A week in Vietnam costs roughly $250 to $1,100 per person once you’re on the ground, not counting your flight. Backpackers can do it for about $35 a day. Most mid-range travelers land around $70 to $110 a day. If you want boutique hotels and private drivers, expect $150 a day or more.
That’s the short answer. The rest of this guide breaks down exactly where the money goes: the visa, the flights, the food, the beds, the buses, and the little extras that quietly add up. I’ve also priced out a real seven-day route so you can see what each day actually costs, instead of guessing from a vague “per day” number.
Here’s the snapshot. These numbers cover accommodation, food, local transport, activities and a few intercity trips. They do not include international flights, travel insurance or souvenirs.
| Travel style | Per day | 7 days | What that gets you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | $25–40 | $175–280 | Dorms or simple guesthouses, street food, buses and trains |
| Mid-range | $70–110 | $490–770 | Private rooms or 3-star hotels, restaurant meals, Grab rides, one domestic flight |
| Comfort | $150+ | $1,050+ | 4–5 star hotels, guided tours, private transfers, a cruise upgrade |
How much money should you take for a week in Vietnam? For most people, $600 to $800 in spending money covers a comfortable mid-range week. Add your flight, visa and insurance on top.
Before You Land: Flights, Visa, Insurance and SIM
Most budget guides skip this part, but your pre-trip costs can easily equal half of your on-the-ground spending. Here’s what to plan for.
Flights to Vietnam
Airfare is the biggest variable, and it depends entirely on where you’re flying from. As a rough guide, flights from India or Southeast Asia are often the cheapest, from Europe they sit in the middle, and from the US they cost the most. Fares are lowest outside Tết (the Lunar New Year, usually late January or February) and outside the big summer travel weeks.
Vietnam visa cost
Many travelers need an e-visa. At the time of writing, the official e-visa fee is $25 for a single entry and $50 for multiple entry, valid for up to 90 days. Some nationalities can enter visa-free for a set number of days, and these rules have changed more than once recently.
Always check the official government portal, evisa.gov.vn, before you book. Avoid look-alike sites that charge extra “service fees” for the same form. For a broader comparison, see our guide to visa costs across 8 Asian countries.
Travel insurance
Budget roughly $30 to $60 for a week, depending on your age and coverage. It’s not the fun part of the budget, but a motorbike scrape or a bad stomach bug can cost far more than the policy. Check that yours covers motorbikes if you plan to ride one.
SIM or eSIM
Data is cheap in Vietnam. A tourist SIM or eSIM with enough data for a week usually costs $5 to $15. I’d get an eSIM before landing so Grab works the second you step out of the airport.
Where the Money Actually Goes
Let’s go category by category. This is the part that helps you decide what to spend on and where to save.
Accommodation
Vietnam is one of the best-value places in the world to sleep well. Rough nightly ranges:
- Dorm bed: $5–10
- Basic private room or guesthouse: $15–30
- Good 3-star hotel: $30–60
- 4–5 star hotel: $80–200+
Prices in Hanoi’s Old Quarter and Hoi An’s old town run higher than the same standard in smaller towns, and they jump during Tết and peak summer weekends. Homestays in Ninh Binh and the countryside are often cheaper and a lot more memorable than a chain hotel.
Food and drink
This is where Vietnam really shines. You can eat very well for very little, and the best meals are often the cheapest ones.
- Bowl of phở or bún chả: 40,000–70,000 VND ($1.60–$2.80)
- Bánh mì: 20,000–40,000 VND ($0.80–$1.60)
- Vietnamese coffee (cà phê sữa đá): 25,000–50,000 VND ($1–$2)
- Local beer (bia hơi) on the street: 10,000–25,000 VND ($0.40–$1)
- Sit-down tourist restaurant meal: 150,000–300,000 VND ($6–$12)
- Nicer restaurant dinner: $15–35 per person
A budget eater can live on $8 to $15 a day. A mix of street food and restaurants comes to about $15 to $30 a day. Food on a cruise or in a resort is where the numbers climb.
Getting around town
Grab (the ride-hailing app) is the easiest way to move around cities, and it removes the haggling. A short motorbike ride usually costs 15,000–50,000 VND ($0.60–$2), and a short car ride is a few dollars more. Always use the app price rather than negotiating with a driver on the street, especially at airports.
Airport transfers are where people overpay. A Grab from Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport into the city is much cheaper than a pre-booked “tourist taxi” at the arrivals desk. Public bus 86 also runs between the airport and central Hanoi for a very small fare.
