From Jaunted
The present value of the Vietnamese Dong will have visitors who explore the country’s capital quickly realizing that everything is extremely affordable for carriers of foreign currency. Luckily, this also includes the price you pay to kick back with a few cold ones.
Typical Vietnamese cafe found throughout the city of Hanoi. (Jaunted)
In a recent study on the cost of beer around the world, Vietnam was number two on the list with an average price of 59 cents. And given that temperatures during the summer in Hanoi are in the mid-90s with maxed out humidity, beer is the drink of choice when it comes to cooling off (you’ll want to stay far, far away from red wine or whiskey during the day unless you’ve got the a/c blasting full force).
As you make your way through the city and observe prices, you’ll see that even when you overpay, it’s still a bargain. Most cafes and restaurants charge 20,000 – 25,000 Dong (approximately $1) for a bottle of the city’s main brew, Bia Ha Noi. This can go up to around 30,000 – 40,000 ($1.50 – $2) in the main tourist area in the Old Quarter. If you’re at a true five-star restaurant or hotel bar, that same beer might be as much as 90,000 Dong, which is about $4.50. This is great news for those that like to explore the luxurious side of cities, as it only costs an extra dollar or two for the uptick in service and setting. In this sense, getting ripped off never felt so good.
But just as you can pay a little more for a formal atmosphere, you can also pay a little less for a dose of the true local culture. Most Hanoian men, for example, gather at hole-in-the-wall cafes after work and drink a beer called Bia Hoi, which is served from kegs out of oversized steel refrigerators. Here, one beer will run you only 4,000 to 8,000 Dong, or about 20 to 40 cents.
Read the full article from Jaunted.
