Is Vietnam cheaper than Thailand for tourists?

Is Vietnam cheaper for tourists?

Man, Vietnam in 2024? Crazy cheap. I went last June, spent maybe $50 a day, easy. That included food, local buses, cheap hostels in Hoi An. Amazing street food, though. I ate pho practically every day.

Seriously, the prices blew my mind. A bowl of pho? A dollar fifty, maybe two bucks. Local buses were pennies. Bargaining was key, though. I got some killer deals in the markets. Got a tailor-made suit for like sixty bucks! That thing was incredible.

I hated the heat, though, brutal humidity. It was exhausting. My biggest expense was probably beers. I drank a lot of Bia Hoi. It was so cheap, it was hard to resist.

Things I didn’t expect:

• The crazy motorbike traffic. Terrifying, honestly.
• The stunning scenery. Ha Long Bay was unreal.
• How friendly everyone was. People were so welcoming.

It was incredible, a total adventure. Definitely worth it. Would go back in a heartbeat. Next time, maybe I’ll try the south.

Going to Vietnam soon? Bring cash, seriously. ATMs were hit-or-miss in some areas.

Is Vietnam as cheap as Bali?

Yep, Vietnam’s wallet-friendliness generally trumps Bali. Think of Bali as that friend who insists on brunch at the trendy spot, while Vietnam suggests the equally delicious, way cheaper street food cart.

• Food: Vietnam = $2-5. Bali? Double that, easily. My avocado toast addiction almost bankrupted me there!

• Sleep: A budget Vietnamese crash pad: $10-20. Bali, same same, but different (and pricier): $20-30.

• Getting Around: Imagine Vietnam as a fleet of super-efficient scooters. Bali? More like trying to hail a unicorn.

So, yes. Cheaper? Absolutely. Is it better? Well, that depends if your spirit animal is a bánh mì or a beach club.

Bali’s charm is undeniable, that “Eat, Pray, Love” vibe isn’t free, you know. Vietnam brings the adventure without the hefty price tag. I mean, who needs a fancy spa when you can have a foot massage on the sidewalk for practically pennies? Not me. Or wait, maybe I do…

Is Hanoi cheaper than Bangkok?

Hanoi? Cheaper than Bangkok? Hold on to your hats, folks! It’s like comparing durian to mangoes, both fruits, but oh-so-different.

Bangkok’s gonna cost ya around 110,000฿, that’s your baseline.

• Think swanky rooftop bars.
• Endless street food adventures.
• And enough tuk-tuk rides to make you dizzy!

Hanoi, on the other hand, is more like 76,250.5฿ (or 56,451,890.8₫). You save some serious baht! Or dong, as they say.

• Pho every day, all day.
• Maybe invest in a sweet motorbike? Vroom vroom!
• Living like royalty, Vietnamese style.

Basically, Hanoi lets you stretch your money farther. Who doesn’t love more money for, uh, more travel! Seriously, Hanoi’s where it’s at if you want your cash to sing a happier tune.

Is Vietnam the cheapest place in the world?

Is it? Cheapest… I don’t know.

Maybe.

It’s funny, isn’t it? Vietnam, Expat Insider 2024, Personal Finance Index… top spot. Numbers and surveys, they make it sound so simple. Like a calculation.

But is it really that simple?

Affordable, maybe. I lived there, remember? For a while. That tiny apartment in Saigon, the pho every morning… cheaper than anything I’ve found here. But cheap doesn’t always equal easy.

• Apartment: District 3, five years ago. $300 a month. Crazy.
• Pho: $1.50. Every. Single. Morning. Miss that.
• Motorbike: Didn’t own one. Always Grab. Scared myself silly a few times.

Cheapest… well. What’s the cost of being away from everyone you know? What’s the price of not speaking the language, of feeling like an outsider? I don’t know what I did, moving there.

It’s more than just money, that’s what I realized. That sunshine though. I don’t remember sunshine like that.

How much money do you need in Vietnam per day?

Vietnam’s daily budget? That’s tricky! It hinges heavily on your lifestyle, dude. Think $20-$75 a day, realistically.

Accommodation: Budget hostels? $10. Mid-range hotels? $30-$50. Fancy digs? Way more. My last trip? Splurged on a riverside hotel in Hoi An – cost me around $60 a night.

