Cost of Living Calculator

Backpacker / Bare Minimum: $465-705/month

• Accommodation: $100-200 -- shared room in a hostel or basic shared apartment
• Food: $150-200 -- eating local food (com tam, pho, banh mi) for every meal, cooking occasionally
• Transport: $30-50 -- no motorbike, walking and Grab rides only
• Phone/internet: $10-15 -- basic SIM card data plan
• Entertainment: $50-100 -- occasional beers, local coffee shops
• Miscellaneous: $25-40 -- toiletries, laundry, small purchases
• This budget is tight but doable if you live like a local

Comfortable / Most Expats: $900-1,600/month

• Accommodation: $300-500 -- private 1-bedroom apartment with kitchen, AC, WiFi, central location
• Food: $250-400 -- mix of local and Western food, some cooking at home, occasional nice restaurants
• Transport: $50-80 -- motorbike rental plus occasional Grab rides
• Gym: $25-40 -- monthly gym membership
• Coworking: $75 -- coworking space membership (if needed, many work from cafes)
• Entertainment/bars: $100-200 -- regular nights out, beach bars, social activities
• Phone/internet: $10-15
• Miscellaneous: $50-100
• This is where most digital nomads and expats land. Comfortable without being extravagant.

Premium / Living Well: $2,000-4,000+/month

• Accommodation: $700-1,200 -- spacious 2-bedroom apartment or luxury studio, pool, gym, ocean view
• Food: $400-600 -- Western food daily, regular fine dining, premium groceries
• Transport: $100-150 -- nice motorbike plus frequent Grab cars
• Fitness: $50-100 -- premium gym, yoga classes, personal training
• Nightlife/entertainment: $200-400 -- regular nights out, rooftop bars, events
• Weekend trips: $100-200 -- Hoi An, Hue, Ba Na Hills, beach resorts
• Phone/internet/subscriptions: $30-50
• Miscellaneous: $100-200
• At this tier you are living very well by any standard. Private pool, eating out every meal, doing whatever you want.

Electricity: 800K-1.5M VND/month ($32-60 USD)

• Government rate is approximately 3,500-4,000 VND per kWh on a tiered scale
• Your usage spikes dramatically with air conditioning, especially during the hot months (May-September) when temperatures hit 35-40 degrees Celsius
• Some landlords inflate the electricity rate to 4,500-6,000 VND/kWh as a way to make extra money. Ask about the rate before signing your lease. If it is above 4,000 VND/kWh, negotiate or look elsewhere.
• A single AC unit running 8 hours per day can add 500K-1M VND to your monthly bill
• Use fans when possible and set AC to 26-27 degrees to keep costs reasonable

Visa runs: $100-200 every 45-90 days ($400-800/year)

• This is a real ongoing cost that many budget guides ignore
• Even the cheapest Lao Bao border run costs about $100 once you include transport, Laos visa, and food
• Flying out for a weekend costs $150-300+
• Budget for approximately $100-200 every 2-3 months

Motorbike extras:

• Gas: 200-400K VND/month ($8-16 USD) depending on how much you ride
• Disc lock (one-time purchase): 150-300K VND ($6-12 USD) -- essential for theft prevention
• IDP fines if caught without one: 800K-1.2M VND ($32-48 USD) per offense
• Occasional repairs and maintenance: budget 100-200K VND/month

Laundry: 20-40K VND per kg ($0.80-1.60 USD/kg)

• Most apartments in Da Nang do not have a washing machine
• You will use drop-off laundry services -- they are everywhere and usually return clothes same day or next morning
• Budget approximately 200-400K VND/month for regular laundry

Water:

• Usually included in rent or costs 100-200K VND/month ($4-8 USD)
• Drinking water: buy 19-liter jugs for approximately 15-20K VND each, or use a filter