Saigon Budget Guide

Saigon Budget Guide

How to experience the best of Saigon on 500,000 VND per day — street food, free attractions, budget hostels, Grab tips, and money-saving secrets

Saigon is one of the world's best-value travel destinations, and budget travel here is not only possible — it is genuinely extraordinary. With hostel dorms from 150,000-250,000 VND/night, legendary street food from 20,000-50,000 VND per meal, Grab bike rides for 15,000-50,000 VND, and dozens of free attractions, you can explore Saigon on 500,000-800,000 VND per day without missing any of the highlights.

The secret? Saigon's best experiences are its cheapest. Eating pho at a bustling dawn stall, watching the world go by from a plastic chair with a Vietnamese iced coffee, exploring the French colonial quarter on foot, bargaining at Ben Thanh Market, and wandering through ancient pagodas cost almost nothing — yet they are the moments you will remember forever.

Budget Tiers

Budget

500K-800K VND/day

Hostel dorms, street food, Grab bike, free walking tours, free attractions. The backpacker experience.

Mid-Range

1-2M VND/day

Budget hotel or private room, restaurant meals, paid tours, Grab car, museums and attractions.

Luxury

3M+ VND/day

Boutique or 5-star hotel, fine dining, private tours, spa treatments, rooftop bars.

Daily Budget Breakdown (Backpacker)

Accommodation (hostel dorm)
150,000-250,000 VND
Food (street food & local restaurants)
120,000-200,000 VND
Transport (Grab bike & walking)
50,000-100,000 VND
Activities (free + 1 paid/2 days)
50,000-100,000 VND
Miscellaneous (water, snacks, SIM)
30,000-50,000 VND
Daily Total400,000-700,000 VND

Free Attractions in Saigon

Must Do

French Colonial Quarter

Walk through Saigon's most beautiful streets for free. Notre-Dame Cathedral with its red-brick twin towers, the ornate Central Post Office (enter to see the stunning interior), and the tree-lined boulevards create a transport to another era. The golden afternoon light through the tamarind trees is magical. Allow 1-2 hours for a leisurely exploration.

Iconic

Nguyen Hue Walking Street

Saigon's main pedestrian boulevard comes alive in the evening with locals, families, and street performers. The fountain-lined street stretches from the People's Committee Building to the Saigon River. Free entertainment, people-watching, and a glimpse into local life every evening. The nearby Apartment building (42 Nguyen Hue) has quirky cafes.

Heritage

Jade Emperor Pagoda

One of Saigon's most atmospheric temples, filled with incense smoke, intricate wood carvings, and colourful statues of Buddhist and Taoist deities. The tortoise pond in the courtyard adds to the tranquil atmosphere. A working temple — visit respectfully. Free entry. District 1, near the zoo. Allow 30-45 minutes.

Market

Ben Thanh Market

Saigon's most famous market is free to browse and a sensory overload of colours, smells, and sounds. While prices here are tourist-inflated, the atmosphere is fantastic and bargaining is expected. In the evening, the surrounding night market stalls serve affordable street food. A must-visit experience even on a budget.

Park

Tao Dan Park

A beautiful green oasis in central District 1 with ancient trees, walking paths, and a bird garden. In the early morning, the park fills with locals practicing tai chi, jogging, and playing badminton. A peaceful free respite from the city's energy. The bird singing club meets here on weekend mornings — a uniquely Saigonese experience.

Heritage

Thien Hau Temple (Cholon)

A stunning Chinese temple in Cholon (Saigon's Chinatown) dedicated to the sea goddess. The ornate roof decorations, giant incense coils hanging from the ceiling, and the atmosphere of devotion make it one of Saigon's most memorable free attractions. Combine with exploring the nearby Binh Tay Market and Cholon's atmospheric streets.

Food Prices

Saigon Street Food Prices

  • Pho (noodle soup)30,000-50,000 VND
  • Banh mi (baguette sandwich)20,000-40,000 VND
  • Com tam (broken rice plate)30,000-50,000 VND
  • Banh xeo (crispy pancake)20,000-40,000 VND
  • Bun thit nuong (vermicelli)30,000-50,000 VND
  • Local restaurant meal50,000-150,000 VND
  • Ca phe sua da (iced coffee)15,000-35,000 VND
  • Bia hoi (fresh beer)10,000-20,000 VND

Money-Saving Food Tips

  • Eat where locals eat. Follow the crowds to busy street stalls — high turnover means fresh food and low prices. If a stall has a queue of Vietnamese customers, it is guaranteed to be good and cheap.
  • Eat pho for breakfast. A bowl of pho at a local stall costs 30,000-50,000 VND and is filling enough to last until a late lunch. The breakfast pho experience is quintessentially Saigon.
  • Avoid tourist restaurants. Restaurants with English menus near major sights charge 2-3x local prices. Walk one block away and prices drop dramatically. The same dish can be 30,000 VND at a local stall or 120,000 VND at a tourist restaurant.
  • Drink local coffee. Skip Western chain cafes (100,000+ VND) and drink ca phe sua da from street vendors or local cafes for 15,000-35,000 VND. Vietnamese coffee is stronger, cheaper, and more authentic.
  • Buy from convenience stores. Circle K and Family Mart are everywhere and sell cheap drinks, snacks, and instant noodles at fixed local prices. Bottled water costs 5,000-10,000 VND.

