What cards are accepted in Vietnam?
Visa, Master Card, JBC and American Express are the most common credit cards honored in Vietnam. You can use ATMs to get cash advances on your credit cards; in a pinch, you can visit Vietcombank to get an advance over the counter. For credit card transactions, you may be charged an addition 3-4 percent per transaction.
Credit cards are widely accepted but, in rural areas particularly, you should carry cash as a back-up. It may be difficult to cash travellers' cheques. ATMs are widely available in major cities and tourist areas.
For a more comfortable backpacker experience in Vietnam, it's best to budget around $50 per day. This way, you'll have more money to spend on things like food, drinks, activities and hotel rooms. For a comfortable mid-range experience in Vietnam, it's best to budget $60 to $100 per day for your entire costs.
Vietnamese dong and multi-currency card lets you convert your local currency to spend when travelling to Vietnam. This multi-currency card will give you the best rate for spending in Vietnamese dong and 50+ other currencies.
Mastercard and Visa cards can be used to make cash withdrawals from a majority of ATMs in Vietnam. The maximum withdrawal limit varies depending on the machine. Machines from American banks often have a higher daily withdrawal limit compared to Vietnamese banks. But Vietnamese banks often charge a lower withdrawal fee.
Vietnam ATM Fees & General Information
Most ATMs in Vietnam charge between 30000 and 60000 VND. Certain stand alone units in tourist areas charge more – be aware of the “Euro” brand of ATMs which can take upto 15% of your withdrawal amount in fees and poor conversion rates.
Tipping isn't mandatory or customary in Vietnam, but it is always appreciated. If you're happy with the services provided by waiters, drivers and other service workers, leaving a small tip is a good way to show your appreciation.
For a two-week trip, your Vietnam travel budget should be about $2,530 per person based on my suggestions and itinerary as indicated above.
Luxury budget (for 1 person) | Medium Budget (for 1 person) | |
---|---|---|
Total (for 1 day) | approximately $310 and up | approximately $95 and up |
Total (for 1 week) | approximately $2100 and up (including going on tour everyday and one souvenir item) | approximately $630 and up (including going on tour everyday and one souvenir item) |
Weapons and Explosives: We know that some countries allow citizens to own some kinds of weapons. However in Vietnam, using or bringing weapons (such as pistols, shotguns, and firearms) or explosives is totally prohibited. If you are caught with these items, you will definitely in trouble!
What's the best currency to take to Vietnam?
Vietnamese Dong or US Dollar, which is the best currency to use in Vietnam? Most payments are made with Vietnamese Dong, but US dollars can be directly used for some hotels, restaurants, tours, or other services. You may see the prices for food, drinks, and souvenirs in Ho Chi Minh City's airport are all in US dollars.
Cost of Living in Vietnam: $700 to $1,400 per month
This averages living costs across many months—you may spend more getting set up, but many expats average $1,000 per month.

Three Weeks
This route cuts down on travel costs as the only expense there would be renting a motorbike, which is quite easy to do in Hanoi Old Quarter or Pham Ngu Lao in Ho Chi Minh. You shouldn't spend more than $4-$6 per day. Three weeks could be done as cheaply as $800, but more realistically aim for $1,500.
Yes, you'll be able to use your mobile phone in most urban areas of Vietnam, although remote and mountainous areas may have limited network coverage. Ensure you have global roaming activated with your mobile carrier before you leave home if you wish to use your mobile while in Vietnam.
To enter and exit Vietnam, visitors are required to fulfill the entrance and exit procedures in the form (in Vietnamese or in English languages). Foreign currency exceeds 7,000 USD (seven thousand US dollars) or its equivalence other foreign currency, or over 15,000,000 VND (fifteen million Vietnam Dong) in cash.
J.P.Morgan Chase Bank N.A. has maintain a direct presence in Vietnam since 1995 by operating a branch in Ho Chi Minh City and a representative office in Hanoi.
There are five U.S. banks and financial institutions operating in Vietnam. Citibank and Far East National Bank have branches, Wells Fargo and Visa International have representative offices, and JP Morgan Chase has both a branch and a representative office.
