Tiết Kiệm · Budget
Saigon on a Budget
daily costs, money tips & budget breakdown
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Saigon is absurdly cheap for what you get. You can eat three incredible meals, sleep in a clean bed, and explore all day for $20. Even mid-range comfort — private rooms, Grab everywhere, sit-down restaurants — comes in under $60/day. When we first started Saigon Itinerary, we tracked every đồng for a month to get these numbers right. Here's the honest breakdown.
Chi Phí · Costs
Daily Budget Breakdown
| Category | Backpacker | Mid-Range | Splurge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | 80,000–150,000 VNDDorm bed | 400,000–800,000 VNDPrivate room / 3-star | 2,000,000+ VND4-5 star hotel |
| Food (3 meals) | 90,000–150,000 VNDAll street food | 300,000–500,000 VNDMix of street & restaurant | 1,000,000+ VNDRestaurants only |
| Transport | 20,000–50,000 VNDWalking + bus | 100,000–200,000 VNDGrab everywhere | 300,000+ VNDPrivate car / taxi |
| Activities | 0–100,000 VNDFree walking tours | 200,000–400,000 VNDMuseums + tours | 500,000+ VNDPrivate tours |
| Drinks | 30,000–60,000 VNDBia tươi + street coffee | 100,000–200,000 VNDCraft beer + cafés | 400,000+ VNDRooftop cocktails |
| Daily Total | ~500,000 VND (~$20) | ~1,500,000 VND (~$60) | ~4,000,000 VND (~$160) |
Bí Quyết · Tips
Money-Saving Moves
Cash is king
Most street food, markets, and small shops are cash only. ATMs are everywhere — Vietcombank and BIDV have the lowest fees. Withdraw 2,000,000–5,000,000 VND at a time to minimize fees.
Draft beer from 10,000 VND
Draft beer (bia tươi) on the street for 10,000–15,000 VND. Some of the cheapest beer in Asia. Available at any street-side joint — look for the sidewalk furniture and the crowds. Saigon Beer or 333 are the local favorites.
Convenience store hack
Circle K and Family Mart are everywhere. Water: 5,000 VND. Instant noodles: 8,000 VND. Snacks for a fraction of restaurant prices. Open 24/7. Also have clean toilets.
Take the bus
City buses cost 5,000–8,000 VND depending on route. Route 109 runs airport to center. Google Maps shows bus routes. Air-conditioned (usually). The cheapest way around the city after walking.
Eat where locals eat
If the menu has English and photos, add 50-100% to the price. Follow the squat plastic chairs — the best phở in the city costs 35,000 VND. A cơm tấm plate that feeds you for hours: 30,000 VND.
Stay in District 3
District 1 is convenient but tourist-priced. District 3 is 10 minutes away by Grab, much cheaper for accommodation and food, and more authentically Saigon. Locals live here.
Hỏi & Đáp · Real Talk
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money do I need per day in Saigon?
For a comfortable budget trip: 600,000–900,000 VND ($24–36) per day. That breaks down to 300,000–500,000 for a clean guesthouse, 150,000–200,000 for three street food meals plus snacks, 50,000–100,000 for Grab rides and buses, and 50,000–100,000 for entrance fees and coffee. You could go even cheaper (400,000 VND/day) staying in dorms and eating only street food.
What's the cheapest way to get around Saigon?
City bus routes cover most tourist areas for 5,000–8,000 VND per ride. Grab bike (xe ôm) is the next cheapest — a 3km ride across District 1 costs about 15,000 VND. Walking is free and District 1's sights are clustered within a 2km radius. The new Metro Line 1 (Bến Thành to Suối Tiên) costs 7,000–20,000 VND depending on distance. Avoid metered taxis — they're 5x the cost of Grab.
Are there any free things to do in Saigon?
Plenty. Walking the Nguyễn Huệ pedestrian boulevard (especially on weekend evenings), people-watching at Bến Thành Market (no buying required), the Bình Tây market in Chinatown, wandering the café-lined alleys of District 3, and watching sunset from the Thu Thiêm bridge are all free. The Jade Emperor Pagoda and most temples have free entry. Even the city's best activity — crossing the road — is free.
Is Saigon cheaper than Bangkok?
Significantly. Accommodation is 30–40% cheaper, street food is roughly half the price, and transport (Grab) costs about 60% of Bangkok's rates. A meal that costs 80–100 Baht in Bangkok costs 30,000–40,000 VND in Saigon. Where Bangkok wins: it has cheaper flights (more budget airline competition). But beer is dirt cheap in Saigon — a can of Saigon Special at a street stall runs 15,000–20,000 VND ($0.60–0.80), and a night out on Bùi Viện costs a fraction of Bangkok's Khao San Road.
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