Price Check: Vietnam
April 24th, 2007 Posted in Beers of the World, Cheap Asia Travel, Destination reports, Travel bargainsThe lowdown on prices for the simple pleasures in Vietnam.
I put out The World’s Cheapest Destinations after getting frustrated over the lack of pricing info available for traveling on a budget throughout the world. If you want the price of a 5-star hotel in Hanoi, okay, you can get that info all the time in the mainstream travel press. But good luck figuring out how much the average bus ride to the next town will be or how much you’ll lay out for dinner at a street stall.
I like to get a gut check on current prices now and then though, because things change.
International Living is aimed at people looking to move abroad or retire in another country, but it runs regular travel articles too that are a nice antidote to the fluff you normally see, warts and all. Regular writer Steenie Harvey has a good piece on Vietnam in the current issue Don’t whine about there being no link here - subscribers only - but here is her rundown on prices in Vietnam. As with my book, take this as a guide, not gospel, but it gives you a general idea.
Bottle of beer: 50 to 75 cents in a regular place, “only posh places charge over a dollar.”
A hearty lunch of pho bo - $1.20 tops, 60 cents in a cheap place.
A manicure or pedicure on Trang Thi Street in Hanoi - $1.20
A pack of Pall Mall cigarettes - 57 cents
A cup of coffee - 60 cents in a cafe, half that at a street stall
One-day tour of Ha Long Bay from Hanoi, including lunch - $21
7 Responses to “Price Check: Vietnam”
By tuan rumah on May 14, 2007
why there is no Malaysia in here? you can get developed country’s services at third world countries’ price..
I found your website through Percetive Travel I’m writing a blog called Why Must Visit Malaysia? Do visit the blog to get idea for your blog..
By tim on May 15, 2007
Malaysia is in the book. More info here: http://www.worldscheapestdestinations.com/id1.html
By teresa on May 28, 2007
Get out of Ha Noi and the prices get even cheaper. I regularly pay 15,000VND (less than $1) for two big bowls of pho and, since we are regulars, he throws in a couple of glasses of green tea and an extra bowl for my daughter to share with me.
By the way, bus travel costs vary widely. It cost me 50,000VND to get from Thanh Hoa to Ninh Binh and 30,000VND to get back. Another time I went from Tam Ky to Quang Ngai and it cost 50,000VND, but the ride back was 70,000VND. Both trips were about an hour each, but prices varied widely.
Part of the joy of living abroad, things (including prices) are constantly changing.
By tim on May 28, 2007
Thanks Teresa. Always good to hear from someone who is there for an extended time instead of just passing through. I had that experience too while I was there–except when the bus driver would pull over at a restaurant with two menus. One was in English, one in Vietnamese, but with different prices. Grrrrr.
By Kenny on Jun 9, 2007
Fantastic travel blog that definitely useful to me. I got a lot of ideas and guideline for my asia travel blog
By opera on Mar 2, 2008
Post Tet in Hanoi the gas went up to a whooping 14,000 dong a liter (from 11,000d). Higher than the USA I hear. Consequently everything else that relys on transport has gone up in price. Pho is now about 15,000 d per bowl. Just under $1 US.
Pall Mall is $.66.
By tim on Mar 2, 2008
Opera - yes, the rising oil and commodities issue is putting a body blow to every destination around the world. The expensive places are getting more expensive and the cheaper ones are getting…more expensive. I will be updating the book towards the end of the year, but things are too volatile right now. It’s hard to see where all of this is going to settle, but the overall advice, no matter where you are going, is expect to spend more than it says in anything you have read.