's cost of living is genuinely low — not in a compromised way, but in a way that means the quality of what you can access at every price point is extraordinary compared to what you'd pay at home. A bowl of pho that would win awards in London or New York costs less than two dollars in Hanoi. A long, leisurely dinner at a genuinely excellent restaurant in Hội An — the kind you'd talk about for weeks — rarely exceeds thirty dollars a head including wine.

The result is that most people come home having spent less than they expected and eaten and experienced more than they imagined. The numbers below reflect real spending — not what the guidebooks say, but what we've seen clients actually spend over 25 years of designing Vietnam trips.

Street food is world-class

Vietnam's street food culture is one of the richest in the world. A proper meal from a street vendor or local market costs $1–3 USD and is often the best thing you eat all day.

Drinks are inexpensive

A local beer (bia hơi) costs around $0.50. A craft beer at a good bar runs $2–4. Even cocktails at rooftop venues rarely exceed $8–10.

Cash is still king

Vietnamese dong (VND) is the currency. Most local restaurants, markets, and activities are cash only. ATMs are widely available. We advise on the best way to handle money before you go.

Shopping is a wildcard

Hội An in particular is famous for custom tailoring and craft shopping. Budget separately for this — it's one of the most common reasons people spend more than expected, and it's completely worth it.

Daily Spending by Style

What does a day actually cost?

These are realistic daily spending estimates per person — covering food, drinks, activities, tips, and incidentals. Not including shopping, which varies too much to generalise.

Budget

Local Style

$30–50
per person / day
Street food, local restaurants, the occasional cold beer. You're not roughing it — Vietnam's budget tier is genuinely excellent. You're just eating where the locals eat and making considered choices.
Street food lunch $1–3
Local restaurant dinner $5–10
Local beers (3–4) $3–5
Entry fees / activities $5–10
Coffee & snacks $3–5
Mid-Range

Comfortable

$80–130
per person / day
This is where most of our clients land. Good restaurants, a couple of drinks at a decent bar, guided experiences, and the occasional splurge. Comfortable without being extravagant — and often the sweetest spot Vietnam has to offer.
Café lunch $8–15
Good restaurant dinner $20–40
Cocktails / craft beers $15–25
Guided activity or tour $20–35
Coffee, tips & incidentals $10–15
Higher End

Indulgent

$150–250+
per person / day
The finest restaurants Vietnam has to offer, private guides for every experience, spa afternoons, and evenings that run longer than planned. Even at this level, you'll find Vietnam exceptional value compared to what the same quality would cost in Europe or North America.
Upscale restaurant lunch $25–50
Fine dining dinner $50–100
Premium drinks & wine $30–50
Private guide / experience $40–80
Spa, tips & incidentals $30–60

Spending by Category

What things actually cost in Vietnam.

Real prices across the most common spending categories — so you know what to expect before you arrive. Budget / Mid / High columns show the range across spending styles.

Prices are estimates based on typical costs at time of writing and may vary by season, location, and operator.

