How much to pay for food in Vietnam?

How expensive is food in Vietnam?

Pho for breakfast. Hanoi. 2023. Steaming. Spicy. 50,000 dong. Amazing. Street vendor near my hotel, Hanoi Emerald Waters Hotel & Spa. So cheap. Lunch. Banh mi. Crispy. 30,000 dong. Ridiculous. Add a smoothie. Mango. Another 20,000. Dinner? Fancy place. Cau Go Vietnamese Cuisine. Remember the view. Crazy. 500,000 dong. Totally worth it.

• Hanoi food prices: Dirt cheap if you want.
• My hotel: Hanoi Emerald Waters Hotel & Spa (look it up).
• Breakfast: Pho for 50,000 dong. Seriously.
• Lunch: Banh mi and smoothie, 50,000 dong total.
• Dinner: Spent more. Cau Go. 500,000 dong. View. Amazing.
• Average dinner: Probably 100,000 – 200,000 dong, easily. Unless you go nuts.
• Street food: The best. And cheap.
• Fancy restaurants: Exist. Pricey. But nice.
• Beer: Bia Hoi. Cheap. Like ridiculously cheap. Few thousand dong.

Hot. Hanoi in summer. Hot. But food. Wow. Best trip.

How much money per day for food in Vietnam?

$10-15 daily for food in Vietnam is a realistic budget. This lets you explore the amazing street food scene. Think pho, banh mi, fresh spring rolls – a culinary adventure! Eating at local eateries, not fancy restaurants, keeps costs down.

A week? Figure $70-105, maybe more if you indulge. It’s tempting!

Factors affecting your daily food spend:

• Location: Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City might be slightly pricier than smaller towns. I spent more in Hanoi this past May, for example.
• Dietary Choices: Vegetarian or vegan options are often cheaper than meat-heavy meals. This is a good way to reduce your expenses, especially if you’re a frugal traveler like myself.
• Restaurant Type: Street food is your best friend for budget eating. Small, local restaurants are a step up, but still affordable. High-end places, obviously, cost much more. I learned this the hard way on my trip to Phu Quoc!
• Drinking Habits: Local beers and soft drinks are cheap. Imported stuff? Not so much. Stick to Bia Hoi – it’s fantastic and very inexpensive.

Seriously, though, $15 a day is more than enough unless you have some very specific culinary preferences. That leaves money for those amazing silk scarves… and maybe a few more bowls of pho. Life’s choices. You get the picture. The sheer variety is amazing.

Ultimately, your daily food budget depends on your choices. But that range of $10-15 in 2024 is solid advice.

Is it cheap to eat out in Vietnam?

Hmm, Vietnam. Dinner costs… memories.

Vietnam’s food? Oh, so cheap. Fifty thousand dong, maybe two hundred. A dream.

Dinner at home, or tiny places… much cheaper, y’know?

Upscale spots cost so much more, so much more. That is true.

Budget travel paradise. It is. It just is. A delicious, cheap dream.

How do you pay for food in Vietnam?

Cash, yeah, that’s for the tiny street stalls…the pho guy down on Nguyen Hue. He wouldn’t know what a Visa card is. But everywhere else…almost everywhere…Visa works. Mastercards too, I think.

It’s weird, isn’t it? The contrast. Ancient temples next to sleek hotels that take Apple Pay.

Credit cards are widely accepted. I used mine at that fancy restaurant in Hoi An, the one overlooking the river. Expensive, but worth it.

• High-end places: Credit cards are standard.
• Smaller shops, markets: Cash is king. Sometimes, even those small places might surprise you and take cards now. Technology, man. It’s everywhere now.
• ATM’s are readily available for withdrawing Dong. That’s what I did. The fees sucked though. Learn from my mistakes.

This year, 2024, things are pretty much the same as before. Maybe a little better. I mean, they’re trying to go cashless but the old ways die hard, you know? It’s a mix of both worlds, even more so than last year.

Do restaurants in Vietnam take credit cards?