Getting between cities
Intercity travel is the line item that changes your budget the most. Typical options:
- Hanoi to Ninh Binh: train or limousine van, about $5–12
- Hanoi to Ha Long or Lan Ha Bay: shuttle bus or transfer, about $10–25
- Hanoi to Da Nang by plane: about $30–90 depending on how early you book
- Da Nang to Hoi An: taxi or Grab, about $8–15
- Overnight sleeper train or bus: $15–45 and saves a hotel night, though it won’t be your best sleep
Flying is almost always the smartest use of money on a one-week trip. Vietnam is long and thin, and a 15-hour bus ride eats a full day you’ll never get back.
Activities and entry fees
This part is easy to underestimate. Some popular things cost very little, and others are where a budget quietly doubles. Approximate prices (check current rates before you go):
- Temple of Literature, Hanoi: about 30,000 VND
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum area: free to enter, with dress rules
- Trang An boat tour, Ninh Binh: about 250,000 VND
- Ha Long Bay entry ticket: about 250,000 VND, often bundled into cruise prices
- Overnight Ha Long or Lan Ha cruise: roughly $100–250 per person for mid-range, more for luxury
- Hoi An Old Town ticket: about 120,000 VND
- Bà Nà Hills and the Golden Bridge: about 900,000 VND
- Cooking class: $20–45
A Real 7-Day Vietnam Itinerary With Costs
Here’s a route that works well in a single week: Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Ha Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay, then a short flight south to Da Nang and Hoi An. The daily figures below are for one person on a mid-range budget, with budget alternatives where they matter. If you’d like help choosing where to base yourself, read our guide to which part of Vietnam is best to visit.
Days 1–2: Hanoi (about $60–90 per day)
Hanoi is loud, chaotic and brilliant. Spend day one wandering the Old Quarter, eating at small plastic-stool restaurants, and watching the city’s rhythm from a café window. Day two is for the Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo Prison, a water puppet show and an evening food walk.
Costs: hotel $35–60, food $15–25, activities $5–15, local transport $3–8. If you’re on a budget, a dorm and street food bring the day closer to $30.
Day 3: Ninh Binh (about $50–80)
Take the morning train or limousine van from Hanoi. In Ninh Binh, do the Trang An boat ride, climb the Mua Cave viewpoint, and rent a bicycle to roam the rice paddies. Homestays here offer great value.
Costs: transfer $6–12, homestay $25–50, boat tour about $10, meals $12–20, bike hire a couple of dollars.
Day 4: Ha Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay (about $120–250)
This is your splurge day. An overnight cruise includes meals, kayaking and a cabin, and it makes up the biggest single cost of the week. Lan Ha Bay is quieter and often better value than the main Ha Long route. Book through a reputable operator with recent reviews, since cruise quality varies enormously. If you want to cut costs, a day cruise from Hanoi or Cat Ba Island is much cheaper.
Day 5: Fly to Da Nang, then Hoi An (about $70–110)
Return to Hanoi or fly directly if your cruise ends nearby, then take a flight to Da Nang. The flight itself is roughly $30–90, so book a few weeks ahead for the low end. A Grab or taxi to Hoi An takes under an hour. Spend the evening in the old town when the lanterns come on.
Day 6: Hoi An (about $55–90)
Buy your Old Town ticket, then wander the Japanese Covered Bridge, the old merchant houses and the riverside. Rent a bicycle for the rice fields and An Bang Beach. If you’re tempted by tailor-made clothing, set a firm budget first, since it’s easy to overspend.
Day 7: Da Nang or departure (about $40–100)
Use your last day for the Marble Mountains, the beach, or a relaxed breakfast and an early flight. If you’re ending in Ho Chi Minh City instead, expect a similar flight cost, and a slightly higher hotel price.
| Day | Location | Mid-range cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Hanoi | $120–180 |
| 3 | Ninh Binh | $50–80 |
| 4 | Ha Long / Lan Ha | $120–250 |
| 5 | Flight + Hoi An | $70–110 |
| 6 | Hoi An | $55–90 |
| 7 | Da Nang / departure | $40–100 |
| Total | about $455–810 |
Hanoi vs Hoi An vs Ho Chi Minh City: Where Is Cheapest?
Vietnam is cheap everywhere, but not equally cheap. If you’re deciding how to split your seven days, this is how the main cities compare for an average traveler.
- Hanoi: The best value of the big three. Food is outstanding and cheap, and good hotels in the Old Quarter cost less than in most Asian capitals. Prices rise noticeably only on the busiest tourist streets.
- Hoi An and Da Nang: Hoi An’s old town is the priciest per night for the quality, because it’s small and popular. Staying a few kilometers out, near An Bang Beach or in Da Nang, usually saves 20 to 30 percent. Da Nang itself is calmer and cheaper for beachfront stays.
- Ho Chi Minh City: More modern and a little pricier for hotels, restaurants and nightlife. The upside is a huge range of options, from $1 street food to rooftop bars. Day trips to the Mekong Delta or the Cu Chi Tunnels add $15 to $40 each.
