I went to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam in March and had an awesome time! It was my first visit to this country, making it my 28th country to-date.
I found costs were similar to those of Chiang Mai, Thailand – perhaps a little more expensive, but I still ended up spending less than $1,000 for the month while eating out and enjoying myself every day!
Without further ado, here is my spending report:
Cost of Living in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam (Spending Report)
Things to Note
- The 32 days Vietnam spending report includes a 3-day vacation to Hoi An.
- 22,000 VND equals $1 USD
- You can easily get food around $1-3 (30,000-60,000 VND). I ended up going to a lot of places with meals for around $5-7 each (100,000-150,000 VND+).
- Movies are really cheap here so I loved going to theaters by myself!
- For transportation, you can select “Uber Moto” on the Uber app to hitch rides behind a scooter/motorcycle! I found the whole scooter mode of transportation a bit scary in Vietnam especially when you’re the pedestrian needing to cross the streets. But I ended up getting used to using Uber Moto and found it quite convenient. It was only around $1-3 per ride.
Food
VND | USD | |
Dinner for 2 | 295000 | $13.41 |
Beef Noodle Soup | 40000 | $1.82 |
Cup Noodles + Water + Chips | 53000 | $2.41 |
Lunch | 176000 | $8.00 |
Fried rice | 135000 | $6.14 |
Delivery Vermicelli, Mango Juice, Spring Rolls, Watermelon Juice | 120000 | $5.45 |
Water | 10000 | $0.45 |
Water | 10000 | $0.45 |
Tea | 60000 | $2.73 |
Water + Cough drops | 60000 | $2.73 |
Chicken pho | 60000 | $2.73 |
Tea | 40000 | $1.82 |
Beef pho | 70000 | $3.18 |
Beef pho + orange juice | 106000 | $4.82 |
Spaghetti, chicken, soda | 81000 | $3.68 |
BLT | 180000 | $8.18 |
Chicken pho + Orange juice | 100000 | $4.55 |
Spaghetti | 40000 | $1.82 |
Groceries | 100000 | $4.55 |
Lunch and Dinner at cafe | 150000 | $6.82 |
Dinner | 37000 | $1.68 |
Chips & Coke | 18000 | $0.82 |
Lunch rice pork | 80000 | $3.64 |
Dinner chicken fish | 50000 | $2.27 |
Lunch + Dinner | 157000 | $7.14 |
Onigiri | 13000 | $0.59 |
Chicken noodle soup | 40000 | $1.82 |
Pho | 90000 | $4.09 |
Pho + Lime juice | 90000 | $4.09 |
Snacks | 18000 | $0.82 |
Onigiri | 13000 | $0.59 |
Lunch dinner and drink | 167000 | $7.59 |
Pho and drink | 90000 | $4.09 |
Cafe dinner and drink | 120000 | $5.45 |
Water | 5000 | $0.23 |
Pho | 87000 | $3.95 |
Pho | 60000 | $2.73 |
Tacos Beer | 70000 | $3.18 |
Lemon juice | 20000 | $0.91 |
Banh Mi + Milk Tea | 61000 | $2.77 |
Rice + Pork | 73000 | $3.32 |
Mexican food | 140000 | $6.36 |
Pho | 71000 | $3.23 |
Peach Tea | 40000 | $1.82 |
Pho | 93000 | $4.23 |
Chicken curry rice | 160000 | $7.27 |
Pizza and coke | 80000 | $3.64 |
Snacks | 50000 | $2.27 |
Dinner | 80000 | $3.64 |
BLT Sandwich | 80000 | $3.64 |
Pho | 40000 | $1.82 |
Banh Mi | 20000 | $0.91 |
Pho | 98000 | $4.45 |
Juice & Tea | 65000 | $2.95 |
Water | 18000 | $0.82 |
Ramen | 110000 | $5.00 |
Onigiri | 13000 | $0.59 |
