Both Thailand and Vietnam are popular countries to visit for a variety of reasons such as temples, history, beaches, nightlife, and more. Another reason they are popular, especially with backpackers is that they are budget-friendly countries. So is Vietnam cheaper than Thailand?
Vietnam is cheaper than Thailand but this is only slightly cheaper. With that Thailand has a better infrastructure in the Wifi is better and it also has better standards of accommodation and food so less likely to get food poisoning. Plus it is a lot easier to travel within Thailand.
In this post, we will go through is Vietnam cheaper than in Thailand. Let’s get started!
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Is Vietnam Cheaper Than Thailand?
Vietnam is cheaper than Thailand but this is only slightly cheaper. Remember that Thailand does better standards of accommodation and food along with better Wifi. Because of the better standards of accommodation and food, it tends to be a little bit more expensive.
This is a tricky one to answer. So I have tried to work out to prove the answer. To show the costs differences, I created a 10-day trip to both Vietnam and Thailand. Let’s get started.
Prerequisite
Just as a prerequisite to figuring out if Vietnam is cheaper than Thailand or visa versa is that we need to establish a few ground rules. These are as follows.
- The traveler in this case will be price conscious so a budget traveler.
- They will be solo traveling and looking for nice double room accommodation. And will be using booking.com and excluding any promotions or offers.
- The duration of the trip is 10 days.
- Western food is considerably comes expensive than local food, so will not be eating western food.
- Eat and drink in Thailand, the average cost will be 850 baht ($25) daily. This includes eating out once, street food and 3 beers in the evening, and a few miscellaneous like buying water in the shop.
- The average cost of eating out in Thailand is around 300 baht ($9).
- Street food averaging 50 baht ($1.60).
- The average cost of beer costing around 120 baht ($3.5).
- Eat and drink in Vietnam, the average cost will be 400,000 VND ($18) daily. This includes eating out once, street food and 3 beers in the evening, and a few miscellaneous like buying water in the shop.
- The average cost of eating out in Vietnam is around 225,000 VND ($10).
- Street food averaging 23,000 VND ($1).
- The average cost of beer costing around 30,000 VND ($1.25).
- The trip to each country needs to be similar to each other as possible.
- Thailand trip starts from Bangkok then onto Koh Samui and back to Bangkok.
- Vietnam trip starts from Saigon then onto Phu Quoc and back to Saigon.
- Activities will be excluded as people’s interests vary.
- The conversion rates used are as follows.
- 1 USD = 22749 VND.
- 1 USD = 33.51 Thai Baht(THB).
Thailand Trip
For the Thailand trip, we will be flighting Bangkok and staying a few nights in Bangkok. And then on to Koh Samui for 7 nights and back to Bangkok for 1 night. And then home.
This is a breakdown summary of each stage of the trip where a more detailed expense is in each section.
| Arriving And Staying In Bangkok | 6800 baht ($208) |
| At Surat Thani | 670 baht ($20) |
| On Koh Samui | 17390 baht ($518) |
| Returning To Bangkok | 2330 baht ($90) |
| Last Night In Bangkok | 2690 baht ($81) |
| Total | 30000 baht ($895) |
| Daily Average | 3000 baht ($89.50) |
Arriving And Staying In Bangkok
Arriving in Thailand in particular Bangkok. At the airport, you have 3 options to get to your hotel which are as follows.
- You can use a bus to Khao San Road which stops in a few other places. This costs around 70 baht ($2).
- Then there are the Skytrain and the city link train tickets. A ticket to Phayathai station costs 50 baht ($1.50) and then a one-way to the city center costs around 40 baht ($1.20) depending on the stop you are going to.
- Or take a taxi from the airport to your hotel. Taxis charge by using the meter plus tolls, so the charge can vary due to traffic or where exactly your hotel is. This can cost around 500 baht ($15).
Normally due to the long flight, it is better to use a taxi to the hotel, than try to find small change for the bus or train. Which still leaves you trying to find your hotel.
The hotel booked was Radisson Suites Bangkok Sukhumvit which is near Skytrain. The hotel costs 1660 baht ($50) per night. We are staying 2 nights in Bangkok.
A flight to Surat Thani that costs around 1330 baht ($40) is cheaper than a direct flight to Koh Samui costs around 3000 baht ($90). Near when the full moon party is on the price of flights to Koh Samui increase.
To get to the airport we will use the SkyTrain which will cost 90 baht ($3).
Note that there are 2 airports in Bangkok which are Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) and Don Mueang Airport (DMK). If your flight is from Don Mueang Airport you will need a taxi. They are still building the Skytrain to Don Mueang Airport.
| Taxis to the hotel from the airport | 500 baht ($15) |
| Hotel (2 nights) | 3320 baht ($100) |
| SkyTrain to the airport | 90 baht ($3) |
| Food and drink | 1660 baht ($50) |
| Flight to Surat Thani | 1330 baht ($40) |
| Sub Total | 6800 baht ($208) |
At Surat Thani
Surat Thani is a gateway to the islands of Koh Samui, Koh Tao, and Koh Pha Ngan. So will not be staying in Surat Thani just passing through.
At the Surat Thani airport, you can bus to the port and get a ferry to Koh Samui which costs around 670 baht ($20).
| Bus from the airport to the port, then the ferry to Koh Samui | 670 baht ($20) |
| Sub Total | 670 baht ($20) |
On Koh Samui
From the port on Koh Samui to will need a taxi to get your accommodation which can cost around 150 baht ($5).
