{
  "$schema": "https://schema.org/Dataset",
  "name": "Vietnam Travel Cost Index 2026",
  "description": "Independent, sourced annual cost index for travel in Vietnam — backpacker, mid-range, comfort, and luxury daily budgets across 11 cities, with 2026 baselines for transport, food, and attraction costs.",
  "publisher": "Day Trips Vietnam",
  "publisher_url": "https://daytripsvietnam.com",
  "source_url": "https://daytripsvietnam.com/guides/vietnam-travel-cost-index-2026/",
  "methodology_url": "https://daytripsvietnam.com/guides/vietnam-travel-cost-index-2026/#methodology",
  "license": "CC BY 4.0",
  "license_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "temporal_coverage": "2026",
  "spatial_coverage": "Vietnam",
  "currency": "USD",
  "fx_note": "USD figures reflect VND/USD ≈ 25,000 as observed April 2026. VND figures are also given where applicable.",
  "updated": "2026-05-07",
  "version": "2026.1",
  "suggested_citation": "Day Trips Vietnam, \"Vietnam Travel Cost Index 2026\" (May 2026), https://daytripsvietnam.com/guides/vietnam-travel-cost-index-2026/",
  "tiers": [
    { "tier": "backpacker", "daily_usd_min": 30, "daily_usd_max": 50, "trip_14d_usd_min": 700, "trip_14d_usd_max": 1400 },
    { "tier": "mid-range", "daily_usd_min": 80, "daily_usd_max": 150, "trip_14d_usd_min": 1400, "trip_14d_usd_max": 2800 },
    { "tier": "comfort", "daily_usd_min": 200, "daily_usd_max": 350, "trip_14d_usd_min": 3000, "trip_14d_usd_max": 5500 },
    { "tier": "luxury", "daily_usd_min": 400, "daily_usd_max": null, "trip_14d_usd_min": 7000, "trip_14d_usd_max": null }
  ],
  "cities_mid_range": [
    { "city": "Phu Quoc", "daily_usd_min": 130, "daily_usd_max": 220, "note": "Most expensive. Resort economy, fewer cheap options." },
    { "city": "Hoi An (central)", "daily_usd_min": 110, "daily_usd_max": 180, "note": "UNESCO premium; lantern-hour density compounds rates." },
    { "city": "Da Nang (central)", "daily_usd_min": 100, "daily_usd_max": 170, "note": "Beach-coast premium; rapid 2024–2026 rate growth." },
    { "city": "Hanoi (Old Quarter)", "daily_usd_min": 100, "daily_usd_max": 160, "note": "Tourism premium; consistent 5–12% annual price growth." },
    { "city": "Ho Chi Minh City (District 1)", "daily_usd_min": 95, "daily_usd_max": 155, "note": "Largest international-business hotel base; consistent pricing." },
    { "city": "Sapa", "daily_usd_min": 75, "daily_usd_max": 130, "note": "Tourism developed; peak Nov–Mar harvest pricing higher." },
    { "city": "Nha Trang", "daily_usd_min": 70, "daily_usd_max": 120, "note": "Cheaper hotel base than peers; package-tour-friendly pricing." },
    { "city": "Hue", "daily_usd_min": 60, "daily_usd_max": 105, "note": "Cheapest UNESCO city; clearest mid-range value." },
    { "city": "Mekong Delta towns", "daily_usd_min": 55, "daily_usd_max": 90, "note": "Smaller-town pricing; CBT homestay options." },
    { "city": "Ha Giang City", "daily_usd_min": 60, "daily_usd_max": 100, "note": "Small base; loop tour costs the meaningful budget line." },
    { "city": "Cat Ba Island", "daily_usd_min": 65, "daily_usd_max": 110, "note": "Smaller infrastructure; Lan Ha Bay day boats add $25–60." }
  ],
  "transport": [
    { "mode": "Reunification Express, soft sleeper (4-berth)", "route": "Hanoi → Hue / Da Nang", "fare_usd_min": 25, "fare_usd_max": 45, "source": "Vietnam Railways (dsvn.vn)" },
    { "mode": "Reunification Express, soft sleeper (4-berth)", "route": "Hanoi → HCMC end-to-end", "fare_usd_min": 65, "fare_usd_max": 110, "source": "Vietnam Railways (dsvn.vn)" },
    { "mode": "Sleeper bus, standard", "route": "Most overnight routes", "fare_usd_min": 15, "fare_usd_max": 25, "source": "FUTA, The Sinh Tourist (April 2026)" },
    { "mode": "Sleeper bus, VIP / limousine van", "route": "Hanoi → Sapa, HCMC → Da Lat", "fare_usd_min": 25, "fare_usd_max": 40, "source": "Operator direct (April 2026)" },
    { "mode": "Domestic flight, booked 3–4 weeks ahead", "route": "Hanoi → HCMC, Hanoi → Da Nang", "fare_usd_min": 40, "fare_usd_max": 80, "source": "Vietnam Airlines, VietJet, Bamboo" }
  ],
  "food_samples_vnd": [
    { "item": "Pho, Hanoi local neighborhood", "vnd_min": 25000, "vnd_max": 35000, "usd_min": 1.0, "usd_max": 1.4 },
    { "item": "Pho, HCMC standard", "vnd_min": 45000, "vnd_max": 70000, "usd_min": 1.8, "usd_max": 2.8 },
    { "item": "Banh mi, standard street", "vnd_min": 20000, "vnd_max": 35000, "usd_min": 0.8, "usd_max": 1.4 },
    { "item": "Mid-range restaurant main", "vnd_min": 80000, "vnd_max": 200000, "usd_min": 3.5, "usd_max": 8.5 },
    { "item": "Vietnamese coffee", "vnd_min": 20000, "vnd_max": 50000, "usd_min": 0.8, "usd_max": 2.0 },
    { "item": "Bia hơi (fresh draft beer), Hanoi", "vnd_min": 8000, "vnd_max": 15000, "usd_min": 0.3, "usd_max": 0.6 }
  ],
  "attractions": [
    { "site": "Hue Imperial City (adult)", "fee_vnd": 200000, "fee_usd": 8, "source": "Hue World Heritage official" },
    { "site": "Hue 4-monument combo", "fee_vnd": 530000, "fee_usd": 21, "source": "Hue World Heritage official" },
    { "site": "Hoi An Old Town pass (5 attraction entries)", "fee_vnd": 120000, "fee_usd": 4.8, "source": "Hoi An Cultural Heritage Management Center" },
    { "site": "Ha Long Bay scenic route entrance", "fee_vnd_min": 260000, "fee_vnd_max": 310000, "fee_usd_min": 10, "fee_usd_max": 12, "source": "Quang Ninh Department of Tourism" },
    { "site": "Temple of Literature (Hanoi)", "fee_vnd": 30000, "fee_usd": 1.2, "source": "Official" },
    { "site": "War Remnants Museum (HCMC)", "fee_vnd": 40000, "fee_usd": 1.6, "source": "Official" },
    { "site": "Ba Na Hills (Da Nang)", "fee_vnd": 950000, "fee_usd": 38, "source": "Sun World official" }
  ]
}