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Price of Travel, a database of travel costs, has just revealed 50 cheapest cities for backpackers.
To almost nobody's surprise, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Hoi An have been named among the most affordable.
Rankings are based on the minimum amount of money budget travelers would need for each destination, which covers one night in the cheapest bunk bed, two public transport rides, entrance fee to one top attraction, three simple meals and beer.
Take the rough calculations with caution. For instance, the quality of "budget" accommodations can vary between locations and two bus rides may not take you to where you want to go.
But these estimates can be helpful for many cost-conscious or first-time travelers, who want to know how big their budget should be to at least survive in a new city for a day.
Of course, if you want to splurge, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have luxury services that can cost you your whole month of pay in just a day.
It should be noted that in a more formal study released earlier this month by the World Economic Forum, Vietnam has gone from the third cheapest in the region to the third most expensive in just two years.
The country has been ranked third from bottom in Southeast Asia when it comes to price competitiveness, only standing above Singapore and Cambodia, according to the biennial Travel and Tourism Competitiveness report.
A new report by real estate consultancy Savills has also showed that Hanoi’s hotel occupancy and prices have been booming during the first quarter of 2017.
The average hotel room rate in the capital city in the first three months increased a staggering 41 percent from a year ago to $116 per night.
Five-star room rates saw the biggest rise of 42 percent to $156 per room per night, while four-star room rates rose 22 percent to $79 and three-star room rates went up 29 percent to $54. The report only covered hotels rated three stars or higher.