The hotel booked on Koh Samui was Eden Bungalows Fisherman’s village which cost 11250 baht ($338) for the 7 nights.
| From the port to the hotel | 165 baht ($5) |
| Food and drink | 5875 baht ($175) |
| Accommodation | 11350 baht ($338) |
| Sub Total | 17390 baht ($518) |
Returning To Bangkok
The return flight to Bangkok flight will leave from Surat Thani airport which costs around 1330 baht ($40).
On Koh Samui you need to get to Surat Thani airport, there are services that will take you from your hotel to Surat Thani airport and that includes the ferry and bus. This costs around 665 baht ($20).
| Go from Koh Samui to Surat Thani airport | 1000 baht ($30) |
| Flight to Bangkok | 1330 baht ($40) |
| Sub Total | 2330 baht ($90) |
Last Night In Bangkok
Arriving in Thailand and into Bangkok. At the airport, I will take the Skytrain option as I have a small change and the flight was short. This costs 90 baht ($3).
The hotel booked was Radisson Suites Bangkok Sukhumvit which is near Skytrain. The hotel costs 1660 baht ($50) per night. We are staying 1 night in Bangkok.
Returning to the airport for the flight home I will take the Skytrain as this will cost 90 baht ($3).
| Skytrain to the hotel from the airport | 90 baht ($3) |
| Hotel (2 nights) | 1660 baht ($50) |
| SkyTrain to the airport | 90 baht ($3) |
| Food and drink | 850 baht ($25) |
| Sub Total | 2690 baht ($81) |
Vietnam Trip
For the Vietnam trip, we will be flying to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and staying 3 nights in Saigon. If you stay near Distinct 1, can spend a day exploring Saigon and famous sites as are within walking of Distinct 1. And then on to Phu Quoc for 6 nights and back to Saigon for 1 night. And then home.
This is a breakdown summary of each stage of the trip where a more detailed expense is in each section.
| Arriving And Staying In Saigon | 5,780,000 VND ($254) |
| On Phu Quoc | 5,355,000 VND ($238) |
| Returning To Saigon | 2,626,000 VND ($115.40) |
| Last Night In Saigon | 1,290,000 VND ($57) |
| Total | 15,051,000 VND ($664) |
| Daily Average | 1,505,000 VND ($66) |
Arriving And Staying In Saigon
Arriving in Vietnam in particular Saigon. At the airport, you need to pay to get your visa stamped for a 1-month single entry. This is called a stamping fee which costs around 567,000 VND ($25).
Remember that before boarding the plane you need to get an entry clearance letter that costs around 226,900 VND ($10).
You have 2 options to get to your hotel from the airport, which are as follows.
- There is a public airport bus 109 that will bring you from Tan Son Nhat Airport to the city center that runs directly to District 1. That costs around 45,000 VND ($2).
- Then there are the taxis. Taxis charge by using the meter plus tolls, so the charge can vary due to traffic or where exactly your hotel is. This can cost around 160,000 VND ($7).
It is easier and faster to use a taxi to the hotel, especially after a long flight.
The hotel booked was WE HOME BEN THANH which is within walking distance to everything, especially the backpacking area. The hotel costs 570,000 VND ($25) per night. We are staying 3 nights in Saigon.
A flight to Phu Quoc costs around 2,526,000 VND ($111) it takes around 1 hour while using a bus is cheaper but will take around 12 hours.
To get to the airport we will use a taxi which will cost 160,000 VND ($7).
| Taxi to the hotel from the airport | 160,000 VND ($7) |
| Hotel (3 nights) | 1,706,000 VND ($75) |
| Taxi to the airport | 160,000 VND ($7) |
| Food and drink | 1,228,000 VND ($54) |
| Flight to Phu Quoc | 2,526,000 VND ($111) |
| Sub Total | 5,780,000 VND ($254) |
On Phu Quoc
To get to the airport we will use a taxi which will cost 100,000 VND ($4.40).
The accommodation booked was in Duong Dong which is the largest town on the island. This is a bungalow with a Garden View that costs 480,000 VND ($21) per night. So for 6 nights, it costs in total is 2,867,000 VND ($126).
| Taxi from the airport to the hotel | 100,000 VND ($4.40) |
| Food and drink | 2,388,000 VND ($108) |
| Accommodation | 2,867,000 VND ($126) |
| Sub Total | 5,355,000 VND ($238) |
Returning To Saigon
The return flight to Saigon will leave from Phu Quoc airport which costs around 2,526,356 VND ($111).
To get to the airport we will use a taxi which will cost 100,000 VND ($4.40).
| Taxi from Hotel to Phu Quoc airport | 100,000 VND ($4.40) |
| Flight to Saigon | 2,526,356 VND ($111) |
| Sub Total | 2,626,356 VND ($115.40) |
Last Night In Saigon
The taxi from the airport cost around 160,000 VND ($7).
Booked the same hotel as before which was WE HOME BEN THANH. The hotel costs 570,000 VND ($25) per night. We are staying 1 night in Saigon.
The taxi to the airport cost around 160,000 VND ($7).
| Skytrain to the hotel from the airport | 160,000 VND ($7) |
| Hotel (1 night) | 570,000 VND ($25) |
| SkyTrain to the airport | 160,000 VND ($7) |
| Food and drink | 400,000 VND ($18) |
| Sub Total | 1,290,000 VND ($57) |
Wrapping Up
Finally, Vietnam is slightly cheaper than Thailand but Thailand has better standards of accommodation and food plus is more developed for tourists. Making it easier to travel within Thailand. You can reduce the costs in Thailand by looking for cheaper accommodation on Koh Samui and taking advantage of offers on booking.com.
And that’s it for now! I’d love to know if this guide on is Vietnam cheaper than Thailand has helped you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.
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