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Trip planningBy Clever Tourists · Published
A 14-day trip to Vietnam costs roughly $350 to $500 per person on the ground on a budget and $700 to $1,300 mid-range, plus the flight, which from the US is commonly about $850 to $1,600 return. Most American budget travellers land somewhere around $1,200 to $2,100 all in. Vietnam is the cheapest country on our whole 20-country route per day, so the flight is an even bigger share of the total than in Thailand. The daily ranges match our daily travel budget by country table (about $25 to $35 budget, $50 to $90 mid-range) and are typical 2026 figures from published guides, not what we spent. We were in Vietnam for about four weeks in April and May 2023: Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Hue, Hoi An, Da Lat, Nha Trang, Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho.
Free toolConvert to your own currency at live rates →Live mid-market rates for all 17 currencies we used, so you can see what a price actually costs.Per person, two weeks, Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City or the reverse, flights listed separately.
• Budget (about $25 to $35 a day): roughly $350 to $500. Dorms or simple guesthouses, street food, sleeper buses and trains, one or two paid sights a day.
• Mid-range (about $50 to $90 a day): roughly $700 to $1,300. Private rooms in good hotels, sit-down restaurants, one domestic flight to skip a long overland leg, a Halong Bay overnight cruise and a guided day in Ninh Binh.
• Comfort: about $1,300 and up. Upper-range cruises, beach resorts, private cars over the Hai Van Pass and a tailoring splurge in Hoi An.
Add the e-visa if you need one (below), data and insurance. Two people sharing rooms pay well under double.
To price your own dates, group size and style, try the Vietnam trip cost calculator.
From the US, airline route pages in 2026 list economy returns to Hanoi from roughly $850 to $1,150 out of New York and Los Angeles, with some Midwest departures much higher. Fares rose sharply in 2026 on fuel costs; see why flights are so expensive and how to find cheap flights. Flying into Hanoi and out of Ho Chi Minh City (an open-jaw ticket) saves a domestic flight back.
From Australia and Europe, Vietnam is often reached via a cheap connection in Bangkok, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. Check what that hub adds in time, and avoid Tet: fares and domestic flights around the Tet holiday are the most expensive of the year.
• Rooms: hostel guides put dorm beds at roughly $6 to $11. Hanoi's Old Quarter and Hoi An's centre are the priciest areas for what you get; where to stay in Hanoi compares neighbourhoods.
• Food: pho, banh mi and com tam cost a dollar or two at street stalls. Eating locally three times a day is the main reason Vietnam undercuts Thailand. Our Vietnam food guide and what to eat in Hanoi list what to order.
• Long-distance transport: the Reunification Express sleeper is the comfortable cheap option between Hanoi, Hue and the centre; see our sleeper train guide. Sleeper buses are cheaper still. One domestic flight, usually Da Nang or Hue to Ho Chi Minh City, saves a long day for a moderate fare outside holidays.
• In cities: Grab bikes and cars keep short rides to a dollar or two.
• Halong Bay: 2026 operator price tables put a 2-day, 1-night cruise at about $108 to $250 per person in low season and $130 to $300 in high season, and most do not include the Hanoi transfer, which shuttles charge roughly $40 to $50 return. That single night can equal four budget days. Our is a Halong Bay cruise worth it weighs it against a Ninh Binh day trip from Hanoi.
• Hoi An: the Ancient Town ticket and tailoring; see the ticket guide and tailor pricing and turnaround.
• Hai Van Pass: a motorbike or car transfer between Hue and Hoi An costs more than the train but replaces a transport day with a sightseeing one; options in Hue to Hoi An.
• Visa: UK, German, French and several other European passport holders get 45 days visa-free under a government resolution running to March 2028. US, Canadian and Australian visitors need an e-visa: the US Embassy in Vietnam confirms a government fee of $25 single entry or $50 multiple entry, valid up to 90 days. Apply only on the official government portal and ignore lookalike agencies that add fees; see do I need a visa for Vietnam.
• Money: Vietnam runs on cash at stalls and small hotels. ATM fees vary by bank, so take larger withdrawals; read cash or card abroad. Tipping norms are in tipping in Vietnam.
• Data: a local SIM or travel eSIM is cheap next to roaming; see eSIM or local SIM.
• Insurance: a few dollars a day; important if you ride motorbikes. See travel insurance.
A practical two weeks: 3 days in Hanoi, 2 in Ninh Binh, 2 in Hue, 3 in Hoi An, 3 in Ho Chi Minh City with a Mekong day. Our 2-week Hanoi to Saigon itinerary lays it out; our own 4-week route adds Da Lat and Nha Trang.
Season changes prices less than in Thailand, but it changes the weather by region; see best time to visit Hanoi and best time to visit Ho Chi Minh City. If you are choosing between neighbours, Thailand vs Vietnam compares the two.
About $350 to $500 per person on the ground on a budget or $700 to $1,300 mid-range, plus a flight that from the US is commonly about $850 to $1,600 return.
About $25 to $35 a day on a budget and $50 to $90 mid-range.
A 2-day, 1-night cruise is roughly $108 to $300 per person depending on season and class, usually plus about $40 to $50 for the Hanoi transfer.
$25 for single entry or $50 for multiple entry, valid up to 90 days. UK and several European passport holders get 45 days visa-free instead.
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