Should you visit Sapa or Da Nang?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Sapa and Da Nang can help you decide which place is right for you.
Sapa
Sapa is a beautiful town in the northern mountains of Vietnam by the border with China. Many travelers pass through the area on their way from China into Hanoi. Alternatively, some travelers head north from Hanoi to spend a few days in the beautiful mountains where tribal cultures are still alive and well. There are a good number of ethnic minorities that populate the area. The eight populations in the area include H'mong, Dao, Tay, Giay, Muong, Thai, Hoa, and Xa Pho, but the vast majority in the area are H'mong. Within the town of Sapa itself, there are about 7,000 people. The rest of the population lives in the surrounding countryside and are peasant farmers.
Da Nang
Halfway between Ho Chi Minh City in the south and Hanoi in the North is the easy-going beach city of Da Nang (or Danang, for some). The third most populated city in Vietnam, Da Nang draws in crowds with its beautiful and calm beaches as well as its history as a French colonial port.
With beaches, mountains, and cityscape, there's bound to be a point of interest for all travelers. Da Nang is also a transit hub to get to the four Vietnamese UNESCO World heritage sites: Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, Hue, Hoi An, and My Son.
Da Nang experiences wet season from September through March and dry season from April through August with average temperatures of around 80℉.
Da Nang is also known to have some of the friendliest locals, probably due to the peace and quiet and lack of heavy traffic, even in the city.
Which city is cheaper, Da Nang or Sapa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Sapa is $31, while the average daily cost in Da Nang is $40. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Sapa and Da Nang in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $22 in Sapa For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $17. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Da Nang the cost is $34 on average.
Food
The average traveler spends about $14 per day in Sapa for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
Food in Da Nang costs travelers about $14 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
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Food
Meals for one day
Sapa $14
Da Nang $14
Typical Food prices in Sapa
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Sapa:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sapa
For Sapa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Seafood Dinner in Altitude Rooftop Bar at Sheraton Nha Trang :
$15
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The Home Pizza Phu Quoc Cash Voucher 500.000VND :
$19
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Tra Que Vegetable Village and Cooking Class Experience in Hoi An:
$24
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Tam Giang Lagoon Private Half Day Tour with Seafood Dinner:
$26
-
Half-Day Tam Giang Sunset Tour with Dinner on Floating Restaurant:
$26
-
Hoi An City and Food Tour with Foot Massage:
$28
-
Vegetarian Cooking Class in Hanoi:
$28
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Vegetarian Cooking Class in Hoi An:
$29
-
Eco Cooking and Basket Boat Tour:
$29
-
M.O.M Cooking Class in Saigon:
$30
-
Jolie Da Nang Cooking Class:
$30
-
Saigon Cooking Class by Hoa Tuc:
$31
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Da Nang
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Da Nang.
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Half Day Private Street Food Tour By Scooter from Da Nang:
$0.44
-
Seafood Dinner in Altitude Rooftop Bar at Sheraton Nha Trang :
$15
-
The Home Pizza Phu Quoc Cash Voucher 500.000VND :
$19
-
Hoian Mama Home Cooking Class:
$19
-
Tra Que Vegetable Village and Cooking Class Experience in Hoi An:
$24
-
Tam Giang Lagoon Private Half Day Tour with Seafood Dinner:
$26
-
Half-Day Tam Giang Sunset Tour with Dinner on Floating Restaurant:
$26
-
Vegetarian Cooking Class in Hanoi:
$28
-
Hoi An City and Food Tour with Foot Massage:
$28
-
Eco Cooking and Basket Boat Tour:
$29
-
Vegetarian Cooking Class in Hoi An:
$29
-
Home Cooking Class:
$30
Local Transportation
To get around in Sapa, the average visitor spends $8.25 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
The average price of local transportation around Da Nang is $10 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Sapa
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Sapa are as follows:
-
Short Motorbike Ride
$1.31
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sapa
Also for Sapa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Shared City Transfer between Hanoi and Ninh Binh, Hoa Lu, Tam Coc and more by Limousine:
$6.39
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Shared Bus Transfers between Hoi An and Ba Na Hills:
$6.50
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Shared City Transfers between Da Lat and Mui Ne via Shuttle Bus:
$6.50
-
Private Phu Quoc International Airport Transfers (PQC) for Phu Quoc:
$7.00
-
Private Da Nang International Airport Transfers (DAD) for Da Nang, Hue, Hoi An, & Select Areas:
$8.79
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Private Noi Bai Airport Transfers (HAN) for Hanoi City or Halong Bay:
$9.00
-
Private Night Transfers between Phu Quoc International Airport (PQC) and Phu Quoc:
