Short answer: on the same dates, with the same hotel class and a similar 6-night plan, Vietnam is cheaper from Ahmedabad, usually by about ₹10,000–20,000 per person. The two reasons are the non-stop Vietnam Airlines flight from Ahmedabad to Hanoi and lower hotel and food prices on the ground. Thailand claws some of that back with free visa-free entry, cheaper short trips when a fare sale lands, and far more Gujarati and Jain restaurants. This guide puts real November 2026 numbers against each line, so you can see where the gap actually comes from and when Thailand still wins.
All figures below are indicative and vary by date, hotel and season. Exchange rates used: ₹1 ≈ 275 Vietnamese dong and 1 Thai baht ≈ ₹2.8 (as of November 2026).
Vietnam vs Thailand at a glance (6 nights, per person)
| Cost line | Vietnam (Hanoi · Ha Long · Da Nang/Hoi An) | Thailand (Bangkok · Pattaya · Phuket) |
|---|---|---|
| Return flight from Ahmedabad (Dec 2026 sample) | from ₹30,500–33,000 (non-stop to Hanoi) | from ₹42,700–56,000 (mostly one-stop) |
| Visa / entry | E-visa USD 25 (≈ ₹2,200) | ₹0 (visa-free 30 days + free TDAC form) |
| 4-star room per night (two sharing) | ₹5,000–9,000 | ₹7,800–16,800 |
| Food per day (mix of local and Indian) | ₹1,200–2,000 | ₹1,800–3,000 |
| Signature excursion | Ha Long overnight cruise ₹10,500–26,500 (meals included) | Phi Phi speedboat day ₹5,300–8,100 (with park fee) |
| Mid-range 6-night total, all in | ₹85,000–95,000 | ₹1,05,000–1,25,000 |
| Budget 6-night total (3-star), all in | ₹65,000–75,000 | ₹85,000–1,00,000 |
The totals assume December 2026 travel, two adults sharing, and the specific day plans given lower down. Swap December for a low-season month or catch an airline sale and both totals fall, Thailand's usually by more.
Flights from Ahmedabad: this is where Vietnam wins
Most comparisons you will read are written from Delhi or Mumbai, where Bangkok fares are cheap and plentiful. From Ahmedabad the picture is different. We checked live return fares on Kiwi.com on 5 November 2026 for 10–17 December 2026, two adults, one checked bag each:
- Ahmedabad–Hanoi non-stop on Vietnam Airlines (VN968 departs 22:45, lands 04:35; VN969 returns 17:35, lands 21:30): about ₹66,000 for two, roughly ₹33,000 per person. Flight time is about 4 h 20 m each way.
- Ahmedabad–Da Nang via Hanoi on Vietnam Airlines, same dates: about ₹61,000 for two, roughly ₹30,500 per person, because the connecting fare was priced lower than the point-to-point fare that week.
- Ahmedabad–Phu Quoc non-stop on Sun PhuQuoc Airways (9G314 departs 01:00, lands 07:15) also showed up, useful if you want a beach-only Vietnam trip.
- Ahmedabad–Bangkok: the cheapest return was about ₹85,000 for two (≈ ₹42,700 per person) and it routed through Hanoi. One-stop options via Delhi on Thai Airways were ₹1,01,000–1,07,000 for two, and the non-stop Thai Airways TG344 (00:55 to 06:40) paired with a one-stop return came to ₹1,12,700 for two (≈ ₹56,000 per person).
So on these December dates Vietnam saved ₹10,000–23,000 per person on flights alone. Two honest caveats. First, Bangkok fares from Ahmedabad swing a lot: IndiGo, Thai AirAsia and Thai Airways sales do appear on other dates and can bring Thailand close to Vietnam. Second, Thailand's non-stop is a red-eye that lands at dawn; Vietnam's non-stop lands at 04:35, so plan an early check-in or a day-use room either way. Check both routes for your exact dates before you decide, or ask us to do it.
Visa and entry: Thailand is free, Vietnam costs ₹2,200
Thailand (as of November 2026): Indian passport holders get visa-free entry for up to 30 days per visit for tourism, a rule that took effect on 15 September 2026 and replaced the earlier 60-day allowance. You must fill the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online within 72 hours before landing; ignore look-alike sites that charge for it. Carry proof of funds (the Indian Embassy in Bangkok advises about THB 20,000 per person), a return ticket and hotel bookings. The much-discussed 300-baht tourist entry fee has been postponed repeatedly and was not in force when we checked. Full details are in our Thailand visa guide for Indians.
