Popular cities
Vietnam Cost of Living 2026
๐ป๐ณ 20 cities in Vietnam, sorted by daily travel budget. Not the exchange rate โ how cheap it feels on your own income, and where a price becomes a rip-off. Updated October 2026
Cities in Vietnam compared
| City | Per day | Per month | Local meal | Coffee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ป๐ณ Rach GiaProvincial city | $44.8 | $734 | โซ35,000 | โซ35,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Ha GiangTourist ยท small town | $45.8 | $682 | โซ50,000 | โซ35,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Can ThoBig city | $46.5 | $646 | โซ35,000 | โซ30,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Da LatMid-size city | $49.7 | $945 | โซ45,000 | โซ35,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Ninh BinhTourist ยท small town | $50.7 | $873 | โซ60,000 | โซ35,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Nha TrangResort | $50.7 | $1,273 | โซ55,000 | โซ45,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ HueTourist ยท mid-size | $55.6 | $607 | โซ35,000 | โซ35,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Sa PaTourist ยท small town | $55.6 | $928 | โซ60,000 | โซ45,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Vung TauResort ยท mid-size | $56.1 | $1,092 | โซ50,000 | โซ45,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Da NangResort ยท mid-size | $56.5 | $1,303 | โซ50,000 | โซ45,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ HaiphongBig city ยท coast | $56.5 | $847 | โซ40,000 | โซ45,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Phong NhaTourist ยท small town | $58 | $869 | โซ50,000 | โซ35,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Quy NhonResort ยท mid-size | $58.3 | $964 | โซ45,000 | โซ40,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Hoi AnResort ยท small town | $60 | $1,207 | โซ50,000 | โซ55,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ HanoiBig city | $61.4 | $1,277 | โซ70,000 | โซ45,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Phu QuocResort | $62.2 | $1,336 | โซ60,000 | โซ50,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Mui NeResort ยท small town | $63.2 | $1,085 | โซ70,000 | โซ40,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Con DaoResort ยท small town | $66.1 | $915 | โซ50,000 | โซ50,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Ha LongTourist town | $67.8 | $1,045 | โซ50,000 | โซ45,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Ho Chi Minh CityBig city | $68 | $1,302 | โซ60,000 | โซ50,000 |
Per day = one mid-range night + three meals, a coffee and two taxi rides. Open a city for item-by-item prices, rip-off thresholds and live traveler reports.
Everyday prices in Vietnam
| City | Beer | 5 km taxi | Hotel night | Massage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ป๐ณ Rach Gia | โซ25,000 | โซ70,000 | โซ650,000 | โซ200,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Ha Giang | โซ25,000 | โซ65,000 | โซ650,000 | โซ250,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Can Tho | โซ28,000 | โซ70,000 | โซ700,000 | โซ200,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Da Lat | โซ25,000 | โซ75,000 | โซ700,000 | โซ250,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Ninh Binh | โซ25,000 | โซ70,000 | โซ700,000 | โซ250,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Nha Trang | โซ28,000 | โซ75,000 | โซ600,000 | โซ250,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Hue | โซ20,000 | โซ65,000 | โซ900,000 | โซ250,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Sa Pa | โซ30,000 | โซ80,000 | โซ700,000 | โซ300,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Vung Tau | โซ22,000 | โซ80,000 | โซ800,000 | โซ250,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Da Nang | โซ30,000 | โซ60,000 | โซ800,000 | โซ300,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Haiphong | โซ25,000 | โซ70,000 | โซ800,000 | โซ250,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Phong Nha | โซ25,000 | โซ90,000 | โซ900,000 | โซ250,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Quy Nhon | โซ27,000 | โซ70,000 | โซ900,000 | โซ220,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Hoi An | โซ30,000 | โซ75,000 | โซ900,000 | โซ300,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Hanoi | โซ25,000 | โซ75,000 | โซ800,000 | โซ300,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Phu Quoc | โซ30,000 | โซ80,000 | โซ900,000 | โซ250,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Mui Ne | โซ30,000 | โซ70,000 | โซ900,000 | โซ250,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Con Dao | โซ35,000 | โซ100,000 | โซ1,000,000 | โซ250,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Ha Long | โซ25,000 | โซ70,000 | โซ1,000,000 | โซ300,000 |
| ๐ป๐ณ Ho Chi Minh City | โซ35,000 | โซ70,000 | โซ1,000,000 | โซ300,000 |
Vietnam vs nearby countries
| Country | Per day | Per month | vs Vietnam |
|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ป๐ณ Vietnam | $56.7 | $997 | this country |
| ๐ฒ๐ฒ Myanmar | $58.1 | $561 | +3% |
| ๐ณ๐ต Nepal | $61.5 | $742 | +9% |
| ๐ฑ๐ฆ Laos | $62 | $1,351 | +9% |
| ๐ฎ๐ณ India | $62.4 | $864 | +10% |
| ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan | $65.1 | $727 | +15% |
| ๐ฎ๐ฉ Indonesia | $65.4 | $1,097 | +15% |
| ๐ง๐ฉ Bangladesh | $66.7 | $795 | +18% |
Countries in the same region with a similar daily travel budget. Tap a country for its city-by-city prices.