Cards accepted. Sometimes. Cash king. Street vendors, cash only. Smaller places too. Think pho stalls. Tourist traps? Swipe away. Visa, Mastercard common. Amex less so. Discover? Forget it. Check first. Saves face. My Hanoi trip, 2024, card worked fine. Big hotels, no problem. Fancy restaurants. Even taxis. Bargaining power with cash though. Dong preferred. ATMs plentiful. Fees vary. My bank, Chase, charges 3%. Plus ATM fee. Worth it. Convenience. Safety. Lost cash, gone. Lost card, replaceable. Choose wisely. Your money. Your choice. Travel smart.

• Cash: Street food, small businesses, local markets.
• Credit Cards: Hotels, large restaurants, tourist-oriented businesses.
• Visa/Mastercard: Widely accepted.
• Amex/Discover: Less common.
• Dong: Preferred currency.
• ATMs: Readily available. Check fees.

Travel light. Travel smart.

Do most places in Vietnam take credit cards?

It’s late. Credit cards in Vietnam…

Hotels, yeah, the bigger ones. Tours too, maybe. Fancy restaurants, sure. Groceries? Some. Spas… probably the expensive ones.

It’s not everywhere. Don’t think it is. I remember trying to pay for banh mi on the street… nah. Needed cash. Always cash.

• Hotels: Especially larger, international chains.
• Tour Operators: More likely for pre-booked tours than small, local excursions.
• Boutiques: Expect acceptance in tourist-heavy areas with higher-end goods.
• Restaurants: Upscale restaurants in major cities are more accepting. Street food stalls usually only take cash.
• Grocery Stores: Larger supermarkets often accept cards. Smaller, local shops usually don’t.
• Spas: Higher-end spas frequented by tourists and expats usually accept credit cards.

Swiping fees, conversion rates… ugh. My card always hits me hard. Visa or Mastercard work best. American Express? Good luck. I got burned there.

Always carry cash. Dong. Always. You’ll need it. Honestly.

• Cash is King: Especially outside tourist areas.
• Currency: Vietnamese Dong (VND) is essential.
• Hidden Costs: Be mindful of potential fees and exchange rates.

Cards are becoming more common, but don’t rely on them. It’s still… Vietnam. Ya know? I always forget and end up scrambling.

Can I use a credit card in Hoi An?

Okay, Hoi An… credit cards. Hmm. Yeah, Hoi An definitely takes credit cards. I used my Visa there, like, everywhere last summer. Wait, was it last summer? No, 2023! Time flies, man.

Seriously, most places catering to tourists accept Visa and Mastercard.

• Hotels: Yep
• Restaurants: Mostly
• Shops: Uh huh

But here’s a thing, tiny stalls? Nah. Always have cash. My fave banh mi lady ONLY takes Dong. Cash is KING for street food and smaller vendors.

Also, Amex? Less common, right? I saw a sign once that was like, “We

ATMs are easy to find, so getting local currency isn’t hard.

Oh! And be wary of those random fees! Check your card. It really depends on if you are using a card that will refund you these fees, or not.

How common are credit cards in Vietnam?

Credit card penetration in Vietnam is surprisingly high. Vietnam boasts approximately 140 million credit cards in circulation in 2023, a significant number for a developing nation. That averages to two cards per adult, encompassing both physical and digital formats. This speaks volumes about the changing financial landscape. It’s fascinating how quickly things evolve, isn’t it?

The shift away from cash is dramatic. ATM withdrawals via payment cards are plummeting. This isn’t just a trend; it’s a fundamental alteration in consumer behavior. My cousin in Hanoi, for instance, rarely uses cash anymore – everything’s digital. This points to increasing financial inclusion and technological adoption.

This widespread adoption isn’t without its nuances. While major cities like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi show extremely high card usage, rural areas lag behind. Digital literacy plays a significant role, of course. Plus, trust in digital payment systems remains a factor.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

• High penetration: Two cards per adult on average.
• Significant shift: Cash usage is declining rapidly.
• Uneven distribution: Urban areas far outpace rural regions.
• Underlying factors: Digital literacy and trust are key.

Think about it: a nation rapidly adopting cashless transactions. This presents huge opportunities, yet also challenges concerning financial regulation and consumer protection. Makes you wonder what the future holds! Something to keep an eye on, for sure. My prediction? Even higher credit card usage in the next few years.