USD → VND
Cheapest way to send money to Vietnam
Vietnam is a large remittance market. There are a lot of providers to choose from. The USD-VND pair has some tight spreads. Sometimes less than 1%. You can send money here with low fees.
The most common way to send money to Vietnam is directly to a Vietnamese bank account. You can also send to mobile wallets, such as MoMo, ZaloPay, and VNPay. Cash pickup is also available. In Vietnam, you can even send cash to be delivered straight to someone’s door.
It is possible for foreigners to open bank accounts in Vietnam. Generally, you need a long-term residency visa or work visa. It may be possible for tourists to open bank accounts at some banks. These accounts will come with restrictions for deposits.
For tourists, the most convenient way to access your money is by withdrawing from an ATM. ATM fees are fairly reasonable in Vietnam. The withdrawal limits can be pretty low so you’ll have to make more transactions. Spending with a zero-fee travel credit card is the cheapest way to spend but credit cards aren’t accepted everywhere. You will need to carry cash.
When I travel to Vietnam, I always withdraw cash through an ATM. I also carry some USD to exchange, just in case. There is a higher markup on exchanging cash but the spreads are pretty tight for USD. Oftentimes around 2%.
Checked . Fee figures are typical estimates, not live quotes. Change them in the calculator if you know your exact fees.
01
The transfer
How much, and which two currencies.
Not in the list? Choose “Enter my own…” and type the 3-letter code (GEL, VND, COP…).
02
How the money moves
Sending to someone else and spending your own money there are different questions. Pick one from the matching group.
To someone else
Your own money there
Loading live rate…
After fees · Wise
1 USD = 25,927 VND
Mid-market is 26,110.
Adjust feesThese are typical estimates, not official numbers from the company›
Sending $1,000 to someone in Vietnam
Money leaves you and arrives with them in Vietnamese dong. Sorted cheapest first. “Cost” is the fee plus whatever the rate is worse than mid-market, which is the part most comparisons leave out.
| Method | Cost | They receive |
|---|---|---|
| SendwavecheapestSendwave charges a low flat fee of $0.99 to send money to Vietnamese bank accounts. They also charge a low markup of 0.2%-0.5% on the exchange rate. You have to fund your transfer with a debit card. You can only send from a debit card to a Vietnamese bank account with Sendwave. | $5.990.6% | 25,953,730VND |
| WiseWise allows you to send money to Vietnamese bank accounts. They charge a small flat fee that is usually less than $2.00 and a variable percentage fee that is usually around 0.23%-0.5%. The cheapest option is a direct bank transfer (ACH) or sending from a Wise account balance. Debit cards and credit cards have higher processing fees. There is also a charge to fund your Wise account. You can also use your Wise card to withdraw cash from Vietnamese ATMs and to make purchases in Vietnam. | $7.000.7% | 25,927,230VND |
| Taptap SendTapTapSend is often one of the best options for sending money to Vietnam. They have a low markup of around 0.7%-1.0%. They also have no flat fee, unless you choose the Sacombank home-delivery option. In that case, a $0.99 flat fee is applied. If you're sending money to a bank account or mobile wallet, there is no flat fee. TapTapSend only accepts debit cards to fund transfers. You can only transfer through their mobile app. | $10.001.0% | 25,848,900VND |
| RevolutRevolut works for sending money to Vietnamese bank accounts. They use the mid-market rate. Revolut uses a subscription model. They offer a fee-free allowance on all plans then charge a percentage fee after you go over the monthly allowance. The allowance depends on your plan. On the standard plan, it's $1,000 per month then you pay a 1% fee. Revolut also charges an additional 1% fee on all transfers during weekends so it's best to only use this service during the week to avoid the extra fee. There is also a flat fee that is capped at around $3-$5, depending on your plan and the currency you're sending. There is also a fee for moving funds to your Revolut account from your debit card or bank account. | $15.001.5% | 25,718,350VND |
| Western UnionWestern Union offers digital transfers as well as physical cash transfers. The fees vary widely depending on the service you use. Generally, Western Union is one of the more expensive options but they are extremely reliable. Western Union charges a hidden markup of 1.0%-2.5% on the exchange rate. That's how they make their money. They also charge a flat fee. For bank transfers, it's usually $0.99. For debit card transfers, it's usually $1.99. Western Union can send money to Vietnamese bank accounts and mobile wallets. They also offer cash pickup. This is nice if your recipient doesn't have a bank account. They also offer cash-to-cash service. Western Union is the best option for an emergency situation where you need cash fast. | $21.952.2% | 25,536,880VND |
