Tipping in Ho Chi Minh City: When to Tip, What to Pay
Pay the listed price. A tip is a habit around tourist locations, personal services and alcohol. Tipping is never forced. Everyday quan diners serving rice, pho or bun bo expect nothing. A seller who charges above the listed price owes you the difference back.
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The number you pay is the number on the menu, the tag or the app. A tip is extra, and it is a habit around tourist locations, personal services and alcohol. Nobody should make you tip.
Quick answers
| Where | What to leave |
|---|---|
| Quan diner (rice, pho, bun bo) | Nothing |
| Cafe | Generally nothing |
| Budget local restaurant | VND 20,000 to 100,000 for the table, if you want to |
| Upmarket restaurant or chain | Nothing extra |
| Spa and massage | A tip after the treatment |
| Grab | Optional, in the app |
| Bars and alcohol | A habit around alcohol venues |
| Tours and hired cars | Typically expected, and left out of the tour price |
Restaurants and cafes
At an everyday quan diner, skip the tip. Rice plates, pho and bun bo shops do not expect it.
At a budget local restaurant with plastic stools, a thank-you of VND 20,000 to 100,000, depending on how many of you ate, goes down well. Nobody can force it.
At an upmarket restaurant or a chain that already charges VAT, add nothing. Cafes follow the same line: generally no tip.
Check the bill before you reach for cash. Some venues put service charge and VAT in the ticket price, as the Saigon Princess dinner cruise does. When the menu or ticket says service charge and VAT are included, add nothing on top.
Massages, rides and tours
Tip after a spa or massage. Staff in these places are paid low wages and many rely on tips.
On Grab, a tip is not necessary but is always appreciated. You tip inside the app, and only rides paid with GrabPay support it. You have up to 72 hours after the ride ends to tip from your ride history.
Tour operators and tourism staff, including taxis and hired cars, typically anticipate a tip. On the Mekong day trip from Saigon the price leaves tips out and recommends them. Budget a tip for your guide and driver when you book a tour.
Tourist prices versus local prices
Prices in Vietnam are written in dong. Listing or quoting a price in foreign currency is banned inside the country, unless the State Bank allows it. A menu with dollar prices only is a flag: ask for the dong price.
Sellers have to list prices clearly. Not listing prices in a form the law requires is a violation. So is listing them so unclearly that customers get confused.
The law then sets the penalty for charging more than the tag. Read the rule that matters:
Phạt tiền từ 5.000.000 đồng đến 10.000.000 đồng đối với hành vi bán cao hơn giá niêm yết hàng hóa, dịch vụ do tổ chức, cá nhân định giá, kê khai giá không thuộc khoản 3 Điều này
A fine of VND 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 applies to selling above the listed price of goods and services priced by an organisation or individual, outside the items in clause 3.
Decree 87/2024/NĐ-CP, Điều 13 khoản 2
The same decree orders a refund of the amount charged above the listed price. Point at the tag, ask for the difference back and pay only the listed amount. If the seller refuses, photograph the tag and the receipt.
A few sights do run a separate foreigner price, and they publish it. At Cu Chi Tunnels foreign visitors pay a VND 35,000 historic-site fee. The guide-service ticket for foreigners is VND 100,000 per person per visit since 1 Feb 2026.
Markets are different. Prices at Ben Thanh are not fixed, so negotiate to avoid paying excessive amounts. At Binh Tay prices are not always fixed either, and a little haggling is part of the experience. Agree the price before you pick anything up.
The market itself is covered in Ben Thanh Market.
Taxis, touts and meters
Overcharging of tourists still happens at some locations across the city. Use an app and you see the fare before you ride. Grab fares are adjusted with demand by area and time of day. Xanh SM prices app bookings automatically.
Fares are compared in Grab vs Xanh SM vs Be. More scam warnings are in Ho Chi Minh City safety and scams.
At the airport the risk is the taxi meter. In June 2023 the city fined two taxi operators and several drivers for fare scams that overcharged customers by up to 10 times. On one inspection run the real fare for 3 km was VND 53,000 and the rigged meter showed VND 530,000.
What things cost
Use a few anchors to spot a tourist price. A meal at an inexpensive restaurant averages VND 50,000, in a range of VND 40,000 to 100,000. A cappuccino runs VND 20,000 to 75,000. A half-litre domestic draught beer runs VND 20,000 to 65,000.
A bill far above these anchors is a tourist price. Rent and bills are in the cost of living guide.
Before you pay
- Read the menu or tag for the price and for service charge and VAT.
- Pay in dong, not dollars.
- Leave nothing at a quan diner or cafe.
- Tip after a massage, and tip tour guides and drivers.
- If you are charged above the listed price, ask for the difference back.
- Use the app fare or the meter, and bargain at markets before you buy.
Photos and clips uploaded to Google Maps (Ben Thanh Market on Google Maps (opens in a new tab), Cu Chi Tunnels - Ben Duoc on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)) by Kaew-Go-Round, O Chan Cong, Gemma Cope.
Not confirmed: Service charge: whether a charge printed on the bill is compulsory is not confirmed, so compare the bill with the menu before you pay. Overcharge hotline: no current official line is confirmed; photograph the tag, the receipt and the taxi meter.
Common questions
Do I have to tip in Ho Chi Minh City?
No. A tip is never forced; it is not Vietnam's culture. It is a habit mainly around tourist locations, personal services and alcohol.
How much do I tip at a restaurant?
Nothing at a quan diner serving rice, pho or bun bo. At a budget local restaurant, VND 20,000 to 100,000 for the table is a fair thank-you. At an upmarket restaurant or chain, leave nothing extra.
Should I tip a Grab driver?
Tipping a Grab driver is not necessary but is always appreciated. The in-app tip works only on rides paid with GrabPay. You have up to 72 hours after the ride to rate and tip. You pick a preset amount in the app.
Do I tip after a massage?
Spa and massage staff are paid low wages and many rely on tips, so a tip after the treatment is the norm.
What happens if a shop charges more than the price on the tag?
Selling above the listed price is fined VND 5,000,000 to 10,000,000. The seller also has to refund the amount charged above the listed price.
Do foreigners pay more than locals?
At Cu Chi Tunnels foreign visitors pay both a VND 35,000 historic-site fee and a VND 100,000 guide-service ticket, per person per visit. Elsewhere, bargain at markets and use apps or meters.
Can I pay in US dollars?
Listing, quoting and paying in foreign currency inside Vietnam is banned unless the State Bank allows it. Pay in dong and expect a VND price.
How much does a cheap meal cost?
A meal at an inexpensive restaurant averages VND 50,000, with a range of VND 40,000 to 100,000.
Read next
General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.
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