Hanoi on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes, Hanoi is excellent for budget travel: allow about VND 780,000 per person per day, with about VND 300,000 for a bed, VND 250,000 for food, VND 150,000 for sights and VND 80,000 for Grab or buses. The Ha Long cruise is the one big extra.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | VND300,000 | VND700,000 | VND2,500,000 |
| Food & drink | VND250,000 | VND500,000 | VND1,200,000 |
| Sights & tickets | VND150,000 | VND500,000 | VND1,200,000 |
| Local transport | VND80,000 | VND200,000 | VND500,000 |
| Per person, per day | VND780,000 | VND1,900,000 | VND5,400,000 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Hanoi day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Watch tai chi and dance aerobics around Hoan Kiem Lake at 6:00.
- Walk the Old Quarter's guild streets: Hang Bac, Hang Ma and Hang Gai.
- Visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (free; mornings only and closed some days).
- Join the weekend walking streets around Hoan Kiem Lake on Friday to Sunday evenings.
- See the Tran Quoc Pagoda and the sunset over West Lake.
- Walk the French Quarter boulevards past the Opera House.
Cheap eats
- Phở bò at a street stall: VND 40,000-70,000.
- Bún chả with spring rolls: VND 40,000-70,000, plus VND 10,000-20,000 per roll.
- Bánh cuốn for breakfast: VND 35,000-60,000.
- Bánh mì: VND 20,000-45,000.
- Bún riêu cua (crab noodle soup): VND 35,000-60,000.
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in Old Quarter guesthouses and hostels, where a double costs about VND 400,000-700,000 and a dorm bed less, with street food at the door.
Getting around cheaply
Walk the Old Quarter and use Grab for longer trips (VND 30,000-80,000). From Noi Bai Airport, bus 86 reaches the Old Quarter for about VND 45,000; Grab takes about 45 minutes. Buses to Ninh Binh take 1.5-2 hours.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Hoan Kiem Lake at dawn and phở for breakfast (about VND 60,000).
- Lunch: bún chả in the Old Quarter (about VND 60,000).
- Afternoon: Temple of Literature (about VND 70,000) and Hoa Lo Prison (a small fee).
- Evening: water puppets (from about VND 100,000), bia hơi and street food on Ta Hien (about VND 100,000).
- Total: about VND 780,000 with a guesthouse bed
More ways to save
- Keep small notes (10,000-50,000 VND) so stalls do not 'run out' of change.
- Book the Ha Long cruise directly or via well-reviewed agencies, and compare what is included.
- Choose Lan Ha or Bai Tu Long Bay for fewer boats at a similar price.
- Visit the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology by Grab; it is the best museum and very cheap.
- Avoid travelling during Tet, when many businesses close and transport prices rise.
- Refill bottles at guesthouses that offer filtered water.
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Common questions
Is Hanoi good for backpackers?
Very. Guesthouses, street food, bia hơi and Grab are all cheap, and many sights are free or cost little.
How do I get from Noi Bai Airport cheaply?
Bus 86 runs to the Old Quarter for about VND 45,000; Grab takes about 45 minutes.
Is street food safe to eat?
Generally yes at busy stalls with high turnover; avoid tap water and ice of unknown origin.