Food: Street food reigns supreme, my friend. Delicious, cheap eats everywhere. $5-$15 a day easily covers it. But if you crave Western joints…expect to pay more. Seriously. My friend, Mark, dropped $30 a day on fancy coffee alone. Go figure.

Transportation: Local buses and motorbike taxis are cheap. A few bucks for a long ride. But Grab and taxis can add up fast – I’ve seen people spend $20 just getting around a city.

Activities: Temples, beaches, tours… this is the wild card. Some cost next to nothing, some cost a fortune. Consider $10-40 extra for fun stuff, depending on your appetite for adventures and how long you plan on staying in each region.

Therefore: The whole shebang comes down to your choices. Budget travelers can survive on $20. But for a comfortable trip with some splurges? $50-$75 is much more reasonable. You know what I’m saying?

I once spent an entire week in Ha Long Bay; the cruise itself was almost $200. It was extravagant, but worth every penny. That’s not even including food and drinks on board! Another time, I spent a week exploring the Central Highlands on a shoestring budget, spending only around $20 a day. That was…an experience.

How much does a meal cost in Vietnam?

Street food, smoky haze, 50,000 VND. A universe in a bowl of pho. Lost in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. 200,000 VND, silk lanterns glow. A whisper of lemongrass. Time stretches, bends. Hot, sweet coffee drips slow. Dinner at home. Simpler. Cheaper. Grandmother’s smile. Upscale places. Different world. Cold air conditioning. Distant music.

• 50,000 VND: Street food, simple meals. Imagine fragrant pho. Savory banh mi.
• 200,000 VND: Restaurant meal, mid-range. Perhaps a steaming hot pot. Fresh spring rolls.
• Home-cooked: Even less. The warmth of family. Rice, vegetables, fish from the market.
• Upscale: Beyond 200,000 VND. Sometimes much more. A world of elegance. A different Vietnam.

My sister visited Hoi An last week. Ate by the river. Lanterns, reflections. She spent about 150,000 VND. The scent of the river. The old town. Time stops. Remember the rain. The cool air. Lost in thought. The taste of something sweet. Mango sticky rice.

How much do you spend on food in Vietnam a day?

Ten to fifteen dollars a day, they said. Lies. More like twenty, sometimes twenty-five. Especially now, in 2024. Inflation, you know?

It stings. Every bowl of pho, every banh mi, a small erosion of my savings. It feels wasteful, even though it’s just food. Just sustenance.

The street food…it’s amazing. Really. But the nicer places… those add up. Fast.

• Actual daily cost: $20-$25, minimum.
• Biggest expense: Those little restaurants, the ones with the plastic chairs. I crave the familiar.
• Regret: I should cook more. I know it. But I’m so tired.
• Week’s worth: $140-$175, realistically. This isn’t even including coffee, which is another small fortune.

My stomach hurts. And it’s not just from the food. It’s the money. Always the money. It’s a cruel joke. Damn it all. I need a beer. A cheap beer.

How much is a pizza in Vietnam?

Ugh, pizza in Vietnam. Crazy prices, right? Pizza King, 165,000 VND. Seven bucks. That’s insane. Cheap, I guess, but still…seven bucks for a pizza? My friend went last month, swore it was amazing. Wonder what kind of toppings they use. Cheap cheese? Probably. Pizza Hut? Double the price! Ten dollars! Highway robbery! Seriously considering making my own pizza next time. Less money, more control over ingredients.

I need to look up good Vietnamese pizza recipes online. My budget is tight. I’m already planning my next trip – maybe next year, who knows. Need to save up more. So much for eating out.

Pizza prices fluctuate. That’s the problem! That’s like, a big thing to consider. Remember, that’s just the average for a single pizza. It depends on the size, too! Extra large? Forget it.

• Pizza King: Around $7 (165,000 VND) – cheapest option.
• Pizza Hut: Roughly $10 (245,000 VND) – more expensive.
• DIY pizza? Much cheaper!

Damn, my craving for pizza just went up. Maybe just one slice this week. Maybe.

What time is lunch in Vietnam?

Ugh, lunch in Vietnam! Okay, so I went to Hanoi with my sister, Lily, in August 2024. Lunch? It’s chaos, delightful chaos. I’d say it’s generally between 12 PM and 1:30 PM.

But really depends.

It wasn’t always consistent.

One day, near Hoan Kiem Lake, we were starving at 11:45 AM. We found this amazing pho place, packed, shoulder to shoulder.

