Travel Tips

How Much Does a Trip to Vietnam Cost?

A two-week trip to Vietnam typically costs between about US$1,500 and US$3,000 per person for your time in the country, before international flights, roughly US$100 to 200 a day at a comfortable mid-range level. Backpackers can travel on US$30 to 45 a day (around US$650 to 900 for two weeks), while a higher-end trip with four- and five-star hotels and private transfers runs US$200 to 350 a day. Add US$600 to 950 for return flights from the US or Europe, US$25 for the e-visa and around US$50 for travel insurance.

Vietnam is one of the best-value countries in Asia: street food costs a few dollars and a smart hotel a fraction of what it would in Europe. What really moves your budget is the standard of hotel you choose and how many internal flights you take, as the sights themselves are cheap. Here is where the money goes, line by line, with costs by trip length and travel style, a sample two-week total, and how to keep it down.

The short answer, by budget

The daily figures below are per person and exclude international flights, which we cover separately. They hold roughly true whether you spend one week or three.

Land costs only, per person. International flights are covered separately below.

Backpacker, about US$30 to 45 a day: hostels and guesthouses, street food, buses and shared transport, and the cheaper sights. A frugal but rewarding way to see the country.

Mid-range, about US$100 to 200 a day: comfortable three- and four-star hotels, a mix of restaurants and street food, the odd internal flight, and a good overnight cruise. This is where most of our travellers land, and where Vietnam feels remarkable value.

Higher-end, about US$200 to 350 a day and up: four- and five-star hotels, private car and driver, a smart cruise cabin and guided experiences throughout. Still a fraction of what the same standard costs in Europe.

How much for one, two or three weeks

Trip length is the first thing most people want a figure for, so here is the in-country cost per person at a comfortable mid-range level, before international flights. A one-week trip, usually the north or a short north-and-central loop, runs about US$800 to 1,500. Two weeks, the most popular length and enough for the classic north-to-south route, is about US$1,500 to 3,000. Three weeks, which adds the south coast, the Mekong or more time to slow down, is roughly US$2,200 to 4,500. Add a return flight to each of these, and remember that longer trips often cost a little less per day as you move more slowly and take fewer internal flights. Our how many days you need in Vietnam guide helps you settle on a length first.

International flights

Your flights in and out are usually the single biggest line item and the most variable. Expect roughly US$600 to 950 for a return fare from the US or western Europe, around £500 to 800 from the UK, and about AUD 700 to 1,200 from Australia. Booking two to three months ahead and avoiding the Tet holiday (late January to February) and the July to August peak makes a real difference to the price. Flying into Hanoi and out of Ho Chi Minh City, or the reverse, saves backtracking and rarely costs more.

Accommodation

This is the biggest lever on your whole budget. Hostels and guesthouses run US$8 to 15 a night; a genuinely comfortable three-star or boutique hotel is US$35 to 60; and four- and five-star properties sit at US$150 to 300 and up. Vietnam's mid-range hotels are excellent value, and you get far more for US$50 a night here than almost anywhere in Europe. A couple sharing a room roughly halves the per-person cost, which is why solo travellers pay proportionally more.

Food and drink

Eating is where Vietnam is astonishingly cheap. A bowl of pho or a banh mi from a street stall is US$1.50 to 3, a good meal in a mid-range restaurant is US$8 to 15 a head, and a famous Vietnamese coffee is around a dollar. Even at the smart end, a fine dinner with drinks rarely tops US$30 to 40 a person. Budget travellers can eat brilliantly for US$10 to 15 a day, while US$25 to 40 a day covers a comfortable mix of restaurants and street food with a drink or two.

Getting around

Internal flights, such as Hanoi to Da Nang and Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City, cost about US$40 to 80 each and save whole days, which is why we build them into a two-week itinerary. Trains and sleeper buses are cheaper at US$15 to 40 but slow. A private car and driver for transfers and day trips adds US$40 to 100 a day, and a Grab or taxi across a city is only a dollar or two. How many internal flights you take is, after hotels, the second biggest thing that moves your total.

The Ha Long Bay cruise

The overnight cruise is usually the single biggest experience cost of the trip: about US$105 per person at the budget end, US$145 to 250 for a comfortable mid-range boat, and US$300 or more for the top tier on a two-day, one-night sailing. It is also the one place we most often tell people it is worth spending a little more. We break the tiers down in full in how much a Ha Long Bay cruise costs, and our honest take on whether Ha Long Bay is worth it helps you decide.

Activities and entrance fees

The sights themselves are cheap by Western standards. A rowing-boat trip through Trang An in Ninh Binh is about US$6 to 8, most museums and temples are US$2 to 5, the Cu Chi Tunnels near Ho Chi Minh City are US$5 to 10 to enter, a Hoi An cooking class is US$25 to 40, and a guided Sapa trek is US$80 to 200. Across a two-week trip, budget roughly US$150 to 300 for activities and entrance fees.