Pho + Spring Roll | 75000 | $3.41 |
Lunch + Dinner | 150000 | $6.82 |
Mexican food | 135000 | $6.14 |
Dinner | 155000 | $7.05 |
Lunch & Dinner | 140000 | $6.36 |
Food Total: $229.91
Entertainment
VND | USD | |
Movie + popcorn + drink | 110000 | $5.00 |
Alcohol | 190000 | $8.64 |
Movie | 85000 | $3.86 |
Beer | 40000 | $1.82 |
Beer | 75000 | $3.41 |
Beer at Skybar | 200000 | $9.09 |
Beer convenience store | 18000 | $0.82 |
Beer | 20000 | $0.91 |
Beer | 130000 | $5.91 |
Beer | 130000 | $5.91 |
Beer | 130000 | $5.91 |
Movie | 85000 | $3.86 |
Popcorn & Pepsi | 68000 | $3.09 |
Beer | 50000 | $2.27 |
Boat ride | 100000 | $4.55 |
Water Park | 140000 | $6.36 |
Movie + Popcorn + Pepsi | 170000 | $7.73 |
Shisha | 250000 | $11.36 |
Entertainment Total: $90.50
Miscellaneous
VND | USD | |
Feminine products | 17000 | $0.77 |
Medicine | 40000 | $1.82 |
Cough drops | 55000 | $2.50 |
Sim Card – 9 Gigs | 150000 | $6.82 |
Nails | 140000 | $6.36 |
Floss | 28000 | $1.27 |
Supplies | 54000 | $2.45 |
Supplies | 40000 | $1.82 |
Laundry | 40000 | $1.82 |
Aloe Vera | 110000 | $5.00 |
Supplies | 130000 | $5.91 |
Miscellaneous Total: $36.55
Transportation
Flight from Ho Chi Minh to DaNang and back | $75 | |
Taxi from airport to AirBnB | 140000 | $6.36 |
Uber | 30000 | $1.36 |
Uber | 40000 | $1.82 |
Uber | 40000 | $1.82 |
Uber | 19000 | $0.86 |
Uber | 17000 | $0.77 |
Uber | 40000 | $1.82 |
Uber | 67000 | $3.05 |
Uber | 40000 | $1.82 |
Taxi | 310000 | $14.09 |
Taxi | 60000 | $2.73 |
Shuttle | 160000 | $7.27 |
Uber | 20000 | $0.91 |
Uber | 20000 | $0.91 |
Uber | 20000 | $0.91 |
Uber | 20000 | $0.91 |
Uber | 70000 | $3.18 |
Uber | 10000 | $0.45 |
Uber | 20000 | $0.91 |
Uber | 10000 | $0.45 |
Uber | 79000 | $3.59 |
Uber | 20000 | $0.91 |
Transportation Costs: $207.59
Accommodations
Hotel in Hoi An for 3 nights | $80 |
Vietnam AirBnB | $352
|
Accommodations cost: $432
Overall Spend
Food | $229.91 |
Entertainment | $90.50 |
Transportation | $207.59 |
Accommodations | $352 |
Miscellaneous | $36.55 |
Total | $841.55 |
Total (32 days): $996.55
Daily : $26.30
Overall, my trip to Ho Chi Minh City costed around $996.55 for 32 days including the flight from Hong Kong, AirBnB accommodations, food, entertainment, transportation, and other miscellaneous items. It also included my trip to Hoi An for 3 nights. This averaged out to $31.14/day which is extremely cheap. This price of living still costs less than the rent in San Francisco, which is amazing!
Ho Chi Minh definitely lives up to its hype as one of the digital nomad capitals world, but its feel is definitely different from that of Chiang Mai’s. If you like the city hustle and bustle, Ho Chi Minh may be the spot for you.
2 Comments
Gary W Gardo
March 16, 2018 at 9:07 amGreat info…I’ll be traveling to SE Asia this weekend for 3 1/2 weeks…Singapore, HCMC, Hong Kong, Manila & back to Singapore…so working on a budget.
My first trip to Asia…..guess better late than never!
Gary
Sharon
March 17, 2018 at 9:36 pmAwesome you’ll have a great time!