Transport Prices

Getting Around Cheap

  • City bus: 6,000-7,000 VND per ride — the cheapest option by far
  • Grab Bike: 15,000-50,000 VND — fast, cheap, and the most popular option for budget travelers
  • Grab Car: 50,000-200,000 VND across the city — good for rainy days or when carrying bags
  • Motorbike rental: 150,000-200,000 VND/day — best value for experienced riders
  • Walking: Free but only practical in small areas due to traffic and heat

Cash vs Card

  • Cash is king: Street food, markets, small shops, and xe om all require cash (VND)
  • Cards accepted: Hotels, malls, upscale restaurants, and some cafes accept Visa/Mastercard
  • Grab: Takes card payment — set up before arriving to avoid cash dependency
  • ATMs: Widely available. Vietcombank and BIDV have the lowest fees. Withdraw large amounts to minimize per-transaction charges (typically 22,000-55,000 VND per withdrawal)
  • Currency: Vietnamese Dong (VND). 1 USD is approximately 25,000 VND. Do NOT exchange money at airport or tourist exchange offices — terrible rates

Budget Accommodation

Best Value

Hostels

150,000-400,000 VND/night

The Common Room Project, Long Hostel, Town House 50, and Vietnam Backpacker Hostels offer clean dorm beds with lockers, Wi-Fi, air conditioning, and social common areas. Book on Hostelworld for best rates. Private rooms from 400,000-700,000 VND. The Bui Vien/Pham Ngu Lao area has the highest concentration of hostels.

Budget Hotels

Budget Hotels & Guesthouses

300,000-700,000 VND/night

Private rooms with en-suite bathroom, Wi-Fi, air conditioning, and often breakfast included. Found throughout District 1 and District 3. Booking.com has excellent options. Mini-hotels (nha nghi) in side streets offer basic rooms from 200,000-400,000 VND. For longer stays, serviced apartments in District 3 offer kitchen facilities and better rates.

10 Money-Saving Tips

1

Eat street food. Saigon's street food is world-famous and incredibly cheap — 20,000-50,000 VND per meal. The best food in the city is often at the cheapest stalls.

2

Use Grab Bike instead of Grab Car. Grab Bike costs 50-70% less than Grab Car and is often faster in traffic. If you are comfortable on the back of a motorbike, it is the budget traveler's best friend.

3

Explore free attractions. Pagodas, parks, walking streets, French colonial architecture, and markets are all free. Saigon's most atmospheric experiences cost nothing.

4

Bargain at markets. At Ben Thanh Market and other tourist markets, start at 30-40% of the asking price and negotiate up. Vendors expect bargaining. Walk away if the price is not right — they often call you back.

5

Try city buses. At just 6,000-7,000 VND per ride, city buses are the cheapest transport option. Routes 1 and 109 are the most useful for tourists. Google Maps shows bus routes and times.

6

Drink bia hoi (fresh beer). Saigon's local draft beer costs just 10,000-20,000 VND per glass at street-side bars. Rooftop bars charge 150,000-300,000 VND for cocktails — save those for special occasions.

7

Book tours through hostels. Hostel-organised group tours to Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta are significantly cheaper than private tours. Typical prices: 200,000-400,000 VND vs 800,000-1,500,000 VND for private versions.

8

Get a local SIM card. Tourist SIM cards at the airport cost 200,000+ VND. Walk to a Viettel or Mobifone shop in the city and get a SIM with data for 70,000-100,000 VND. You need data for Grab, Google Maps, and translation apps.

9

Visit during shoulder season. December-February has the best weather and is peak tourist season. April-May and October-November offer good weather with lower hotel prices and fewer crowds.

10

Carry water and stay hydrated. Bottled water costs 5,000-10,000 VND from convenience stores. Tourist restaurants charge 30,000-50,000 VND for the same bottle. Buy in bulk from a convenience store and carry water with you.

Saigon Budget Travel FAQs

Absolutely. Saigon is one of the most affordable cities in Southeast Asia. You can explore on 500,000-800,000 VND per day (around $20-32 USD). Stay in hostel dorms (150,000-250,000 VND), eat incredible street food (20,000-50,000 VND per meal), use Grab bikes (15,000-50,000 VND per ride), and enjoy free attractions like pagodas, parks, and walking tours. Saigon's best experiences — street food, markets, French colonial architecture — cost almost nothing.
The Bui Vien/Pham Ngu Lao backpacker area in District 1 has the cheapest accommodation with hostel dorms from 100,000-200,000 VND per night. Budget hotels in this area cost 250,000-500,000 VND. For slightly more value with less noise, look at District 3 or the edges of District 1. Booking.com and Hostelworld have the best selection for budget travelers.
Street food is incredibly cheap: pho from 30,000-50,000 VND, banh mi from 20,000-40,000 VND, com tam (broken rice) from 30,000-50,000 VND, and fresh fruit smoothies from 15,000-30,000 VND. Local restaurants cost 50,000-150,000 VND per meal. If you eat at street stalls and local restaurants, budget 120,000-200,000 VND per day for three meals. Tourist restaurants in District 1 charge 150,000-400,000 VND per meal.
Plenty. Walking through the French colonial quarter (Notre-Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office) is free. The river promenade and Nguyen Hue Walking Street are free. Pagodas like Jade Emperor Pagoda and Thien Hau Temple are free. Parks like Tao Dan Park are free. Ben Thanh Market is free to browse. Free walking tours run daily (tips appreciated). Many neighbourhoods are fascinating to explore on foot for free.
Grab is almost always cheaper than taxis in Saigon. Grab Bike is the cheapest option (15,000-50,000 VND for most rides). Grab Car costs 50,000-200,000 VND for trips across the city. Regular taxis (Vinasun or Mai Linh) are slightly more expensive but reliable. Avoid unbranded taxis which may use rigged meters. City buses cost just 6,000-7,000 VND per ride if you want the absolute cheapest option.

Get Your Free Travel Guide

PDF download + weekly travel tips

Join our community and get a comprehensive travel guide with maps, budgets, and insider tips delivered to your inbox.

Unsubscribe anytime. No spam, we promise.