The extras that add up

A few smaller costs round out the budget: the e-visa is US$25, travel insurance is around US$40 to 60, and an eSIM or local SIM card is US$5 to 15 for the trip. Tipping is not compulsory but a few dollars a day for guides, drivers and cruise crew is appreciated, and our guide to tipping in Vietnam sets out the amounts. And if you fancy one, a tailored suit in Hoi An is US$200 to 400.

A sample two-week budget

Put together for one person travelling mid-range for two weeks, excluding international flights, it looks roughly like this: about US$550 on hotels for twelve nights, US$180 for a one-night Ha Long Bay cruise, US$350 on food, US$250 on internal flights and transfers, US$200 on activities and entrance fees, and around US$150 on extras such as the visa, insurance, a SIM and tips.

That comes to roughly US$1,680 in the country, or about US$2,300 to 2,650 all-in once you add a return flight. A couple sharing rooms pays a little more than one person overall but far less each, and a well-planned trip can come in lower still.

What it costs for a couple, a family or a solo traveller

Group size changes the maths more than people expect, mostly through rooms. A couple sharing hotel rooms and a cruise cabin is the best value per person: two people travelling mid-range for two weeks come to roughly US$2,800 to 4,500 in-country together, or about US$1,400 to 2,250 each before flights. A family of four with children can often share family rooms and pay reduced or free rates for younger children on cruises and entries, so while the total rises to something like US$4,500 to 7,000 in-country for two weeks, the cost per head stays reasonable. A solo traveller pays the most per person, as there is no one to share a room with, though switching a night or two to a good guesthouse or hostel offsets much of that.

Where costs differ around the country

Vietnam is inexpensive everywhere, but not uniformly. The big cities, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and the beach resorts of the centre and south, such as Da Nang, Hoi An and Phu Quoc, carry the higher hotel and restaurant prices. The north beyond Hanoi, the countryside and the smaller towns are noticeably cheaper for food and rooms. The Ha Long Bay cruise sits outside this pattern, as its price is set by the boat rather than the region. As a rule, the more time you spend in the cities and beach resorts, the higher your daily average.

How to keep the cost down

You can trim a Vietnam budget a long way without spoiling the trip. Travelling in the quieter shoulder months rather than at Tet or in the summer peak lowers both flights and hotels. Choosing well-run mid-range hotels over five-star names saves the most for the least sacrifice, since the mid-range here is genuinely good. Eating where the locals eat, taking the odd sleeper train or bus in place of a flight, and keeping internal flights to the ones that truly save a day all help. The one place we rarely suggest cutting is the cruise, where the jump from budget to mid-range makes a real difference to the experience.

How we keep the numbers honest

As private planners, we carefully craft each trip around you and quote plainly, so you see what things actually cost with no hidden mark-up. We will build a two-week Vietnam trip to your budget, tell you honestly where spending a little more is worth it (the cruise, a couple of well-placed central hotels) and where it is not, and handle everything from arrival to departure. Our private Vietnam itinerary planning is free to enquire about and carries no obligation, and our how much spending money you need guide covers the day-to-day cash side.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a two-week trip to Vietnam cost?

Roughly US$1,500 to 3,000 per person for your time in the country at a comfortable mid-range level, plus about US$600 to 950 for return flights. Backpackers can do it on around US$650 to 900 in-country, while a higher-end trip runs US$3,000 and up before flights.

How much does one week or three weeks in Vietnam cost?

At a mid-range level, before flights, one week is about US$800 to 1,500 per person in-country, two weeks about US$1,500 to 3,000, and three weeks about US$2,200 to 4,500. Longer trips often cost a little less per day, as you move more slowly and take fewer internal flights.

How much money do you need per day in Vietnam?

About US$30 to 45 a day backpacking, US$100 to 200 a day mid-range, and US$200 or more for a higher-end trip, before flights. Carrying the equivalent of US$40 to 60 a day in cash comfortably covers food, taxis, entries and tips for most mid-range travellers.

Is Vietnam expensive to travel in?

No, it is one of the best-value destinations in Asia. Food, transport and sights are cheap, and mid-range hotels give you far more than the same money would in Europe. Your flights and the standard of hotel you choose are what really set your budget.

How much does a Vietnam trip cost for a family of four?

For two weeks at a mid-range level, roughly US$4,500 to 7,000 in-country before flights, though the cost per person stays reasonable. Families can often share family rooms and get reduced or free rates for younger children on cruises and at many attractions.

What is the cheapest time to visit Vietnam?

The quieter shoulder months, roughly March to April and September to October, tend to have the lowest flight and hotel prices, while avoiding the Tet holiday (late January to February) and the July to August peak. Booking flights two to three months ahead also makes a real difference.

How much is the Ha Long Bay cruise as part of the budget?

An overnight cruise is about US$105 per person at the budget end, US$145 to 250 for a comfortable mid-range boat and US$300 or more for the top tier, on a two-day, one-night sailing. It is usually the single biggest experience cost of the trip and the one we most often say is worth spending a little more on.