Vietnam's leading banks are Vietcombank and Sacombank, while the most common international banks are ANZ and HSBC. All maintain offices and ATMs throughout the country, and are connected to Plus ATM network.
- Backpacker Budget: $40 to $50 per day.
- Mid-range Budget: $60 to $100 per day.
- Luxury Budget: $150 to $200+ per day.
The only way to avoid ATM fees is by taking cash machines from your bank or choosing banks that are linked to your bank. Unfortunately, there are not many foreign banks and ATMs from foreign banks are less popular in Vietnam. Most ATMs in Vietnam have withdrawal limits of 2.000. 000 VND.
How much does one meal cost in Vietnam?
Restaurants | Edit |
---|---|
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 50,000.00₫ |
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 500,000.00₫ |
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 110,000.00₫ |
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 20,000.00₫ |
Common taboos in Vietnam
Avoid hugging, holding hands, and especially kissing in public. Even touching a member of the opposite sex is looked down upon. Modesty: It is important to keep your body covered. Avoid overly short shorts and revealing shirts.
Yes, you can brush your teeth with the water in Vietnam. You can be sure that the tap water in urban areas is safe to brush your teeth and bathe. In most rural areas, the water is going to be safe as well for bathing and brushing your teeth.
For men, casual jeans and shirts are the normal dress code, but they are advised not to take off their shirts in public places if it gets too hot. Especially in cities like Ho Chi Minh can be very hot in summer. You should be properly covered up and wear appropriate clothes. This is applicable to both women and men.
How Much Should You Tip in Restaurants in Vietnam? You should leave a tip of around 10%. In some high-end restaurants, you might notice that there's been an extra charge added to your bill. This isn't a tip, and the people serving you won't receive any of it.
Eating Well
If you're willing to pay top prices for top-quality international fare, you'll also find that, cheaper than in many other countries. However, the best choice is, as so often, the happy medium. Vietnam has plenty of mid-range street restaurants that are fixed in a house or on a street corner.
...
Vietnam - Coca-Cola - price, June 2022.
Vietnam - Coca-Cola - price, June 2022 | |
---|---|
VND | 7,000.000 |
USD | 0.282 |
EUR | 0.272 |
Although Southeast Asia is generally affordable and good value, by comparison, Thailand will cost more than Vietnam. Thailand can not only meet the backpackers' on-a-budget requirements, but can also satisfy those who are looking for a luxury experience.
...
Cost of Living in Vietnam.
Expense | U.S. $ |
---|---|
Entertainment (eating out five nights a week, including beer or soft drinks) | $250 to $300 |
Monthly Total: | $899 to $1,469 |
Bali is 40.2% more expensive than Vietnam.
Can you cross your fingers in Vietnam?
Never cross your fingers in Vietnam
In most cultures, crossing your fingers means you're hoping for good luck. But not in Vietnam. There, the gesture is thought to resemble female genitals, and making it is similar to giving the middle finger.
Passengers arriving in Vietnam are allowed to freely carry a second mobile phone for personal use. They, however, must pay a tax if it is worth more than VND10 million ($429). Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Vietnam - Dong (VND)
If you bring money worth more than VND 15 million or USD 5 000, these must be declared for in border control.
Cash withdrawal and exchange
ATMs are a common sight in Vietnamese cities, and you should have no trouble locating one in most destinations. International cards such as Visa are accepted at more than 20,000 ATMs nationwide. If you need help finding the nearest ATM, just ask your hotel.
How Many US Dollars Can I take to Vietnam in Cash? You are able to bring in any amount of US dollars, but do note that an amount above USD 5,000 will have to be declared on arrival.
1. Tra Vinh. Out of 63 provinces and cities in Vietnam, Tra Vinh is the least expensive place to live, with a rate of 87.6% compared to Hanoi. It is a province located in the Mekong Delta with much tourism potential, due to its rich culture and history, especially the Khmer culture.
- 1 day of bicycle rental.
- 2 Vietnamese coffees with sweet condensed milk.
- 15 minutes of air time on a Mobifone sim card.