$9.25
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Private Noi Bai Airport (HAN) Transfers for Hanoi City:
$9.45
-
Private Da Nang International Airport (DAD) Transfers for Da Nang, Ba Na Hills, and More:
$9.59
-
Private Cam Ranh International Airport (CXR) Transfers for Nha Trang, Hon Chong & Selected Areas:
$11
-
Private Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) Night Transfers for Hanoi:
$11
-
Private Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) Transfers for Hanoi:
$11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Da Nang
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Da Nang:
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[Flash Sale] Six Senses Con Dao with Breakfast and Transfer:
$528
-
Hai Van Pass and Lang Co beach transfer with guide from Da Nang:
$315
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An Lam Retreats Ninh Van Bay, Free Roundtrip Airport & Speedboat Transfer:
$303
-
Da Nang to Nha Trang - Private Transfer:
$250
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Da Nang to Phong Nha Cave Private Transfer:
$213
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Family Combo Vinpearl Discovery Wonderworld Phu Quoc with Breakfast, Optional Roundtrip Airport Transfer and Vinwonder + Vinpearl Safari:
$174
-
Da Nang to Hue Full Day Trip Private Transfer:
$160
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3D2N Radisson Blu Resort Phu Quoc with Free Airport Transfer, Optional F&B Credit or Vinwonders + Vinpearl Safari Ticket :
$154
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InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort, with Roundtrip Airport Transfer and Optional Flights :
$134
-
Private Bana Hills Full Day Tour With Roundtrip Transfer:
$125
-
One Way Transfer Tours, to or from Da Nang, Hoi An and Hue via central highlands:
$124
-
One Way Transfer Tours, to or from Da Nang or Hoi An and Hue via costal roads:
$115
Is it cheaper to fly into Sapa or Da Nang?
Prices for flights to both Da Nang and Sapa change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
In Sapa, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $5.37 per person, per day.
Da Nang's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $12 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Typical Entertainment prices in Sapa
For Sapa, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
Tours and Activities in Sapa
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sapa.
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Do Quyen Spa Private Experience in Sapa:
$1.75
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Hi Spa Experience in Ho Chi Minh City :
$1.99
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L'Belle Beauty Spa Experience in Ho Chi Minh:
$1.99
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Lasenta Spa Experience in Ho Chi Minh City:
$2.39
-
World Coffee Museum Ticket in Central Highland:
$2.65
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[SALE 50%] Art in Paradise 3D Museum Ticket in Da Nang:
$3.09
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LVES Spa in Saigon - VND88.000 for 60-minute Experience:
$3.89
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Upside Down World Ticket in Da Nang:
$4.05
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Alba Thanh Tan Hot Springs Ticket in Hue City:
$4.19
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Traditional Singing Performance on Huong River Ticket in Hue:
$4.19
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Ngo Spa & Massage Experience in Ho Chi Minh City:
$4.39
-
SUP Experience in Perfume River (Huong River - Hue):
$4.39
Tours and Activities in Da Nang
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Da Nang are as follows:
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An Spa Experience in Da Nang:
$13
-
Aroma Spa Foot & Body Massage Experience in Ho Chi Minh City:
$9.79
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Belle Maison Parosand Spa Experience in Da Nang:
$5.75
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Coconut Spa Experience in Ho Chi Minh:
$5.05
-
Datanla New Alpine Coaster Experience in Da Lat:
$6.95
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Hai Van Pass and Lang Co Beach Private Sidecar Tour from Hoi An:
$163
-
Hoi An Countryside Private Sidecar Tour (1 or 2 Hours):
$50
-
Hue City Tour from Da Nang:
$35
-
Laguna Luxury Private Sidecar Tour from Hoi An:
$185
-
Lasenta Spa Experience in Ho Chi Minh City:
$2.39
-
Linda Spa Experience in Da Nang:
$5.49
-
Mam Gao Spa Experience in Ho Chi Minh:
$15
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Sapa, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $7.17.
The average person spends about $8.24 on alcoholic beverages in Da Nang per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typical Alcohol prices in Sapa
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Sapa are as follows:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sapa and Da Nang, we can see that Da Nang is more expensive. And not only is Sapa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Sapa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sapa and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Da Nang would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Da Nang than you might in Sapa.
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