Vietnam on a Budget: How to Travel for Under $30/Day

Vietnam has long been a backpacker's paradise, and in 2025 it remains one of the most affordable countries to travel in. A bowl of the world's best pho for a dollar. A private room for eight. A 12-hour sleeper bus for ten. But prices have crept up in tourist hotspots, and without a strategy, you can easily spend more than you need to. This guide gives you the exact playbook to travel Vietnam comfortably on $25-30 per day.

Daily Budget Breakdown

Here is what a realistic $30/day looks like in Vietnam (at roughly 25,000 VND = $1 USD):

Category	Daily Budget	VND Equivalent
Accommodation	$5-10	125,000-250,000
Food	$5-8	125,000-200,000
Transport	$3-5	75,000-125,000
Activities	$5-10	125,000-250,000
Miscellaneous	$2-3	50,000-75,000
Total	$20-36	500,000-900,000

The lower end is easily achievable outside major tourist areas. The higher end accounts for the occasional splurge -- a cooking class, a guided tour, or a nicer meal.

Cheapest Accommodation Options

Accommodation is where your budget goes furthest in Vietnam.

Hostels (80,000-200,000 VND / $3-8 per night)

Dorm beds in a clean, social hostel with Wi-Fi, lockers, and often a free breakfast. The best hostel scenes:

• Hanoi: Vietnam Backpacker Hostels, Little Charm Hostel (from 120,000 VND)
• Hoi An: Under 5 Hostel, Tribee Bana (from 100,000 VND)
• Ho Chi Minh City: The Common Room Project, Long Hostel (from 130,000 VND)

Homestays (150,000-350,000 VND / $6-14 per night)

The best value in Vietnam. Family-run guesthouses where you get a private room, often with breakfast, and a genuine local experience. Homestays are especially rewarding in:

• Ninh Binh: Tam Coc area homestays with rice paddy views
• Mai Chau: Stilt house homestays in the valley
• Mekong Delta: Homestays along the river in Can Tho

Agoda and Booking.com Deals

Private rooms in mini-hotels (nha nghi) regularly appear for 150,000-250,000 VND ($6-10) on booking apps. These are basic but clean -- private bathroom, air conditioning, Wi-Fi. Filter by "pay at property" to keep your options flexible.

Pro tip: In smaller towns, skip the apps entirely. Walk in and ask "co phong khong?" (do you have a room?). Walk-in rates at local guesthouses are often 100,000-150,000 VND ($4-6) -- cheaper than online because they avoid the platform commission.

Street Food: The $5/Day Eating Guide

Vietnam's street food is not just cheap -- it is genuinely some of the best food in the world. You can eat three full meals and snacks for 125,000 VND ($5) if you eat where locals eat.

Breakfast (15,000-35,000 VND / $0.60-1.40)

• Pho: A full bowl of beef or chicken pho costs 30,000-40,000 VND at a street stall. In Hanoi, Pho Gia Truyen at 49 Bat Dan has been serving legendary pho bo since the 1960s.
• Banh mi: The world's greatest sandwich for 15,000-25,000 VND. Banh Mi Huynh Hoa in Ho Chi Minh City is famous, but any corner cart does an excellent job.
• Xoi (sticky rice): Loaded with toppings for 15,000-20,000 VND. A hearty way to start the day.

Lunch (25,000-50,000 VND / $1-2)

• Com binh dan (everyday rice): Point-and-choose rice plates with 2-3 dishes. Costs 25,000-35,000 VND and is what most Vietnamese people eat for lunch.
• Bun cha (Hanoi): Grilled pork with noodles and herbs, 35,000-50,000 VND. The iconic Hanoi lunch.
• Banh xeo: Crispy Vietnamese crepes stuffed with shrimp and pork, 20,000-40,000 VND.

Dinner (30,000-60,000 VND / $1.20-2.40)

• Bun bo Hue: Spicy beef noodle soup from central Vietnam, 35,000-50,000 VND.
• Cao lau: Hoi An's signature noodle dish, 40,000-50,000 VND at the Central Market.
• Com tam (broken rice): The signature dinner of Saigon, 30,000-45,000 VND with grilled pork chop.

Drinks

• Ca phe sua da (iced milk coffee): 15,000-25,000 VND at a street stall, 35,000-55,000 VND at a cafe.
• Bia hoi (fresh draft beer): 5,000-10,000 VND per glass in Hanoi. Yes, that is 20-40 cents for a beer.
• Tra da (iced tea): Often free at street food stalls.

Pro tip: Follow the plastic chairs. The best street food stalls have tiny plastic stools spilling onto the sidewalk and a crowd of locals. If the stall specializes in one dish, even better -- that is a sign they have perfected it.

