Costs of Vietnam with Kids: Complete Budget Guide for Families
All expenses at a glance!
Dreaming of a Vietnam round trip with kids, but wondering what such a trip really costs? In this blog, I’m sharing all the expenses from our 2.5-week family trip through Vietnam with children. From flights and transportation to hotels, food, and activities — no estimates, just the actual amount we spent as a family of four.
Vietnam is known as an affordable destination, and that’s partly true. But it really depends on how you travel. If you choose comfort, private transfers, and unique experiences (such as a cruise through Halong Bay), costs will naturally add up. At the same time, daily expenses — food, taxis, and small purchases — are surprisingly cheap. In this overview, you’ll see exactly what to budget for, including average daily costs. That way, you can plan your trip well without any surprises afterward.
Be sure to also read our blog featuring the ultimate Vietnam itinerary with kids & all our tips for an unforgettable journey through this beautiful country.
🌞 Search & Book Your Family Holiday to Vietnam
✅ Family-friendly hotels, apartments & resorts
💙 Book directly with Booking.com – trusted & easy
Flights to Vietnam with Kids: Costs and Tips
For our family trip through Vietnam with kids, we paid €3,050 for four flight tickets from Amsterdam to Hanoi, including seat selection and checked baggage. We flew with a layover in Munich. For us, this was a reasonable price. Flight prices to Vietnam can vary greatly depending on the season and how far in advance you book.
What we noticed ourselves: the earlier you book, the better your chances of finding a good deal. Especially if you’re traveling during school holidays, the difference can easily be several hundred euros. Comparing flights via Skyscanner helps to find the best options, but we personally prefer booking directly with the airline or through a reliable provider. Our domestic flight (from northern to southern Vietnam) cost €789 in total. That may sound expensive, but it saves you an enormous amount of travel time — something that’s absolutely worth it when traveling with kids.
Transportation Costs During a Family Trip Through Vietnam
Transportation in Vietnam is surprisingly affordable, especially compared to other long-haul destinations. During our trip, we used a combination of private transfers, Grab (Asia’s version of Uber), and a few longer rides booked through an organization.
For the longer distances, we booked private transportation through TravelThru, which cost us around €600 in total. These were journeys of several hours (sometimes even 5–7 hours), so the comfort was absolutely worth it with children. Just hop in and relax — it makes traveling so much easier and less stressful.
For short rides, we used Grab, which is incredibly cheap. In total, we spent around €45 on it. For a 10-minute ride, you often pay only €1 to €2, which makes it very tempting not to walk (especially with kids and in the heat).
Altogether, we spent approximately €645 on local transportation.
Hotel and Accommodation Costs in Vietnam with Kids
In total, we spent €1,075 on accommodations for 15 nights. That comes down to an average of around €70 per night for a family of four, including breakfast. We deliberately chose family-friendly hotels with swimming pools and family rooms, and it was absolutely worth it. After a hot day or a long journey, having a pool really feels like a necessity rather than a luxury.
Vietnam offers a huge range of accommodation options: from simple guesthouses to luxury resorts. So you can make it as affordable or as luxurious as you want. For us, this was the perfect sweet spot between comfort and price. What stood out most was how much space and service you often get for relatively little money. Compared to Europe, it really feels like excellent value for money.
Food in Vietnam with Kids: Costs and Tips
Food in Vietnam is probably one of the most fun (and delicious) parts of your trip — and luckily, it’s also very affordable. During our trip, we spent around €1,000 on food, drinks, and snacks over 17 days. That comes down to about €60 per day for our family, or around €15 per person per day.
We really did a bit of everything: from local street food to trendy coffee spots and Western restaurants with good coffee, smoothies, and (expensive 😉) cakes and ice cream. That last category naturally adds up more quickly, but even then, the total amount remained very reasonable.
Breakfast was almost always included in the hotel price, which also helped keep the costs down.
Entrance Fees & Excursions in Vietnam with Kids
In total, we spent around €900 on activities and excursions. That may sound like a lot, but most of that budget went toward one experience: our 2-day cruise in Halong Bay, which cost around €750. It definitely wasn’t cheap, but honestly, it was also one of the most beautiful experiences of the entire trip. Sleeping on a boat, sailing between the limestone cliffs, kayaking, and swimming — it was truly a highlight for both the kids and us.
The remaining €150 was spent on smaller activities, entrance fees, and day trips. Many things in Vietnam are free or cost just a few euros, so this is something you can easily adjust to fit your own budget.
Total Costs of a Vietnam Family Trip
For our 2.5-week family trip through Vietnam with kids, we spent a total of approximately €7,500 for our family of four. Excluding the international flights, we spent around €4,450 on all local expenses, including transportation, accommodations, food, and activities. That comes down to about €185 per day for our family. Including the flights, the total works out to around €300 per day. Per person, that’s approximately €75 per day for the entire trip, including everything.
Vietnam is therefore no longer an “ultra-budget” destination, but it is still incredibly affordable for what you get in return. Especially when you consider the unique experiences, the food, the nature, and how family-friendly the country is.
Costs for 4 people (€) | Costs per person per day (€) | |
|---|---|---|
Flights | € 3.050 | – |
Domestic flights | € 789 | € 11.60 |
Local transportation | € 645 | € 9.50 |
Accommodations | € 1.075 | € 15.80 |
Food | € 1.000 | € 14.70 |
Entrance fees & excursions | € 900 | € 13.20 |
Other costs | € 41 | € 0.60 |
Total | € 7.500 | € 65.40 |
Conclusion: How Much Does Vietnam Cost with Kids?
A trip through Vietnam with kids is surprisingly affordable, especially if you make smart choices. Transportation and food are inexpensive, accommodations offer excellent value for money, and activities can be as budget-friendly or as luxurious as you want them to be. Our biggest expenses were the flights and the Halong Bay cruise, but those were also the experiences that made the trip extra special.
If you want to save money, you can easily adjust your choices when it comes to accommodations, excursions, or transportation. But even if — like us — you choose comfort and convenience, Vietnam remains a very accessible destination for families.
Wil je je rondreis naar Vietnam meteen gaan plannen?
Bij het plannen van je reis naar Vietnam zijn er verschillende manieren om je verblijf en activiteiten te boeken. Als je graag zelf alles regelt, kun je via Booking.com eenvoudig accommodaties vinden die passen bij jouw wensen. Voor unieke excursies en tours is GetYourGuide een uitstekende keuze. Wil je liever alles in één keer geregeld hebben? Dan biedt TUI complete pakketten aan voor een zorgeloze vakantie. Ben je op zoek naar meer flexibiliteit en wil je je reis op maat samenstellen? Kijk dan eens bij Riksja, waar je met bouwstenen je eigen ideale reis kunt samenstellen.
Nog aan het oriënteren voor een kindvriendelijke vakantie? Op onze homepage vind je een overzicht van populaire bestemmingen voor gezinnen.
