MAY - AUGUST 2025
OVERVIEW
We have just spent 1 month living in Jomtien Beach, Pattaya, Thailand.
<<< our next stop is Hoi An, Vietnam >>>
IN SUMMARY
Hoi An has retained its charm … it has changed very little over the years.
Hoi An remains one of (if not) the best destinations for budget travelers.
… read on …
HOI AN REFERENCES
I have provided a lot of detailed information on Hoi An in the past.
I will try not to duplicate that information again in this post. The purpose of this post is to provide an update.
If you want more detail about the different areas of Hoi An, where to stay, and Hoi An’s beaches please look at the following posts:
- Hoi An Retirement Locations (2016);
- Hoi An Where to Stay (2016);
- Hoi An Update (2023);
- Dien Duong Beach (2025).
EXCHANGE RATE
The currency in Vietnam is the Dong (the ‘VND’ or ‘d’). At the time of writing, the exchange rates for the major currencies were:
| US$1 | EU€1 | GB£1 | |
| Published Wholesale Rate | 26,013 | 29,780 | 34,977 |
| Actual Exchange Rate (Wise Debit Card) | 25,883 | 29,631 | 34,802 |
| Actual Exchange Rate (Typical Credit Card) | 25,280 | 28,940 | 33,990 |
| Actual Exchange Rate (Good ATM) | 25,787 | 29,521 | 34,673 |
Over time, these exchange rates will change. Please check the current rates.
For simplicity, think of a 500,000d note as being US$19 / EU€17 / GB£14.
ATMs
If you go to the wrong ATM, you can lose 3.75%. To get the best rate, take out the maximum 5,000,000d amount from a VPbank ATM and pay about 0.85% to 0.90% in total fees.
WISE DEBIT CARD
I keep my costs down by using a Wise Debit Card.
90 DAY eVISA
When applying for your Vietnam eVisa, beware of scam sites. Make sure that you go to the official government site:
A 90 day eVisa costs 660,000d / US$26 after processing fees.
WHEN TO GO
Hoi An has two main seasons: rainy and dry.
I landed in Vietnam on 16th May 2025 and left 88 days later on 12th August 2025.
I was in Hoi An for Peak Season.
MY ITINERARY
I stayed:
- 4 nights in HCMC at the Khách sạn Căn hộ Green River apartments (I always stop in HCMC to do some shopping at fantastic prices);
- 7 nights at Loc Phat Hoi An Homestay Villa located on Cua Dai on the edge of Hoi An Town;
- 31 nights in Dien Duong Beach; and
- 46 nights at Herbal Tea Villa Homestay located near Ba Le Market on the edge of Hoi An Town.
I am not a fan of staying in Hoi An Old Town … it is over-priced and too touristic for me.
I would rather pay less for a nicer hotel on the edge of town and rent a scooter.
HOI AN LOCAL TRANSPORT
GRAB
Grab operate here. It costs about 15,000d to jump on a Grab Motobike to go up to 2kms.
BICYCLE RENTAL
Many tourists prefer to get around Hoi An on a bicycle.
Hotels located on the edge of town usually provide bicycles free of charge. Those more central can charge up to 50,000d / US$2 per day.
SCOOTER RENTAL
Expect to pay 100,000d to 150,000d to rent a 125cc scooter for 1 day.
Monthly rentals are between 1.4m (old) to 1.7m (new). I chose to rent the latter. A tank of petrol / gas costs about 65,000d / US$2.50 and lasts up to 100km.
So, my scooter cost me 60,000d / US$2.35 per day including petrol.
RECOMMENDATION: Always take photos (or a video) of the Scooter before you take it away. Then, if there is any dispute when you return it, you will have proof that it wasn’t you.
EAT & DRINK
The nearer Hoi An ‘Old Town’ and the nearer the beach, the higher the price.
That said, you still get excellent value for money.
LOCAL CAFES / WARUNGS
If you get down to a market (e.g. Ba Le) or a street stall, you can still buy a decent meal (e.g. a Cau Lau) for 35,000d / US$1.35.
Something similar in a local warung will cost 50,000-60,000d (US$2.00 – US$2.50).
Obviously, you can go to a fancier or ‘western cuisine’ restaurant and pay much more than that if you want to … there are plenty to choose from.
LOCAL BARS
On An Hoi Island you pay about 90,000d / US$3.50 for a large 450ml bottle of Saigon Green (local beer). This drops to about 60,000d / US$2.35 if you get off An Hoi Island and look around in the Old Town.
Get out of the Old Town and a price of 25,000d-35,000d is more typical.
At my local bar (the Havana Bar) the same costs 10,000d / US$0.40c until 10pm …
… then the price rises to 20,000d / US$0.80c.
DENTAL TOURISM
I started my dental work in Hoi An in 2020.
On this trip, I had my dental work completed.
I had 2 implants completed, 1 implant upgraded to a porcelain tooth, and a molar capped.
I paid a total of 17,850,000d / US$706 for this work.
GETTING AWAY
From Hoi An, my hotel charged me 250,000d / US$10 to drive me the 1 hour drive to Da Nang airport.
From there, I flew via Kuala Lumpur to Bali, Indonesia on Batik Air. I paid $105 inclusive of 30kg of check in luggage.
You can read about Bali in my next post.
GRANDPAcking COSTS
Read About – GRANDPAcking Costs if you don’t know how to interpret my figures.
Costs are broken down into Cost Of Existence (COE) and Cost Of Living (COL):
- COE: Is the basic costs of just being there;
- COL: Is the additional costs that make being there fun.