Vietnam (as of November 2026): Indians need an e-visa before flying: USD 25 single entry (about ₹2,200) or USD 50 multiple entry, valid for stays up to 90 days, with official processing of about three working days. Apply 7–10 days ahead in peak season. Phu Quoc island allows 30 days without a visa, but only if you fly in and out of the island directly from abroad and never touch the mainland, and the Indian Embassy in Hanoi has advised Indians to take a visa even for island-only trips. Our Vietnam e-visa guide walks through the form. We help with the application but no agency can guarantee approval.
Net effect: Thailand saves ₹2,200 per person and a few days of paperwork. For a family of four that is ₹8,800, which is real money, but it is smaller than the flight gap.
Hotels: Vietnam is 30–50% cheaper for the same star rating
Indicative per-night rates for a double room with breakfast, November to April, outside the 20 December–5 January peak:
| Category | Hanoi / Da Nang / Hoi An | Bangkok / Pattaya / Phuket |
|---|---|---|
| 3-star | ₹2,500–5,000 | ₹3,400–8,400 |
| 4-star | ₹5,000–9,000 | ₹7,000–16,800 |
| 5-star / beach resort | ₹9,000–25,000 | ₹12,600–50,000 |
Two things move these numbers. Thai island hotels (Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui) can double between 20 December and early January, while Hanoi and Da Nang rise far less in the same weeks. And Vietnam's 4-star stock is newer: a 2020-built Da Nang beachfront 4-star at ₹7,000 a night often beats a tired Patong 4-star at ₹12,000. Hoi An boutique hotels with pools are the best-value category in either country.
Food: cheaper in Vietnam, easier in Thailand for veg and Jain
Street food is cheap in both. A bowl of pho or a banh mi in Vietnam is ₹100–250; a Thai street plate is ₹170–420. The difference for a Gujarati family is how easily you can eat your food every day.
Thailand has decades of Indian tourism behind it. Bangkok's Sukhumvit and Pahurat, Pattaya's Second Road and Phuket's Patong have dozens of Indian restaurants, several of them Gujarati-run, and most will cook without onion and garlic if told in advance. An Indian veg thali or two sabzis with rotis costs ₹700–1,250 per person, so a family eating Indian lunch and dinner should budget ₹1,800–3,000 per person per day.
Vietnam has fewer Indian kitchens, but the number has grown fast with Indian arrivals. Hanoi and Da Nang both have pure-vegetarian Indian restaurants (Hanoi has at least one that advertises Jain food; Da Nang has a Gujarati-named Indian restaurant listed on HappyCow as of November 2026), and Hoi An's old town has three or four Indian options. Prices run lower than Thailand, roughly ₹400–800 per person for a full veg meal, so a mixed day costs ₹1,200–2,000. Outside those three towns, and on the Ha Long cruise, you depend on the kitchen's willingness to cook separately. Watch for fish sauce (nuoc mam) in "vegetable" dishes and pork broth in noodle soups; say "an chay" (vegetarian) and, for Jain food, give the cruise or hotel a written note in advance.
Our practical rule: couples and young families who are happy with one local meal a day will find Vietnam both cheaper and more interesting. Senior groups and strict Jain families who want Gujarati food twice a day will find Thailand easier, and the food gap mostly disappears because they will eat Indian in both countries anyway. Our Jain food in Singapore guide explains how we brief hotels and cruises; the same method works in Hanoi and Bangkok.
Sightseeing and excursions: close, with one big exception
Vietnam (adult prices, as of November 2026): a Ha Long Bay day cruise from Hanoi is USD 65–120 (₹5,700–10,500); a 2-day/1-night overnight cruise is USD 120–300 (₹10,500–26,500) including meals, kayaking and cave visits, and this single line is the biggest discretionary cost of a Vietnam trip. Ba Na Hills with the Golden Bridge and cable car is VND 1,000,000 (≈ ₹3,600) per adult and VND 800,000 for children 100–140 cm. A Hoi An lantern-boat ride is a few hundred rupees; the Marble Mountains and My Son ruins are under ₹500 each. A Hanoi to Da Nang domestic flight booked 2–3 weeks out is USD 25–60 (₹2,200–5,300).