- Small towns (Ninh Binh, Hue, Dalat): Often the cheapest places to sleep and eat, with very good homestays. Transport to reach them is where the cost sits.
If you want the lowest cost for a single week, a Hanoi, Ninh Binh and Ha Long route is typically cheaper than a route that includes Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City, mainly because you skip one or two domestic flights.
Cash, Cards, ATMs and Tipping
Money in Vietnam is easy once you know a few basics, and getting them wrong is a quiet source of extra cost.
The currency
Vietnam uses the dong (VND). Notes come in large numbers, so it’s easy to mistake 20,000 for 200,000. Take a moment to check the zeros every time you pay, and keep small notes separate from large ones. A simple trick: remove three zeros and halve it to get a rough dollar value (50,000 VND is about $2).
Cash or card
Cards are accepted at most hotels, malls, larger restaurants and airline websites. Street food, markets, small cafés and local transport are usually cash only. Plan to carry enough cash for each day, and use a card with no foreign transaction fees where you can.
ATMs
ATMs are everywhere in cities and tourist towns. Withdrawal limits per transaction are often capped (commonly around 2 to 5 million VND), and each withdrawal can carry a local fee on top of your own bank’s charge. Withdraw the maximum, less often, to cut the fees. Use ATMs attached to banks or inside well-lit, busy areas.
Tipping
Tipping isn’t expected in Vietnam, though it’s appreciated. Round up a taxi fare, leave a small amount at a nicer restaurant, and tip guides and drivers on private tours (roughly $3 to $10 per day is common). Many tourist restaurants add a service charge, so check the bill before adding more.
Solo, Couple or Family: How the Budget Changes
The per-person numbers above assume one traveler. Here’s how that shifts with your group.
Solo travelers
Solo travelers pay the most per person for rooms, since you don’t split the cost. Dorms, hostels and homestays are the best way to keep costs down, and they’re also good for meeting people. Budget an extra 10 to 20 percent over the couple’s per-person figure.
Couples
Couples get the best value. A private room costs about the same for two as for one, and taxis and tours can be split. A mid-range week for two typically lands around $900 to $1,400 total, depending on how many flights and cruises you add.
Families
Families need to plan around room configuration and slower days. Many hotels offer family rooms or let a child stay free, and kids often get discounted entry. Keep the itinerary shorter and fly rather than take long bus rides. Expect to spend more on air-conditioned transport and sit-down meals, and less on nightlife and tours.
Food Worth Paying For (and What to Skip)
You don’t have to spend much to eat well in Vietnam, but a few dishes are worth seeking out in each region. Here’s what I’d order, and roughly what it costs.
- Hanoi: Phở bò, bún chả (grilled pork with noodles, often 50,000–80,000 VND), egg coffee (about 40,000–60,000 VND) and chả cá.
- Ninh Binh: Goat meat and crispy rice, a local specialty usually priced at a moderate restaurant level.
- Hoi An: Cao lầu noodles, white rose dumplings and bánh mì. Hoi An’s famous bánh mì stalls usually charge a little more than Hanoi’s.
- Da Nang: Mì Quảng noodles and fresh seafood by the beach. Seafood is where prices climb, so ask for per-kilo prices before you order.
- Ho Chi Minh City: Cơm tấm (broken rice), hủ tiếu and a wide range of international food.
What to skip? Restaurants right next to major sights that rely on foot traffic, menus with no prices, and anywhere that quotes seafood by weight without showing the scale. Walk two or three streets away from the main attraction and prices often halve.
Hidden Costs and Price Traps in Vietnam
None of these will ruin your trip, but they can quietly add $50 to $100 to your week if you’re not watching.
- Airport transfers and taxi markups. Use Grab or an official taxi queue, and confirm the price before you get in.
- ATM fees. Many Vietnamese ATMs charge 20,000–50,000 VND per withdrawal, plus your own bank’s fee. Take out larger amounts less often.
- Cruise add-ons. Drinks, kayaking, spa treatments and cave entry fees are often extra. Ask what’s included before you pay.
- “Free” tours with shopping stops. They tend to be anything but free, once you factor in the commission-driven detours.
- Tourist menus. Menus without prices, or restaurants that quote after you order, are a red flag.
- Currency exchange. Airport counters give the worst rates. Gold shops and banks in town are usually better.
Best Time to Visit Vietnam (and How It Changes Your Budget)
Vietnam isn’t one climate. The north, center and south each have their own seasons, and your costs shift with them.
North (Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Ha Long)
The sweet spots are October to early December and March to April. Winter can be cold and misty, which affects bay views. Summer is hot, humid and stormy.
Central (Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue)
The best weather is typically February to May. Heavy rain and typhoons are most likely from roughly September to November, and Hoi An can flood. Plan flexibility into this leg during those months.