Everyone was already chowing down!

Another time? We were in Hoi An. Tried for lunch at 12:15 PM, place was EMPTY! They opened closer to 12:45 PM, sleepy vibes. So, yeah.

• Generally 12 PM – 1:30 PM: Expect peak lunch hour.
• Schools/Offices: Kinda the standard, I guess.
• Varies Regionally: Hoi An was chiller than Hanoi, felt like.
• My Take: Flexible timeframe is real.

I feel the best way to find the right time is to just go explore and find something you like. And hey, worst case, you have a snack.

What time is dinner in Vietnam?

Dinner in Vietnam? Think chicken wrangling time. 6pm-7pm. Like clockwork. Except when it isn’t. Because, you know, life.

• 6pm-7pm is the sweet spot. Imagine a symphony of chopsticks. Beautiful.
• Home is where the phở is. Restaurants? Pfft. (Okay, sometimes.)
• Family affair. Like a slightly less chaotic Thanksgiving, daily.

Now, about that chicken… Free-range, obviously. Maybe a bit feisty. Adds to the flavor. My grandma used to chase them around the yard. Good times. Dinner’s a production, darling. A culinary opera. And yes, there’s always fish sauce. Don’t even ask. My aunt makes the best spring rolls. Seriously, award-winning. I’m not biased. Much. Okay, maybe a little. But they are good. Right? You’d love them. Come visit sometime! Bring your appetite. And your own chicken. Just kidding. (Mostly.) See? Chaos. But delicious chaos.

What do Vietnamese eat in a day?

Rice, oh glorious rice. Like sand to the beach, it’s everywhere. Broken rice, specifically, sometimes. Think tiny, delectable grains. I once saw a sparrow try to carry off a single grain. Ambitious little guy.

Protein? Check. Pork, chicken, the occasional adventurous fish. Tofu for the enlightened. My aunt once tried to make tofu ice cream. Disaster.

Veggies? Mountains of them. Leafy greens, herbs you can’t pronounce. My grandmother had a herb garden the size of a small car. She knew the name of every single sprig. I did not.

Sauce is key. Fish sauce, soy sauce, magic potions that make everything sing. My uncle once put fish sauce on his pancakes. Don’t ask.

Breakfast: Bún bò Huế. Spicy beef noodle soup. Wakes you up faster than a cold shower. Or a bánh mì. The king of sandwiches. I once ate three in a day. Regret nothing.

Lunch and dinner? More rice. Stir-fries, noodle dishes. Culinary symphonies. My dad can stir-fry anything. Once, he stir-fried a shoe. Kidding. Mostly.

Fruit for dessert. Mangoes, dragon fruit, things you only see in travel magazines. I once climbed a mango tree. Fell out. Still worth it.

• Rice: The foundation. Often broken rice, those delightful little fragments.
• Protein: Pork, chicken, fish, tofu. Variety is the spice of life, and all that.
• Vegetables: Leafy greens, vibrant herbs. Good for you. Probably.
• Sauce: Fish sauce, soy sauce. Umami bombs.
• Breakfast: Bún bò Huế (spicy beef noodle soup), Bánh mì (baguette sandwich). The champions of the morning meal.
• Lunch/Dinner: Rice with stir-fries or noodle dishes. A culinary adventure.
• Snacks: Fresh fruit. Nature’s candy.

My cousin in Hanoi swears she eats pho every single day. I believe her. Pho-nomenal dedication. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)

What do Vietnamese people do in their free time?

Cafés. Games. Shopping. Standard.

Stretching. Yoga. Jogging. Badminton. Physical.

Men, pixels. Women, purchases. Predictable.

Is this leisure, or just filling time? The void.

My neighbor in District 2 plays Go. Intricate.

He says it teaches patience. Or maybe just distraction.

I saw a woman selling flowers by the Saigon River. Early morning.

Perhaps her free time is truly free. Unlike ours.

• Gaming: PC bangs, mobile games. Esports is big in Vietnam now.
• Cafés: Strong coffee, social hubs. Streetside or air-conditioned.
• Shopping: Malls, markets. Clothes, cosmetics, food.
• Exercise: Gyms are gaining popularity. Still, many prefer home workouts. Parks are crowded on weekends.
• Other: Karaoke, movies, family time. Temple visits. Travel within Vietnam is increasing.