- 1 bowl of pho bo.
- 1 small load of laundry.
- 250 grams of candied ginger.
The average cost of living in the United States ($2112) is 240% more expensive than in Vietnam ($622). the United States ranked 6th vs 139th for Vietnam in the list of the most expensive countries in the world.
Let's be honest, 7 days in Vietnam -a country with thousands of years of history, abundant UNESCO World Heritage Sites and breathtaking scenery that spans its 3,000-kilometre length- is not enough. However, if a 7-day trip to Vietnam is all you have, then you can cover the country's major destinations.
Visa Types | Service Fee (Approval letter) | Same Day Processing |
---|---|---|
Single-Entry with 1-month Validity | USD 18 | USD 37 |
Single-Entry with 3-month Validity | USD 28 | USD 47 |
Multi-Entry with 1-month Validity | USD 21 | USD 40 |
Multi-Entry with 3-month Validity | USD 43 | USD 62 |
How much salary is good in Vietnam?
...
Average Salary.
Career | Average monthly salary (VND/USD) |
---|---|
Real Estate | 17 million VND ~ $720 US |
Most of the apps on your phone will still be useful in Vietnam, and there is no need to download a VPN. Popular apps such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Uber will all work (although you can Uber a motorcycle as well as a car!) You can also use Google Translate and Maps to get around and speak to locals!
Internet censorship in Vietnam prevents access to websites critical of the Vietnamese government, expatriate political parties, and international human rights organizations, among others or anything the Vietnamese government does not agree with.
Internet and wifi are available everywhere in Vietnam. Something of 98% of all hotels and hostels has Wi-Fi, only in very remote places (such as national parks) it is not standard. It is almost always free. Many cafes and restaurants also have WiFi.
Credit cards are widely accepted but, in rural areas particularly, you should carry cash as a back-up. It may be difficult to cash travellers' cheques. ATMs are widely available in major cities and tourist areas.
You're better off exchanging your money at banks or other authorized currency exchange centers. Besides, paying in Vietnamese dong gets you better value than paying in dollars. Better to spend day-to-day using VND, while keeping a stash of dollars around for emergency purposes only.
You can pay for things in Vietnamese dong (VND), US dollars or by credit card. Spending in VND is often the best way to go to ensure that you get the best price. Be careful with the bills – even though all the denominations are different sizes and colours, it can still be hard to differentiate.
Payment method | Payment split (%) |
---|---|
Card | 34% |
Other | 6% |
Digital wallet | 19% |
Cash | 19% |
Send Money, Pay Online or Receive Payments - PayPal Vietnam.
To verify your Paypal account, you must first have a bank account in Vietnam that can receive funds in Vietnamese Dong. Vietnam has a lot of banks which you can link to your Paypal account, to name a few: Eximbank, ACB, Đông Á, Eximbank, HSBC, Techcombank, Sacombank, Vietinbank, BIDV and TPbank.
How do I pay for Vietnam Visa?
- Settle the payment through credit cards with the OnePay (http://www.OnePay.com/) payment gate option. ...
- Settle the payment via Paypal. ...
- Settle the payment via Western Union. ...
- Settle the payment via bank transfer EximBank.
Whether your account is originally in Vietnamese Dong, Euro, Dollar, Yen, Australian Dollar or other currencies, you can only withdraw Vietnamese Dong banknotes.
- Citibank.
- Far East National Bank.
- Wells Fargo.
- JP Morgan Chase.
No, Zelle is available only in the US. The payment app only allows you to send money from one US bank account to another, meaning both the sender and the recipient must have US bank accounts.
In order to use Zelle®, the sender and recipient's bank accounts must be based in the U.S.
Visa, Mastercard and JCB are now widely accepted in Vietnam.
The Vietnamese government denied deliberately blocking access to Facebook, and the Internet service provider FPT said that it is working with foreign companies to solve a fault blocking to Facebook's servers in the United States.
These are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Monaco, Moldova, Montenegro, Myanmar, Pakistan, Paraguay, Saint Lucia, South Sudan, Sudan ...