South (Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta)
It’s warm all year. The dry season runs from about December to April, and the wet season brings short afternoon downpours rather than all-day rain.
What this means for cost
Tết (late January or February) is the most expensive and most disrupted time: flights and hotels spike, and many local businesses close. Shoulder seasons such as March to April and late September to early November in the right regions give you the best balance of price and weather. For official climate data, see the Vietnam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration.
Souvenirs, Tailoring and Shopping
Shopping is the line item most people forget to budget for, and it’s easy to overspend in Vietnam because everything feels cheap.
- Coffee and tea: Vietnamese coffee beans, drip filters (phin) and lotus tea make easy, inexpensive gifts, usually $3 to $12.
- Lanterns and handicrafts: Hoi An’s silk lanterns cost a few dollars each and pack flat.
- Tailor-made clothing: Hoi An tailors can make shirts, dresses or suits within a couple of days. A shirt or dress can be $20 to $50, and a full suit often $100 to $250. Quality varies a lot, so check fabric, ask for a fitting and read recent reviews.
- Markets: Bargaining is normal. Start at around half the first price, stay friendly, and be ready to walk away.
Set a shopping limit before you arrive. A simple rule is 10 percent of your total ground budget, and anything beyond that needs to be something you really love.
How to Build Your Own Vietnam Budget in 5 Steps
The numbers in this guide are a starting point. Here’s how to turn them into a figure that fits your trip.
- Pick your style. Decide whether you’re budget, mid-range or comfort, using the table near the top of this article.
- Multiply by your days. Take the daily figure and multiply it by the number of days you’ll actually spend in Vietnam, not the days of your whole trip.
- Add your one-off costs. That means flights, the visa, insurance, a SIM, and any cruise or tour you’ve already decided on.
- Add domestic transport. Include every flight, train and transfer between cities. This is the most commonly forgotten line.
- Add a 10 to 15 percent buffer. Rain days, a spontaneous tour, or a nicer dinner will use it, and you’ll be glad it’s there.
For example, one person on a mid-range week might budget $90 a day for seven days ($630), add $60 for a domestic flight and $150 for a cruise upgrade ($840 so far), then a 10 percent buffer. That comes to roughly $925 for the ground costs of the whole trip, excluding the international flight.
Pros and Cons of Visiting Vietnam on a One-Week Budget
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent food at very low prices | Distances are long, and one week means picking a region |
| Affordable, good-quality hotels | Tourist-area prices can be inflated |
| Cheap domestic flights if booked early | Weather can derail the central and northern coast |
| Easy to travel independently with Grab and apps | Traffic and noise can be overwhelming |
| Huge variety: cities, caves, beaches, mountains | E-visa and entry rules change, so verify them |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
These are the budget and planning mistakes I see most often, and a few I’d call out from experience.
- Trying to see the whole country in seven days. You’ll spend more on transport than on enjoying anything. Pick one region, or two linked by a short flight.
- Booking a Ha Long cruise on price alone. The cheapest options often cut corners on food, cabins and safety. Read recent reviews.
- Ignoring the rain zone. Booking Hoi An in the middle of typhoon season can wash out your plans and your prepaid hotel.
- Forgetting the visa. Check entry rules for your passport well before departure.
- Carrying too much cash, or too little. Cards work in hotels and malls, but street food, markets and small shops are cash-only.
- Not negotiating where it’s normal, and negotiating where it isn’t. Markets often allow bargaining. Restaurants and metered rides do not.
Pro Tips to Spend Less Without Missing the Good Stuff
- Book domestic flights early. Fares jump close to departure.
- Eat where locals queue. A crowded plastic-stool place is both cheaper and usually better.
- Use Grab, not street taxis. You see the price upfront.
- Get an eSIM before landing. It makes maps, Grab and translation work from the first minute.
- Use sleeper trains or buses sparingly. They save a hotel night, but only if you can sleep on one.
- Stay slightly outside the busiest tourist street. You’ll save money and sleep better.
- Carry small notes. Breaking a 500,000 VND note for a 30,000 VND purchase is a hassle.
- Confirm what’s included. Especially for cruises and tours.
Which Budget Is Right for You?
Choose the budget route ($25–40 a day) if you’re a solo traveler or backpacker who wants to stretch every dollar, don’t mind dorms or basic rooms, and love street food.
Choose mid-range ($70–110 a day) if you want comfort without waste: private rooms, good meals, a flight to save time, and one proper cruise or tour. For most couples and first-time visitors, this is the sweet spot.
Choose comfort ($150+ a day) if you’re short on time and want smooth logistics, a high-end stay or a private guide.
If you only have seven days, I’d keep the route tight, fly once, and spend your extra money on one great experience instead of lots of small ones.
