Hoi An on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes, Hoi An is excellent for budget travel. A realistic minimum is about VND 700,000 (roughly €25) per person per day: bed VND 250,000, food VND 250,000, sights VND 150,000 and transport VND 50,000.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | VND250,000 | VND700,000 | VND3,000,000 |
| Food & drink | VND250,000 | VND500,000 | VND1,200,000 |
| Sights & tickets | VND150,000 | VND500,000 | VND1,500,000 |
| Local transport | VND50,000 | VND200,000 | VND600,000 |
| Per person, per day | VND700,000 | VND1,900,000 | VND6,300,000 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Hoi An day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walking the Ancient Town streets and the lanterns after dark
- Cycling through the rice fields to Tra Que village
- An Bang Beach at sunset
- The night market (browsing is free)
- The riverside promenade along the Thu Bon
- The Full Moon Lantern Festival each lunar month
Cheap eats
- Bánh mì: roughly VND 25,000-40,000
- Cao lầu: roughly VND 35,000-60,000 a bowl
- Mì Quảng (Quang noodles): roughly VND 30,000-50,000
- Chicken rice: roughly VND 40,000-70,000 a plate
- White rose dumplings: roughly VND 50,000-80,000 a plate
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in family-run homestays near the Ancient Town, with free bikes and breakfast, at about VND 400,000-800,000 for a double. Hostels near the town and An Bang offer dorm beds for less.
Getting around cheaply
Cycle everywhere in and around town, usually free from your homestay. From Da Nang airport, Grab costs around VND 300,000-400,000; shared shuttles can be cheaper. Use Grab for My Son or Da Nang trips, or join a group tour.
A sample budget day
- Morning: bánh mì and coffee (about VND 60,000), then cycling to Tra Que (free bike)
- Lunch: cao lầu at the Central Market (about VND 50,000)
- Afternoon: Ancient Town ticket and five heritage sites (about VND 120,000)
- Evening: lanterns and street food at the night market (about VND 150,000)
- Total: about VND 700,000 including a shared homestay room
More ways to save
- Walk the Ancient Town at night for free; the ticket is only needed for the heritage houses.
- Share a lantern boat with others to split the per-boat price.
- Visit My Son with a shared shuttle rather than a private car.
- Drink fresh sugar-cane juice and local beer instead of imported drinks.
- Skip Ba Na Hills, which is expensive and crowded, if money is tight.
- Buy only what you need from tailors; small items like shirts are better value than full suits.
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Common questions
Can I visit Hoi An on a budget?
Easily: about VND 700,000 a day with a homestay, street food and free bikes.
What is the cheapest food in Hoi An?
Bánh mì, cao lầu and Quang noodles, each around VND 25,000-60,000.
How do I get from Da Nang to Hoi An cheaply?
Grab costs around VND 300,000-400,000 for the 45-minute trip; shared shuttles are cheaper per person.