Southeast Asia · 2 cities covered
We track 2 cities in Vietnam. The mid-range shoulder-season day averages $114 — 59% below the median across all 68 cities we cover. Inside the country the range runs from $108/day in Hanoi to $120/day in Ho Chi Minh City, a 10% gap: a tight band, so swapping cities barely changes the daily number.
Accommodation accounts for 51% of the average mid-range day in Vietnam, the largest single line item in every city we track here. Hanoi (lake-laced old quarters, motorbike rivers, phở at dawn) sits at the affordable end; Ho Chi Minh City (wires, scooters, french stone, espresso jolts) anchors the top.
Season coefficients are calibrated per city, not shared. Across Vietnam the peak-to-low swing runs 72%–72%, widest in Hanoi (72%, tropical dry-season peak pattern: low May–Jun, Sep–Oct at ×0.76, peak Jan–Feb, Dec at ×1.31). Demand follows the dry season and the northern winter escape; the wet months discount hard because arrivals fall, not because supply shrinks.
Mid-range, shoulder season, same five line items. Difference is relative to Vietnam ($114/day).
| Country | Mid · shoulder | vs Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| Cambodia | $108/day | -5% |
| Indonesia | $128/day | +12% |
| Thailand | $130/day | +14% |
| Philippines | $151/day | +32% |
| Malaysia | $171/day | +50% |
| Singapore | $471/day | +313% |
On average, a mid-range traveller spends $114 per day in Vietnam during shoulder season. Budget travellers can get by on around $36/day, while a luxury trip averages $440/day.
The most affordable destination in Vietnam is Hanoi, where a budget trip costs about $36 per day in low season.
At the top end, Ho Chi Minh City reaches around $440 per day during peak season.
The best windows vary by city, but many destinations in Vietnam are ideal during Oct–Apr or shoulder season for a balance of weather and price.