What can $10 get you in Vietnam? Here are affordable things you can purchase in the country during your visit!
Vietnam is considered one of the cheapest countries to live and it’s not just in Asia. Expats have flooded the country for years to get the ideal lifestyle that everyone could wish for – affordable living space, unrivaled scenery, flavorful dishes and a whole lot more.
So what can $10 get you in Vietnam? Keep reading and be amazed with what the country has to offer!
What can $10 get you in Vietnam – Vietnamese Coffee
Vietnamese coffee is one of the things you should never miss when visiting the country. Vietnam is known as the largest producer of Robusta coffee beans in the world.
This gives the coffee a unique flavour differing from the Arabica bean taste a lot of people are used to.
Price: Depending on the brand can vary from 120k-200k/kg
As a souvenir, there’s no better gift for coffee lovers than Vietnamese coffee grounds and a phin filter.
Phin filters can be bought at the supermarket to the outdoor markets. You can buy aluminium ones for as little as 40k VND, or ceramic ones for around 120k VND.
What can $10 get you in Vietnam – Paintings
Among the things you can purchase in Vietnam for $10 is a painting. Locals sell plenty of paintings in the streets with intricate details, vibrant colors and a story to tell.
When choosing the right souvenir to bring home, it is advised to first look around before purchasing there is a chance you may see the same or a similar item cheaper elsewhere.
There is an exception to the rule. All hand-painted artworks are unique and express different styles, colours and art mediums.
If you do see one you like, consider buying it as you may never see anything else like it.
Price: 200k/painting
What can $10 get you in Vietnam – Conical Hat
The farmer’s hat is a distinguishing symbol of Vietnam’s agriculture. However, as time has evolved, these hats are widely used not only by farmers but even by locals across the country.
It serves as great sun protection from the Southeast Asian heat and doubles as a rain hat to keep out light rain.
The shape makes it quite difficult to carry your luggage, so a great tip is to wear it on flights or when travelling between accommodation.
Bring these home for your green-fingered friends – this hat is the perfect shield from the sun when gardening.
Price: 30k-50k/hat
What can $10 get you in Vietnam – Silk
Silk can be used in several ways, however in Vietnam, it is the primary cloth that comprises the Ao dai dress.
Traditionally, silk is only worn by imperials and has then evolved into being used even by commoners.
Almost all of the towns in Vietnam have several silk tailor or silk shops.
Buy silk and bring it to a reputable tailor for a custom-made Ao dai, otherwise, you can bring these home to be sewn for something else.
Although there are a lot of shops to purchase silk from, there are few trusted ones – it is always best to do some research about a potential shop you’d intend to purchase.
Price: from 100k per metre
T-shirts
There is definitely no scarcity of printed shirts all throughout Vietnam varying from sizes, colours and well, designs.
These shirts are designed to appeal to tourists thus they offer western sizes of up to 3XL.
If you’re wanting to do a lot of shopping on your holiday, bring fewer t-shirts with you and just buy them when you’re here.
Grab them for as little as $4 USD each!
Vodka Hanoi
Whenever looking out for a bottle of vodka, keep an eye out for the royal blue label and white writing. This local vodka is used widely in Vietnamese restaurants and bars, which is why cocktails are so cheap to buy.
The quality is adequate and it is incredibly affordable for as little as $3 USD per litre!
Another brand to look at is Men Vodka with a distinguishing feature of a frosted bottle with black writing.
There is cheaper imitation vodka available, but beware, the smell and taste has been likened to petrol. Stick with these two trusted brands and it will surely be worth it.
Price Range: 100k VND for a 750 mL bottle