Ho Chi Minh City vs New York: item by item
| Item | Ho Chi Minh City | New York | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local meal | โซ60,000โ $2.28 | $20 | -89% |
| Coffee | โซ50,000โ $1.9 | $6 | -68% |
| Beer | โซ35,000โ $1.33 | $9 | -85% |
| 5 km taxi | โซ70,000โ $2.66 | $23 | -88% |
| Hotel night | โซ1,000,000โ $38 | $270 | -86% |
| 1-bed rent | โซ10,000,000โ $380 | $3,300 | -88% |
Same purchase in both cities, converted to US dollars. Daily travel budget: Ho Chi Minh City $68 vs New York $467 โ about 85% cheaper.
Compare Vietnam with other cities
Money tips for Vietnam
Paying
Cash is king. Cafรฉs, supermarkets and hotels take cards, and local QR payments are spreading fast.
Tipping
Not expected, though small tips for massage and tour guides are common.
Menu prices
Local eateries charge the menu price. Upscale places and hotels may add 8โ10% VAT and a 5% service charge.
Getting around
Grab is the safe default and GrabBike is cheapest. For taxis stick to big firms like Mai Linh or Vinasun.
Haggling
Haggle at markets, souvenir stalls and for cyclos. Fix the amount and the currency (dong or dollars) before you ride.
Water
Don't drink tap water; buy bottled.
Common rip-offs
Mixing up 10,000 and 100,000 dong notes to short-change you; fake taxis with rigged meters.
Vietnam travel difficulty
| City | Overall | Rip-offs | Language | Transport | Payments | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Da Nang | Moderate 2.6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Hue | Moderate 2.6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Nha Trang | Moderate 2.6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Ha Long | Moderate 2.8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Haiphong | Moderate 2.8 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Hoi An | Moderate 2.8 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Mui Ne | Moderate 2.8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Ninh Binh | Moderate 2.8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Phu Quoc | Moderate 2.8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Quy Nhon | Moderate 2.8 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Can Tho | Hard 3.0 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Con Dao | Hard 3.0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Da Lat | Hard 3.0 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Ho Chi Minh City | Hard 3.0 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Phong Nha | Hard 3.0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Rach Gia | Hard 3.0 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Sa Pa | Hard 3.0 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Vung Tau | Hard 3.0 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Hanoi | Hard 3.2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Ha Giang | Very hard 3.8 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
Rip-offs, language, getting around, payments and safety, 1โ5 (closer to 1 is easier). Tap a city for reasons and tips. Full difficulty ranking โบ
City guides
FAQ
How much is a daily travel budget in Vietnam?
With a mid-range room, between $44.8 and $68 a day depending on the city โ about $56.7 on average. Hostels and local eateries cut that by 30% or more.
How much does a month in Vietnam cost?
Short-term rental plus living costs runs $734โ$1,336 by city, about $997 on average.
Which city in Vietnam is cheapest?
By daily budget, Rach Gia ($44.8/day) is the cheapest and Ho Chi Minh City ($68/day) the most expensive.
Is Vietnam cheaper than New York?
In Ho Chi Minh City, a traveler's day runs about $68 versus $467 in New York โ roughly 85% cheaper. The gap differs by item, so meals, coffee, taxis and hotels are listed separately above.