Thailand (adult prices, as of November 2026): Phi Phi speedboat day with lunch ₹4,200–7,000 plus a ₹1,100 park fee; James Bond Island ₹3,600–6,200 plus park fee; Safari World and Marine Park with lunch ₹3,100–4,500; Coral Island from Pattaya ₹1,700–2,800 plus water sports; Nong Nooch ₹1,700–2,800; Alcazar show ₹1,700–3,400; Grand Palace ₹1,400. A Bangkok–Phuket flight is usually ₹3,000–5,000.
If you skip the overnight cruise, Vietnam's sightseeing bill is clearly lower. If you take it, and you should because it is the reason most people go, the two countries end up within ₹2,000–4,000 per person of each other on excursions.
Local transport, SIM and the small stuff
Vietnam is cheaper on every line here. A Grab ride across Hanoi or Da Nang is VND 30,000–70,000 (₹110–255); an airport transfer into central Hanoi is USD 10–15 (₹900–1,300); a tourist eSIM with 10 GB is about USD 18. In Thailand a Grab is 150–400 baht (₹420–1,100), a private Bangkok airport transfer is ₹2,800–4,200, a private Bangkok–Pattaya car is ₹5,000–7,800, and a Phuket airport transfer is ₹2,200–3,400. Over a 6-night trip that is roughly ₹6,000 per person in Vietnam against ₹12,000–13,000 in Thailand, mainly because the classic Thai route involves more intercity transfers.
Sample 6-night budgets we used for the totals (mid-range, per person)
Vietnam, December 2026, 4-star: flight ₹33,000 · e-visa ₹2,200 · five hotel nights (two sharing) ₹17,500 · overnight Ha Long cruise ₹14,000 · food ₹8,500 (cruise meals included) · Ba Na Hills, Hanoi city tour, Hoi An ₹7,600 · domestic flight, transfers and Grab ₹6,500 · SIM and insurance ₹1,500. Total about ₹91,000.
Thailand, December 2026, 4-star: flight ₹45,000 · visa ₹0 · six hotel nights (two sharing; Bangkok 2, Pattaya 2, Phuket 2) ₹31,000 · food ₹14,000 · Safari World, Coral Island, Alcazar, Phi Phi with park fee, Grand Palace ₹16,000 · Bangkok–Phuket flight, private transfers and Grab ₹13,000 · SIM and insurance ₹1,500. Total about ₹1,20,000.
Drop Phuket and do Bangkok 3 nights plus Pattaya 3 nights with a sale fare of around ₹28,000 and Thailand comes down to roughly ₹85,000–95,000, level with Vietnam. That is the fair way to read the comparison: Vietnam is cheaper by default; Thailand can match it only if you shorten the route or time a fare sale.
Two 6-night plans from Ahmedabad
Vietnam (Hanoi 2N · Ha Long 1N · Da Nang/Hoi An 3N)
- Day 1: VN968 lands Hanoi 04:35; early check-in, rest, evening Hoan Kiem Lake and Old Quarter walk.
- Day 2: Hanoi city: Temple of Literature, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex, Train Street, water-puppet show.
- Day 3: Drive to Ha Long (2.5 h on the expressway); board the overnight cruise; kayaking and sunset on deck.
- Day 4: Cave visit and brunch on board; return to Hanoi; evening flight to Da Nang.
- Day 5: Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge (go at opening to beat crowds); evening Dragon Bridge.
- Day 6: Hoi An: ancient town, Japanese Bridge, lantern boat at dusk; tailor visit if you want.
- Day 7: Marble Mountains or beach morning; fly Da Nang–Hanoi–Ahmedabad, home by 21:30.
Thailand (Bangkok 2N · Pattaya 2N · Phuket 2N)
- Day 1: Red-eye lands Bangkok at dawn; Grand Palace and Wat Pho; Chao Phraya dinner cruise (veg buffet available).
- Day 2: Safari World and Marine Park; evening at Sukhumvit for a Gujarati dinner.
- Day 3: Private car to Pattaya (2 h); Coral Island speedboat day; Alcazar show.
- Day 4: Nong Nooch Garden or Sanctuary of Truth; Walking Street or a quiet beach evening.
- Day 5: Transfer to Bangkok airport, fly to Phuket; Patong or Karon sunset.
- Day 6: Phi Phi Islands speedboat day (tell the operator about veg lunch in advance).
- Day 7: Big Buddha and old Phuket town; fly home via Bangkok.
Families, seniors and honeymooners: the non-money differences
Families with children usually find Thailand easier: shorter transfers, more theme parks, pools everywhere and Indian food on every corner. Vietnam has Ba Na Hills, the Ha Long cruise and Hoi An's lantern evenings, which children love, but there is more walking and the food needs planning. Our Vietnam with kids guide covers the age-by-age details.
