Saigon is one of the few major Asian cities where eating on $5 a day is not a punishment. It means eating three meals, drinking two coffees, and possibly still having change, all without touching a single tourist restaurant or lowering your standards. The cheap food in Saigon is also, in many cases, the best food in Saigon — because it’s made by specialists who have spent decades perfecting one dish.

The $5 day breakdown (2026 prices)

Breakfast: Bánh mì from a street cart (25,000–35,000 VND) + cà phê sữa đá from a plastic-stool café (20,000–25,000 VND) = roughly 55,000 VND (~$2.20)

Lunch: Bowl of phở (45,000–55,000 VND) or cơm tấm (50,000–65,000 VND) = roughly 55,000 VND (~$2.20)

Dinner: A plate of rice with two toppings from a cơm bình dân stall (35,000–50,000 VND) + a glass of bia hơi (15,000 VND) = roughly 55,000 VND (~$2.20)

Total: Approximately 165,000 VND — around $6.60 USD. Under $5 is possible if you skip the beer or drink tap water (safe at restaurants, served free).

Cơm bình dân — the budget meal format

Cơm bình dân (literally “ordinary people’s rice” or “everyday rice”) is the budget meal format that feeds the majority of Saigon’s working population. It’s a display of pre-cooked dishes — typically 10–20 different items ranging from stir-fried vegetables to braised pork belly to fried tofu to stuffed bitter melon — and you point at two or three to go with your rice. The whole plate, including rice, costs 35,000–60,000 VND. It changes daily. It’s almost always good.

Look for shops with glass display cases showing dishes in aluminium trays, usually near markets, schools, or office buildings, open 10am–2pm and sometimes again 5pm–8pm.

The streets where cheap eating happens

The cheapest, best street food is not on the tourist streets of District 1 — it’s in the areas around wet markets (chợ) in Districts 3, 4, 8, Binh Thanh, and Phu Nhuan. Every market has a food court inside or adjacent to it where local workers eat breakfast and lunch. These are consistently the best-value meals in the city.

Markets worth visiting for food: Chợ Bà Chiểu (Binh Thanh), Chợ Phạm Văn Hai (Tan Binh), Chợ Nguyễn Tri Phương (District 10), Chợ Xóm Chiếu (District 4).

What to avoid when budget eating

Street food around the tourist landmarks (War Remnants Museum, Ben Thanh Market, Notre Dame Cathedral) is often double or triple the neighbourhood price for the same dish. Move two blocks in any direction and prices drop significantly. The food on Bui Vien (the backpacker street) is overpriced relative to quality. A bánh mì near Bui Vien costs 40,000–50,000 VND; the identical sandwich two streets away costs 20,000–25,000 VND.