Da Nang Budget Breakdown: How Much I Spent in One Month
Da Nang, when you have Western money, is cheap.
But, like most places, you can make it whatever you want.
You can do Da Nang on a very tight budget, eat local food every day, stay somewhere basic and barely spend anything. Or you can go for nicer accommodation, Western food, pretty cafés, Grab everywhere and generally make your life a little more comfortable.
I went somewhere in between.
So, if you’re wondering how much a month in Da Nang actually cost me, here’s the breakdown.
Cash is still king
One thing to keep in mind when travelling around Vietnam: always have some cash on you.
A lot of modern places accept cards, and QR payments are also widely available. But I wouldn't rely entirely on your card.
I use the Moreta app (not sponsored… although I probably should be at this point). I first started using it in Thailand and it worked really well, so I tried it in Vietnam too.
The idea is pretty simple: you load money from your bank account and then use the app to scan and pay in the local currency.
Very convenient when you don't want to constantly be getting cash out.
And again, this is not sponsored.
Moreta, if you're reading this, I am available.
Flight — €422
My one-way flight was €422 with Vietnam Airlines.
It's a fairly budget-friendly option, so don't expect luxury.
The staff were kind and helpful when I had to figure out my self-transfer situation, which was particularly impressive considering I didn't know I had to self-transfer until I got to the airport and apparently neither did the airport staff.
Always a fun start to a journey.
Food-wise, bring your own snacks. The offering was basically nuts.
Not the worst thing in the world, but if you get hungry between meals, bring snacks.
Accommodation — €455
I spent €455 on Airbnb for my stay.
If you're staying in Da Nang for a while, I think you have three main options.
Hotels
There are hotels at pretty much every price point, so this is probably the easiest option if you're only staying for a short time.
Airbnb
Usually a little more expensive than some local options, but you have the advantage of being able to check the location, reviews and photos before committing.
For me, that extra bit of reassurance was worth it.
Facebook groups
If you're staying for a month or longer, this could be worth looking into.
If I were doing it again, I'd probably book a hotel or Airbnb for the first 2–3 days, then use that time to explore different areas and look at longer-term accommodation in person.
You can find some much better deals this way, but I'd rather see the place and the neighbourhood before. And remember to never pay anything before checking the place and conditions.
Food
Food in Da Nang is generally pretty cheap.
If you're eating mostly local food, you can eat very well without spending much. I would say around €10 a day is perfectly possible for local meals and drinks, depending on where and what you eat.
If you mix local food with Western food, you'll obviously spend more, but you can still keep things pretty reasonable.
The most expensive meal I had during my stay was Western food.
The portion was also big enough for two meals, so technically I'm counting that as excellent financial planning.
Or at least that's what I'm telling myself.
Takeaway
If you're not sure what you want to eat or you're feeling too lazy to leave your accommodation, Grab is your friend.
Ordering takeaway is also a good way to try local food without having to commit to sitting down somewhere when you're not sure what you'll like.
Prices are generally reasonable, and delivery was usually under 40 minutes for me.
Which is dangerous information when you're comfortably sitting at home thinking, I could just order something.
Cafés
Fresh juices are one of my favourite things about being in Vietnam.
I don't drink coffee, so I can't give you a proper review of the Vietnamese coffee scene, but apparently it's very good.
I did have some really good matcha and tea, though, so don't assume cafés are only worth visiting if you're a coffee drinker.
And cafés are definitely part of everyday life here.
They're everywhere, they're affordable and you're unlikely to have a terrible drink.
One thing I really liked about Da Nang's cafés was that they weren't all trying to look exactly the same.
Some have very specific themes and interiors, while others are extremely local, plastic chairs on the pavement, a little cart and a drink in your hand.
I found some really lovely places during my month and went back to a few of them more than once, partly for the drinks and partly because I liked the atmosphere.
And honestly, having a good drink nearby makes a big difference when you're staying somewhere for a month.
Getting around
The two main options I used were Grab and Green SM.
Prices are based mainly on the distance between A and B, but they can vary depending on the time of day and the weather.
Expect to pay more during peak times and especially when it rains.
And yes, if you're using Grab constantly, those small rides can add up surprisingly quickly.
If you're planning to visit several sights outside the city, one option is to find a driver you like and arrange a day or half-day directly with them, paying cash.
Just make sure you agree on the price and what is included before you set off.
For some of the sights I visited, this worked out much more conveniently than ordering separate rides each time.
You can also get your own ride and rent a scooter but be mindful that you need a valid driving license and if you’ve never rode one before, Vietnam road will challenge you.
Shopping — €5
I wouldn't put Da Nang on my list of shopping destinations.
Although, to be fair, I am also a bigger woman, so clothes shopping in Vietnam isn't exactly an activity I got particularly excited about.
I bought a couple of postcards and a keychain for my dad's collection.
And that was it.
€5 well spent.
E-SIM — €26.50
I used Airalo for my eSIM and paid €26.50.
No complaints from me.
I've been using them for a while now and I like the convenience of not having to figure out a local SIM card every time I arrive in a new country.
I can just land, activate it and get on with my life.
One less thing to think about.
So, how much did I actually spend?
Taking into account my flight, accommodation, cash, eSIM and my various card/app expenses, I spent approximately:
€1,555 for my month in Da Nang
Here's the rough breakdown:
✈️ Flight: €422
🏠 Airbnb: €455
📱 eSIM: €26.50
💶 Cash: €50
💳 Other card spending: €60
💰 Moreta/Revolut spending: €541
Total: €1,554.50 — roughly €1,555
Obviously, this isn't a universal "one month in Da Nang costs €1,555" number.
It's what I spent, based on how I travel.
I wasn't backpacking on the absolute cheapest budget, but I also wasn't staying in fancy hotels, eating at expensive restaurants every night or booking private drivers everywhere.
I cooked quite a lot, ate plenty of local food, used Grab when I needed it, spent a fair amount of time in cafés and mostly just lived my normal life for a month.
And that's probably the most useful thing to remember when looking at travel budgets online.
Someone else's "budget trip" might look completely different from yours.
For me, Da Nang was a relatively affordable place to spend a month — and you could definitely spend less if you wanted to.
You could also spend considerably more.
That's the nice thing about travelling in a place like Vietnam.
Your budget is pretty much as flexible as you want it to be.