Free and Cheap Activities

Vietnam is packed with things to do that cost nothing or next to nothing:

Completely Free

• Walk Hanoi's Old Quarter: 36 streets, each historically dedicated to a different trade. The weekend night market (Friday-Sunday) is free to browse.
• Hoi An's Ancient Town (partially free): Walking around the town is free; the ticket (120,000 VND) is only needed to enter specific heritage houses and temples.
• Temples and pagodas: Most are free. The Jade Emperor Pagoda in HCMC, Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi, and the Marble Mountains temples near Da Nang are all stunning.
• Beaches: An Bang Beach (Hoi An), My Khe Beach (Da Nang), and Bai Sao (Phu Quoc) -- all free to access.
• Markets: Ben Thanh Market (HCMC), Dong Xuan Market (Hanoi), and Central Market (Hoi An) are free to wander.

Under 100,000 VND ($4)

• Rent a bicycle in Hoi An: 30,000-50,000 VND/day. Ride to Tra Que vegetable village or An Bang Beach.
• Ninh Binh boat tour: Tam Coc boat ride through limestone karsts, 150,000 VND (the most scenic $6 you will spend).
• War Remnants Museum (HCMC): 40,000 VND. One of Vietnam's most powerful museums.
• Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (Hanoi): Free. Dress respectfully -- long pants and covered shoulders required.

Transport Savings

Transport can eat your budget if you are not strategic.

Sleeper Buses vs. Flights

Route	Sleeper Bus	Flight
Hanoi to Hue	350,000 VND / 13h	900,000 VND / 1.5h
Hue to Hoi An	120,000 VND / 4h	No direct flight
Da Nang to HCMC	450,000 VND / 17h	800,000 VND / 1.5h
HCMC to Da Lat	200,000 VND / 7h	600,000 VND / 1h

Sleeper buses save money and a night's accommodation. The Phuong Trang (FUTA) and Hoang Long companies are the most comfortable. Book at the bus station or on 12Go Asia.

Grab vs. Traditional Taxis

Grab is almost always cheaper than a metered taxi and eliminates negotiation. A 5 km GrabBike ride costs around 15,000-25,000 VND ($0.60-1). GrabCar costs roughly double. Traditional taxis charge 12,000-15,000 VND per km -- use Mai Linh or Vinasun only if you must.

Local Buses

City buses in Hanoi and HCMC cost 7,000-8,000 VND (about $0.30) per ride. They are slow but absurdly cheap. Google Maps shows bus routes in both cities.

Cheapest Destinations in Vietnam

Not all Vietnamese cities cost the same. Here is how they compare:

Budget-Friendly

• Ninh Binh: Cheap homestays (150,000 VND), affordable boat tours, bicycle-friendly. A budget traveler's dream.
• Hue: Accommodation and food are 20-30% cheaper than Hoi An or Da Nang. Incredible imperial citadel and pagodas.
• Can Tho: The Mekong Delta hub is untouristy and cheap. Floating market tours start at 100,000 VND.
• Da Lat: The highland town is popular with Vietnamese tourists, keeping prices honest. Great coffee culture.
• Phong Nha: Budget caves and countryside at low prices. Dorm beds from 80,000 VND.

More Expensive (Still Affordable)

• Hoi An: Tailoring and cooking classes add up. Accommodation is pricier than average.
• Da Nang: Growing fast as a resort city. Beach hotel prices have risen.
• Phu Quoc: Island prices are 30-50% higher than the mainland. Still cheaper than Thailand's islands.
• Sapa: Tourism has pushed prices up, especially for trekking guides and homestays.

Money-Saving Tips

1. Eat breakfast at your hostel if it is included. That saves 30,000 VND daily.
2. Drink bia hoi, not imported beer. A Heineken is 30,000 VND; bia hoi is 5,000 VND.
3. Book overnight transport to save on accommodation. A sleeper bus or train replaces a hotel night.
4. Learn basic Vietnamese numbers. Vendors are less likely to inflate prices if you understand the numbers.
5. Withdraw cash in large amounts. ATM fees are 22,000-55,000 VND per transaction. Use TP Bank for free withdrawals.
6. Travel in shoulder season (March-May, September-November). Accommodation prices drop 20-40%.
7. Use a no-foreign-transaction-fee debit card like Wise or Revolut. The savings on exchange rates add up over weeks.

Pro tip: Track your spending with the Trail Wallet or TravelSpend app. It is easy to lose track of budget in a country where everything feels cheap -- small overages compound over a long trip.

Sample 2-Week Budget

Item	Cost
Accommodation (14 nights, hostel/homestay mix)	$100
Food (3 meals/day, street food focus)	$85
Transport (buses, trains, Grab)	$65
Activities & entrance fees	$70
Miscellaneous (SIM card, laundry, snacks)	$30
Total for 2 weeks	$350

That is $25 per day for a comfortable backpacker trip with no real sacrifices -- just smart choices.

Vietnam does not force you to choose between an incredible experience and a tight budget. The cheapest option is often the most authentic: the street food stall over the restaurant, the sleeper bus over the flight, the homestay over the hotel. Travel lean, eat well, and let the extra savings fund an extra week.

For a day-by-day route to match this budget, see our 2-week Vietnam itinerary.