Food & Drink
Budget Mid High
Pho / bún bò / bánh mì $1–3 $1–3 $1–3
Local restaurant meal $4–8 $10–20 $30–60
Fine dining dinner $25–50 $60–120
Local beer (bia hơi) $0.50 $0.50 $0.50
Craft beer / cocktail $2–3 $4–8 $8–15
Vietnamese coffee $1–2 $2–4 $4–6
Pho / bún bò / bánh mì
Budget$1–3
Mid$1–3
High$1–3
Local restaurant meal
Budget$4–8
Mid$10–20
High$30–60
Fine dining dinner
Budget
Mid$25–50
High$60–120
Local beer (bia hơi)
Budget$0.50
Mid$0.50
High$0.50
Craft beer / cocktail
Budget$2–3
Mid$4–8
High$8–15
Vietnamese coffee
Budget$1–2
Mid$2–4
High$4–6
Activities & Experiences
Budget Mid High
Temple / museum entry $1–5 $1–5 $1–5
Cooking class $20–30 $30–50 $60–100
Guided city tour $15–25 $30–60 $80–150
Bicycle hire (day) $3–5 $3–5 $3–5
Spa / massage (1hr) $10–15 $20–35 $40–80
Kayaking / water activity $10–20 $20–40 $50–100
Temple / museum entry
Budget$1–5
Mid$1–5
High$1–5
Cooking class
Budget$20–30
Mid$30–50
High$60–100
Guided city tour
Budget$15–25
Mid$30–60
High$80–150
Bicycle hire (day)
Budget$3–5
Mid$3–5
High$3–5
Spa / massage (1hr)
Budget$10–15
Mid$20–35
High$40–80
Kayaking / water activity
Budget$10–20
Mid$20–40
High$50–100
Shopping
Budget Mid High
Silk scarf / souvenirs $5–15 $15–40 $40–100
Custom tailored shirt (Hội An) $25–40 $40–80 $80–200
Custom tailored dress $40–60 $60–120 $120–300
Lacquerware / art $10–30 $30–80 $80–300+
Market goods $5–20 $20–50 $50–150
Silk scarf / souvenirs
Budget$5–15
Mid$15–40
High$40–100
Custom tailored shirt
Budget$25–40
Mid$40–80
High$80–200
Custom tailored dress
Budget$40–60
Mid$60–120
High$120–300
Lacquerware / art
Budget$10–30
Mid$30–80
High$80–300+
Market goods
Budget$5–20
Mid$20–50
High$50–150
Good to Know
Item Note
Tipping at restaurants Not expected but appreciated — 10% is generous
Tipping guides $5–10 USD per day is standard
ATM fees $2–4 per withdrawal — take out larger amounts
SIM card (data) $5–10 for a local SIM with data for the trip
Bargaining Expected at markets, not at restaurants or fixed shops
Tipping at restaurants
Not expected but appreciated — 10% is generous
Tipping guides
$5–10 USD per day is standard
ATM fees
$2–4 per withdrawal — take out larger amounts
SIM card (data)
$5–10 for a local SIM with data for the trip
Bargaining
Expected at markets, not at restaurants or fixed shops

From 25 Years of Experience

How to make your money go further.

01

Eat where locals eat

The best food in Vietnam is almost never in the tourist-facing restaurants with English menus on the main street. The plastic stool, the steaming pot, the queue of locals — that's where the real meals are. We point you to both.
02

Budget separately for Hội An shopping

Hội An's custom tailoring is one of the great travel experiences — but it's easy to spend significantly more than planned. Decide in advance what you want made and set a loose budget for it. Most people don't regret what they buy; they just wish they'd planned for it.
03

Carry small denominations

Street food vendors and small stalls often can't break large bills. Keep a supply of smaller notes for daily purchases. Your hotel or a good restaurant can usually help you break larger bills at the start of each day.
04

Don't over-plan your spending

Vietnam surprises people with how affordable it is. The best approach is to bring a reasonable amount, spend freely on things that matter, and not stress the small decisions. Most of our clients come home with money left over.
05

The splurges are worth it

A fine dining dinner in Hội An. A rooftop cocktail in Hanoi with the Old Quarter below. A private cooking class with a local family. These experiences cost a fraction of what they would at home and become the memories that last longest.
06

Ask us before you go

Every group spends differently. When we design your trip, we're happy to talk through what spending money actually looks like for your style of travel — so you arrive prepared and spend your energy on enjoying the trip, not doing mental currency conversions.

Ready to Plan Your Trip?

Let's build your Vietnam trip.

We handle the accommodation, transport, and logistics. You focus on enjoying every meal, experience, and moment. Tell us what you're imagining and we'll take it from there.

Flexible payment plans available — just ask.

Plan My Vietnam Trip travel@fnez.com

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