Senior parents do well in both if you book private transfers, but Thailand wins on comfort: fewer stairs, flatter walks, more wheelchair-friendly attractions and a Gujarati thali within reach. In Vietnam, pick the overnight cruise over the day cruise (less rushing), skip Train Street and take the cable car rather than any walking route at Ba Na.
Honeymooners get more for their money in Vietnam: a Hoi An pool villa and a balcony cabin on Ha Long cost what a mid-range Phuket resort costs. If you want nightlife and island-hopping, Thailand is the better fit; we compared the two for couples in Bali vs Thailand for honeymoon, and see our honeymoon packages for private itineraries.
Best months, and why that changes the answer
Thailand is at its best from November to February everywhere; the monsoon runs roughly July to October, and May–September hotel rates on the islands fall 25–40%. Vietnam is three climates: Hanoi and Ha Long are cool and dry from October to April (December can be misty on the bay, which is atmospheric rather than a problem); Da Nang and Hoi An are best from February to May and get their heaviest rain from September to December; Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc are dry from November to April. So a December trip that includes Da Nang carries some rain risk, which is the one argument for Thailand in Diwali-to-New-Year weeks. A February or March trip favours Vietnam on both weather and price.
Verdict: which is cheaper from Ahmedabad?
Vietnam is the cheaper country from Ahmedabad for a 6-night mid-range trip, by about ₹10,000–20,000 per person, and the saving comes from the non-stop Hanoi flight and lower hotel rates rather than from skimping. Choose it if you are a couple or a young family, want scenery over nightlife, and can manage one local meal a day. Choose Thailand if you are travelling with senior parents or a strict Jain group, want a short 4–5 night break, have found a fare sale, or are travelling in the September–December weeks when central Vietnam is wet. Either way, see our Vietnam tour packages from Ahmedabad and Thailand tour packages from Ahmedabad, and the line-by-line Thailand trip cost from Ahmedabad breakdown.
Frequently asked questions
Is Vietnam cheaper than Thailand for Indians?
On the ground, yes: hotels, food, taxis and most tickets cost less in Vietnam. From Ahmedabad specifically the flight is also cheaper because of the non-stop Vietnam Airlines service, so a like-for-like trip comes out ₹10,000–20,000 per person lower. From Delhi or Mumbai, where Bangkok fares are cheaper, the gap is smaller.
Which is better for a first international trip from Ahmedabad?
Thailand is simpler: no visa, more Indian food and a well-trodden route. Vietnam needs an e-visa and a little more planning but rewards you with lower costs and bigger scenery. Both are safe and easy with private transfers.
How much does a Vietnam trip cost from Ahmedabad for a couple?
For 6 nights in December 2026 at 4-star hotels with an overnight Ha Long cruise, budget about ₹1,70,000–1,90,000 for two, all in. A 3-star version with a day cruise is about ₹1,30,000–1,50,000. Prices vary by date.
Do Indians need a visa for Thailand in 2026?
No visa is needed for tourist stays of up to 30 days (as of November 2026, under the rule effective 15 September 2026), but you must complete the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card online within 72 hours before arrival and carry proof of funds and a return ticket. Rules change; we confirm them at the time of booking.
Is Jain food available in Vietnam?
Yes in Hanoi, Da Nang and Hoi An, where pure-vegetarian Indian restaurants exist and several cook Jain on request. It is thinner elsewhere, so we pre-arrange Jain meals with hotels and the Ha Long cruise kitchen in writing and suggest carrying thepla and khakhra for travel days.
Can we combine Vietnam and Thailand in one trip?
Yes. Hanoi–Bangkok is a two-hour flight, and a 9–10 night Hanoi, Ha Long, Bangkok and Pattaya combination is popular with Gujarat families. Note you still need the Vietnam e-visa, and Thailand's 30-day visa-free limit applies per entry.
Plan it with us
Call toll-free 1800-313-4262 or WhatsApp us with your travel month, number of travellers and nights, and the Vibrant Holidays team on C G Road will price the same itinerary for both countries so you can compare like for like. Every trip is private and customised, with pure-veg or Jain meals arranged on request, and we can add travel insurance and forex to the booking. Office: 2nd Floor, Ashish Complex, Above Liberty Showroom, Swastik Cross Roads, C G Road, Ahmedabad – 380009 · www.vibrant.holiday.
