Travel guide

28/10-2025

Vietnam Travel Budget: How Much Does a Trip to Vietnam Cost?

Vietnam's still a super cheapo spot in Southeast Asia in '25, fam! Mad views, banging street food, and hella history without draining your wallet. Whether you're Rollin' on a budget, tryna chill comfy, or living' that Bougielife, you could be slinging' anything $25 to $300+ a day. Word on the street recent travelers and travel gurus, budget $25-40/day for basics, $50-80 for decent digs, and $150+ for the high life. That's crashing', grubbing', getting around, and doing' stuff, minus your flights (which'll run you $600-1,200 round-trip the US or $400-800 Europe). So, for a 2-week trip, that's, like, $700-1,600 spent on the ground if you're balling' on a budget. Exchange rates change, but $1 USD ≈ 25,000 VND as of late '25—making that pho feel like nothing'. I'll break it down by category, travel style, and trip length, with real tips so you can make your dong go further.

Daily Budget Lowdown by Travel Vibe

Vietnam's got something for every baller. Here's the 411 on costs per person, per day (straight outta 2025 traveler stats):

Category	Budget ($25-40/day)	Mid-Range ($50-80/day)	Luxury ($150-300+/day)
Accommodation	$5-15 (hostels/dorms, guesthouses)	$25-50 (3-4 star hotels, boutique stays)	$100-500+ (5-star resorts, villas)
Food & Drinks	$5-10 (street food, local eateries; 3 meals + beer)	$15-25 (mix of street + restaurants; coffee/cocktails)	$40-70 (fine dining, international spots)
Local Transport	$2-5 (buses, walking, scooter rental ~$5/day)	$5-10 (Grab rides, taxis, short tours)	$20-50 (private cars, limos)
Activities & Sightseeing	$5-10 (free temples, cheap entrances; occasional tour)	$10-20 (guided walks, entrance fees)	$30-80 (private tours, cruises, spas)
Misc (SIM, insurance, tips)	$3-5	$5-10	$10-20
Total Per Day	$25-40	$50-80	$150-300+

Crash Pad Costs

Vietnam's digs are dirt cheap—clean spots in the mix, for sure. Hit up Booking.com or Agoda for steals.

Budget: $5-15/night for dorms or crash pads in Hanoi or HCMC. Think shared showers but total party vibes.

Mid-Range: $25-50/night for 3-star hotels with AC, Wi-Fi, and grub. Hoi An's ancient town boutique stays slap.

Luxury: $100-500/night for 5-stars like Hoi An's Four Seasons or Phu Quoc beach spots.

Pro Tip: Off-peak (May-Sep up north) chops 20-30% off prices. Total for 2 weeks: $70-700 budget, $350-700 mid-range.

Food and Drink Dough

Vietnamese eats are top-tier and wallet-friendly—pho, banh mi, and fresh spring rolls rule.

A street chow down: $1-3 (like, pho or banh mi).

Local joint: $3-5 a plate.

Fancy/global: $5-10.

Beers/coffee: $0.50-2; cocktails $3-5.

Daily: Budget $5-10 for three meals; $15-25 including cafe-hopping. Go hard on a Hoi An cooking class (~$20). Veggies/vegans: Everywhere and hella cheap. Total for 2 weeks: $70-350.

Transport & Getting Around Vietnam

Vietnam's long, so transport eats dough—overnight rides save on sleep.

Local (cities): Walk for free; Grab/motorbike taxi $1-3; bus $0.30-1.

Buses Between Towns: $5-15 (Hanoi to Ninh Binh ~$10; sleeper buses to HCMC ~$20-30).

Riding the Rails: $15-60 (scenic Reunification Express: Hanoi-Hue $25 soft sleeper; cop tix on 12Go.asia).

Planes: $30-100 (Hanoi-HCMC via VietJet ~$30-50; book early to save).

Scooter Sesh: $5-10/day (license needed; gas $2-3).

A north-south loop: 2-3 flights/buses total $50-150. Random taxis? Nah—use apps to dodge scams.

Activities and Sightseeing

Free stuff like Hanoi's markets are all over, but icons add up.

Entrances: $1-5 (Temple of Literature $2; Cu Chi Tunnels $10).

Tours: $10-20 (Ninh Binh boat $10; Ha Long Bay day trip $25-50).

Big Spends: Ha Long cruise $130-400 (2-3 nights); Sapa trek $50-100.

Daily: $5-20. For 2 weeks: $70-280. Eco-tip: roll with groups to save some coins.

Flying Into Vietnam

The big upfront hit—fly into Hanoi (HAN) or HCMC (SGN).

From the US (LAX-NYC): $600-1,200 round-trip (economy; cheaper via Korean Air or EVA Air).

From Europe (London-Frankfurt): $400-800 (via Qatar or Turkish Airlines).

Best time: Book 2-3 months out; shoulder season (Sep-Nov, Mar-May) saves 20%. Hit 'em up for an extra $50-100 for airport rides.

Sample Trip Budgets for Different Lengths

Assuming mid-range style, excluding international flights:

Trip Length	Total On-Ground Cost	Breakdown (Accomm/Food/Transport/Activities)
7 Days (North Focus: Hanoi + Ha Long)	$350-560	$175/100/50/25 (bus to bay $20; cruise add-on $150)
14 Days (North-Central: + Hoi An/Hue)	$700-1,120	$350/200/100/50 (train Hue-Da Nang $25)
21 Days (Full North-South: + HCMC/Mekong)	$1,050-1,680	$525/300/150/75 (flight Da Nang-HCMC $40; Mekong tour $20)

Extra Dough: Visas, Insurance, and Random Stuff

Visa: E-visa is 25 bucks (30 days; just apply online, bruh).

SIM/eSIM: $5-10 for 10-20GB (Viettel/Airalo).

Insurance: $30-50 for 2 weeks (HeyMondo or World Nomads; covers scooters/motorbikes, no cap).

Tips/Fees: 5-10% at restaurants; $1-2 for guides.

Ways to Save Mad Cash on Your Vietnam Trip

Chow Down on the Streets: Ditch tourist traps—local spots save $5-10 per meal, fam.

Overnight Travel: Buses/trains are like free digs ($20/night saved).

Book Smart: Domestic flights via Skyscanner; 12Go for buses/trains is clutch.

Free Stuff: Temples, markets, and beaches are free—hike Hang Mua for crazy views ($5 entry).

Apps: Grab for rides; Google Translate for menus; Xe for the dough.

Seasonal Tricks: Avoid Tet (Feb) crowds; north dry season (Oct-Apr) means cheaper Ha Long prices.

Groups: Split taxis/tours—flying solo? Join via Hostel world.

Final Thoughts

A Vietnam trip in 2025 can be as cheap or boujee as you want—$1,000-2,000 gets you a solid 2 weeks for most peeps. Don't forget inflation (up ~5% 2024) and book with some wiggle room. From misty Ha Long karsts to HCMC's buzzing markets, the value is unreal. Got Qs? Jump into TripAdvisor forums or apps like Rome2Rio for routes. Chúc mừng! (Cheers to your adventure, y'all.)