Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Rach Gia 2 vs Vung Tau 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
| Item | Rach Gia | Vung Tau | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 35,000$1.33 | โซ 50,000$1.9 | Rach Gia โ30% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 25,000$0.95 | โซ 30,000$1.14 | Rach Gia โ17% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 150,000$5.7 | โซ 200,000$7.6 | Rach Gia โ25% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 35,000$1.33 | โซ 45,000$1.71 | Rach Gia โ22% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | โซ 22,000$0.84 | Vung Tau โ12% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 70,000$2.66 | โซ 80,000$3.04 | Rach Gia โ12% |
| Bottled water | โซ 6,000$0.23 | โซ 6,000$0.23 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | โซ 12,000$0.46 | similar |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | โซ 80,000$3.04 | Rach Gia โ12% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 20,000$0.76 | โซ 20,000$0.76 | similar |
| Transitone ride | โซ 7,000$0.27 | โซ 9,000$0.34 | Rach Gia โ22% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 120,000$4.56 | โซ 130,000$4.94 | Rach Gia โ8% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 650,000$24.7 | โซ 800,000$30.4 | Rach Gia โ19% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 5,000,000$190 | โซ 7,000,000$266 | Rach Gia โ29% |
| Laundry | โซ 20,000$0.76 | โซ 25,000$0.95 | Rach Gia โ20% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 180,000$6.84 | โซ 180,000$6.84 | similar |
| Haircutcut | โซ 50,000$1.9 | โซ 50,000$1.9 | similar |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 200,000$7.6 | โซ 250,000$9.51 | Rach Gia โ20% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 400,000$15.2 | โซ 400,000$15.2 | similar |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 20,000$0.76 | โซ 30,000$1.14 | Rach Gia โ33% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
Rach Gia is 27% cheaper than Vung Tau. Daily budget $44.8 vs $56.1; a month $734 vs $1,092.
About the same: Rach Gia 3.0/5, Vung Tau 3.0/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
With a short-term studio and living costs, Rach Gia is about $734 and Vung Tau about $1,092 per month.
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.