Vietnam: A country in Southeast Asia known for breathtaking landscapes, lush green rice fields, Buddhist temples, spectacular national parks and bustling cities. Every year numerous tourists and backpackers are drawn to this spectacular country, which is home to the best coffee in the world. But how much do you actually need to budget for a backpacking trip to Vietnam?
In this article, I’ll break down all my expenses during a 4 week trip. From the cost of accomodations to everyday expenses like bus tickets and meals, I’ll give you a detailed overview of what I spent. This guide will help you understand the typical costs for a Vietnam Backpacking Adventure and decide how much money to set aside for an unforgettable journey through Vietnam.
Overview
- Accommodations
- Transportation
- Scooter
- Food & Drinks
- Activities
- Others
- Total
- Cost Overview
- How much should you budget?
Accommodations
Overall, I spent 100€ on hostels in Vietnam. A good hostel typically costs between 4 – 7€ per night, depending on how popular a destination is. Usually breakfast isn’t included in this price.
Transportation
My total transportation expenses in Vietnam amounted to 200€. This includes everything from buses, overnight busses and taxis. You get the best prices for taxis if you use the Grab-App. For short distances you can get a Grab for 1-2€. A normal taxi or TukTuk usually costs between 2-5€.
Bus prices vary depending on the duration and distance of the trip, typically costs are between 3 – 30€.
Scooter
I spent a total of 40€ on scooter rentals in Vietnam. This includes the rental of the scooter, the fuel costs and the parking costs. Typically, renting a scooter for 24 hours costs between 5 – 7€.
Food & Drinks
During my stay in Vietnam, I spent a total of 140€ on food and drinks. This mainly includes local meals at cheap restaurants, food and snacks from supermarkets, fruits from the market, bottled water and coffee.
Activities
I spent a total of 345€ on activities and entrance fees to museums, temples and viewpoints.
This includes a 4 day Motorbike Tour along the Ha Giang Loop, including food and accomodation for 245€ and a Trekking Tour for 15€ in Sapa. Entrance fees for temples, museum, caves and other attractions usually range from 1 – 15€ if they’re on the cheaper side. For some attractions, you might also spend more, but those are some of the more expensive things to do.
Others
On other things I spent 50€. This included a SIM card, my visa, personal expenses and other things. When I visited Vietnam, I had to pay 25€ for the 30-day visa. With the new visa regulations, you no longer need to include these costs in your travel expenses.
Total
In total, I spent 875€ over 4 weeks in Thailand on accommodations, food and drinks, activities, transportation, scooters and other things. This doesn’t include the flight or transportation to Thailand and back home.
I was traveling as a budget backpacker: I stayed in dorm rooms at hostels, didn’t drink much alcohol, and mostly ate local food. It’s definitely possible to travel even cheaper if you set different priorities, skip some activities, or visit fewer places. I tried to do and see as much as possible in four weeks and explored many different areas.
Cost Overview
Hostels: 100€
Transportation: 200€
Scooter: 40€
Food & Drinks: 140€
Activities: 345€
Others: 50€
Total: 875€
How much should you budget?
Vietnam is a good place to go to as a budget traveler. On average, I spent around 30€ per day and that’s also a good amount to plan for if you’re doing a budget backpacking trip in Vietnam.
However, your travel budget should always depend on your personal priorities and how long you plan to stay in Vietnam. For each week I’d recommend budgeting at least 250 – 300€. You might not end up spending the entire amount every week, but it’s always better to have some extra money for emergencies or unexpected expenses.
Please note: these are my expenses from 2023. Prices may have changed since then, so make sure to double-check and do your own research on the current situation.
No responses yet