Best Place to Exchange Money in Ho Chi Minh City

Where to change money in Ho Chi Minh City

In District 1, around Ben Thanh Market, banks are the dependable place to swap notes; take your passport. Jewellers and street changers display rates, yet a gold shop may legally exchange currency only once registered as a bank's agent by the State Bank. Viet Nam News and VnExpress report that, under Decree 340/2025 (effective 9 February 2026), using an unauthorised outlet risks a warning under USD 1,000 and a fine of VND 10 million to 20 million from USD 1,000 to below USD 10,000.

• Bank branches, District 1 - Passport required. Expect daytime weekday opening with a pause at midday; some big branches also open on Saturday mornings. None is named, since no branch had two sources.
• Tan Son Nhat Airport, international arrivals - Vietnam Tourism says the country's international airports have exchange counters before the exit gates. Use one for a first small amount only.

Changing money at the airport

At Tan Son Nhat (SGN) the tourist board places currency counters ahead of the exit gates and cash machines outside the entrances. Domestic flights use the new Terminal 3 (April 2025), with free shuttles between T1, T2 and T3 about every 20 minutes (VnExpress).

Bus 109 runs to District 1 and stops near T3. Its fare was quoted at VND 15,000 to 20,000, but 134 city routes have been free from 1 July to the end of 2026. VnExpress lists the airport routes 109 and 152 among them; Viet Nam News says airport connectors are excluded. Since 1 October riders must identify themselves, for example with a bank card, so carry small notes in case. Vinasun and Mai Linh taxis cost about VND 120,000 to 180,000 plus a VND 10,000 toll (tourist board); Grab quotes about VND 120,000 to 200,000, fixed before booking, with pick-up at the international arrivals car park.

ATMs and cards in Ho Chi Minh City

Limits vary by owner: roughly VND 2 million a go from local banks and between VND 5 million and 10 million from international banks' machines (tourist board and Wise). Wise says machine operators often add a charge for foreign cards, and your own bank may take its cut as well. If a screen offers pounds, refuse and withdraw in dong; the machine sets that rate and it usually costs more.

Central hotels, restaurants, spas and shops generally accept international cards, though street stalls and small buys stay cash-based. Ordinary VietQR codes generally cannot be paid from foreign banking apps, says Wise; a UK Wise customer can instead scan codes bearing the Alipay+ mark, and VNPAY lets visitors register with a passport and attach a Visa, Mastercard or JCB. Grab accepts a saved foreign card or its Moca wallet.

Paying for transport in Ho Chi Minh City

Metro Line 1 opened on 22 December 2024 and runs about 20 km from Ben Thanh in District 1 to Suoi Tien in Thu Duc, 5am to 10pm, every 8 to 12 minutes (VnExpress). Single fares were VND 6,000 to 20,000 in September 2025. Tap an e-wallet or contactless bank card at the gate, buy a QR ticket in the HURC app or MoMo, or use a vending machine, which takes cash but issues a reloadable card or QR code, not a paper slip. Mastercard came first; Visa, JCB, American Express, UnionPay and Napas followed in January 2025.

For other trips use Grab or a metered taxi; VnExpress notes overcharging reports in the city, so around Ben Thanh agree fares first or book in an app.

Good to know

• Arriving with more than VND 15 million or USD 5,000, all currencies counted together? The FCDO says declare it; leaving with more needs papers from an authorised bank or the State Bank.
• Tips are optional; Vietnam Tourism says they are increasingly usual for private guides and in salons, and welcome rather than expected in cafes.
• No coins circulate, and the 20,000 and 500,000 notes share a similar blue: read the number each time.
• UK visitors get 45 days visa-free (FCDO); an e-visa, applied for on the official portal, allows up to 90 days and several entries. Six months' passport validity is needed.