| WorldRemitWorldRemit charges a flat fee of around $0.00-$1.99 if you're sending money from your bank account to a Vietnamese bank account. They also charge an exchange rate markup of 1%-3%. You can send to Vietnamese bank accounts and mobile wallets. They also offer cash pickup. They charge $2.99-$4.99 for this service. For cash delivery, they charge a $9.99 fee. | $21.962.2% | 25,536,624VND |
| RiaRia charges a flat fee of around $0.00-$7 for each transfer to Vietnam. The fee depends on where the money is coming from. The fee is around $3 for sending from a bank account. They also charge an exchange rate markup of 1%-2.5% depending on how you send money. You can send to Vietnamese bank accounts and mobile wallets. They also offer cash pickup. | $22.942.3% | 25,511,037VND |
| RemitlyRemitly charges a flat fee of $1.99-$4.99 to send money to Vietnam from a bank account. They also charge a markup of 0.5%-3% on each transfer. The markup and flat fee depend on how fast you need the money to arrive. There is an economy rate with a lower markup and lower flat fee but money takes 3-5 days to arrive. There is an express rate with a higher markup and higher flat fee but money arrives in minutes. | $24.892.5% | 25,460,117VND |
| XoomXoom has a flat fee of $0.00-$4.99 to send money to a Vietnamese bank account or mobile wallet from a bank account or debit card. They also charge a markup of 1.5%-3.5% on the exchange rate. Xoom is one of the more expensive options. One unique feature of Xoom is that they offer cash delivery service in Vietnam. They can deliver right to the recipient's door. | $29.873.0% | 25,330,218VND |
| PayPalPayPal is one of the most expensive ways to send money to Vietnam. They charge a 5% transfer fee with a maximum of $4.99. They also have a markup of up to 3%-4% on the exchange rate. This is one of the highest markups. There is an additional fee of around 2.9% if you send from a credit card or debit card instead of your PayPal balance. | $39.824.0% | 25,070,421VND |
| Bank wireA flat wire fee of around $60, plus a markup of roughly 2%-4% on the exchange rate. For this reason, a bank wire transfer to Vietnam only makes sense for large transactions. | $88.208.8% | 23,807,098VND |
On $1,000, Sendwave costs about $5.99 and Bank wire about $88.20. That's a difference of $82.21 for the same money, or $987 over a year if you move this much every month.
Spending your own money in Vietnam
For when you are traveling there and the money is already yours. Costs are per $1,000 converted. Remember that some cards and ATMs charge you for every transaction rather than once.
| Method | Cost | You get |
|---|---|---|
| ATM withdrawalcheapestATMs in Vietnam often charge a flat withdrawal fee. The average fee is 22,000-60,000 VND ($0.85-$2.40). There is often a maximum withdrawal of 2,000,000-10,000,000 dong or around $76-$385. This means you'll have to make at least 3 transactions to withdraw $1,000. This could cost around $7.50 or more in fees. VPBank is the cheapest ATM in Vietnam. Generally, it is free for foreign card withdrawals. Agribank and VIB also have lower fees. Avoid TPBank and BIDV. They are usually the most expensive. Your card may also charge a currency conversion fee on top of the ATM fees. This is usually 1%-3%. Some banks offer zero conversion fees. If the ATM asks if you want to accept their exchange rate, always say no. They will give you a worse rate than your bank. | $17.501.8% | 25,653,075VND |
| CashThe average spread when exchanging USD to Vietnamese dong at a large bank or forex bureau is 2%-5%. Some gold and jewelry shops offer better rates. Some banks also have decent rates, like Vietcombank. Generally, the airport is the most expensive place to exchange cash. It's best to only exchange cash as a backup option. You can get better rates elsewhere. | $30.003.0% | 25,326,700VND |
| Card spendThe average spread when paying in Vietnamese dong with a zero-fee travel credit card is under 0.5%. With a regular credit card, there may be foreign transaction fees of 1%-3% on top of that spread. Credit cards are accepted in larger hotels, higher-end restaurants, and large stores in Vietnam but you need to carry cash because cards aren't accepted everywhere. | $34.853.5% | 25,200,067VND |
On $1,000, ATM withdrawal costs about $17.50 and Card spend about $34.85. That's a difference of $17.35 for the same money, or $208 over a year if you move this much every month.
Figures use a rate of about 26,110 VND to 1 USD; the calculator above uses the live rate.
How the money arrives in Vietnam
Most common first. Which of these your recipient can actually use usually matters more than a fraction of a percent in fees.
- 1Bank transfer to Vietnamese account
- 2Cash pickup
- 3Mobile E-wallet (MoMo, ZaloPay, VNPay)
Living in Vietnam, not just sending money there
A transfer is one number. These work out a whole month, including what the transfers cost you over a year.
- Cost of living in Ho Chi Minh City$1,829/mo