17/08/2026
💵 Vietnamese Currency Guide for First-Time Visitors 🇻🇳
Planning a trip to Hanoi? Here’s a quick guide to handling money in Vietnam.
🇻🇳 Currency: Vietnamese D**g (VND)
Common banknotes you’ll use:
💰 10,000 VND – Small snacks, bottled water
💰 20,000 VND – Coffee, local drinks
💰 50,000 VND – Street food meals
💰 100,000 VND – Most everyday purchases
💰 200,000 VND – Restaurant meals, Grab rides
💰 500,000 VND – Larger expenses and ATM withdrawals
⚠️ Traveler Tip
The 20,000 VND and 500,000 VND notes are both blue and can look similar at first glance. Double-check before paying.
💳 Cash or Card?
✔️ Hotels, malls, many restaurants, and larger cafés usually accept Visa and Mastercard.
✔️ Grab works with card payments.
✔️ Street food vendors, local markets, and small shops often prefer cash.
🏧 ATM Tips
• Withdraw cash from bank-operated ATMs.
• Keep smaller notes (20k, 50k, 100k) for street food, taxis, and local purchases.
• Break large 500k notes at convenience stores or restaurants when possible.
🧮 Easy Conversion Trick
Remove three zeros from the price:
• 100,000 VND ≈ 100k
• 500,000 VND ≈ 500k
This makes it much easier to compare prices while traveling.
✨ Hanoi is still a largely cash-friendly city, especially when exploring local food stalls, markets, and hidden gems. Carry some cash, but don’t worry—cards are widely accepted for bigger purchases.