MY GRANDPAcking COSTS
These were my actual costs:
To view the above spreadsheet in more detail, {right click} on it and choose an option.
AVERAGE EXCHANGE RATE / (BLUE) TOP SECTION
I lost an average of 0.87% taking cash out of ATMs because I took out the maximum of 5,000,000d from VPbank ATMs.
I lost an average of 2.82% on my Visa Credit Card.
I lost an average of 0.50% Wise Debit Card which I used to pay for my accommodation where possible.
COST OF EXISTENCE (COE) / (ORANGE) MIDDLE SECTION
ACCOMMODATION
I averaged 385,000d / US$15 per night. 77 out of 88 nights included breakfast (for 2).
FOOD & BEVERAGES
My rental scooter easily paid for itself … I could get to all of the best shops, restaurants, and bars.
I averaged 66,500d / US$2.60 per day. Please note that I eat to live, I do not live to eat … my costs are always significantly lower than other people.
SIM CARD / MOBILE DATA
I was sold a dud Mobifone SIM at HCMC airport for 250,000d.
I paid a total of 450,000d / US$17 to buy a proper Mobifone SIM and 3 months of mobile Data Only plans.
VISA EXTENSION / NATIONAL PARK FEES
Vietnam 3 month eVisa 660,000d.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
My Backpacker Level Travel Insurance policy has been pro rata’d.
NECESSARY TRANSPORT
I rented a new Honda Air Blade for 81 days which cost a total of 4,895,000d / US$190 including petrol.
COST OF LIVING (COL) / (BROWN) BOTTOM SECTION
LIVING COSTS
I averaged under 60,000d / US$2.35 per day for my evening beers.
IN / OUT COSTS
The flight from HCMC to Da Nang cost 1,725,250 / US$67.
I spent 630,000d / $US25 on grab taxis and transport between Da Nang Airport and Hoi An.
OTHER COSTS
I spent a further 23,000,000d / US$900 on dental work, personal habits, and shopping in HCMC.
GRANDPAcking SUMMARY
My COE was 607,000d / US$23 per day (33% of my daily budget).
My COL was 348,000d / US$13 per day (19% of my daily budget).
My Grand Total cost was 955,000d / US$37 per day (53% of my daily budget).
I had ‘Money to Burn’ … I still had over 850,000d / US$33 left over each day … I could have done heaps more and still stayed within budget.
YOUR GRANDPAcking COSTS
This would be your budget:
To view the above spreadsheet in more detail, {right click} on it and choose an option.
ORANGE COLUMNS / LEFT HAND SIDE
The left of the spreadsheet (orange columns) shows the costs for a GRANDPAcking Couple living to GRANDPAcking Standard using a Standard (Home) Bank Credit / Debit Card where possible and withdrawing cash from ATMs where cash is required.
These costs are for a 30 day stay in Shoulder Season (avoiding peak times such as Easter, Xmas and New Year).
COST OF EXISTENCE (COE)
ACCOMMODATION
Expect to pay 425,000d / US$16 per night including breakfast for 2.
Please note that in Rainy Season, you can get the same hotel for about 50% of this Peak Season cost; expect to pay as low as 220,000d / US$8 per night including breakfast for 2.
FOOD & BEVERAGES
Expect to pay just over 390,000d / US$15 per day eating cheaply in local restaurants.
SIM CARD / MOBILE DATA
Expect to pay about 200,000d / US$8 for a Mobifone SIM Card with a 30 day package.
VISA
Two eVisas 1,320,000d / US$52.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
A typical Backpacker Level Travel Insurance policy has been pro rata’d.
NECESSARY TRANSPORT & SIGHTSEEING
1 day scooter rental each week 180,000d / US$7 including petrol for each 1 day rental.
Return GRAB to/from Da Nang airport 720,000d / US$28.
SUMMARY
Your COE is about 1,000,000d / US$39 per day. This is 57% of your daily budget.
This means that you have about 750,000d / US$29 left to spend each day.
You will find that you will have ‘Money to Spend‘.
RIGHT HAND SIDE / PURPLE COLUMNS
The right of the spreadsheet (purple columns) shows the costs for a GRANDPAcking Couple living to GRANDPAcking Standard using a Wise Debit Card where possible and withdrawing cash from ATMs where cash is required.
To keep Hotel and Food & Beverage costs down you will be renting a scooter for 1 month.
Due to fact that the following major costs are likely to be paid in cash:
- Food & Beverages; and
- Scooter rental.
The Wise Debit Card makes no significant difference.
COST OF EXISTENCE (COE)
ACCOMMODATION
Book a hotel online for 2 nights then use your scooter to find a better and cheaper hotel at 400,000d / US$16 per night including breakfast for 2.
FOOD & BEVERAGES
Using your scooter your costs reduce to 340,000d / US$14 per day.
SIM CARD / MOBILE DATA
No change.
VISA
No change.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
No change.
NECESSARY TRANSPORT & SIGHTSEEING
Return GRAB from Da Nang Airport: No change.
1 month scooter rental including petrol 1,940,000d / US$75.
SUMMARY
Your COE is about 965,000d / US$37 per day. This is 55% of your daily budget.
This means that you have about 790,000d / US$31 left to spend each day.
You will find that you still have ‘Money to Spend‘ … but you will be in a nicer hotel and have total freedom of movement.
GRANDPAcking SUMMARY
A GRANDPAcking couple can easily afford a month in Hoi An on a western State Pension Budget.
You will have ‘Money to Spend‘ no matter which option you choose.
CONCLUSION
Could you afford to retire here on a GRANDPAcking budget? YES.
Would you want to? YES … you just need to put up with Rainy Season.
TTFN
