Cost of Living Comparison Between Chongqing and Hanoi Cost of Living Comparison Between Chongqing and Hanoi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $634 per month in Chongqing vs $758 in Hanoi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,031 per month in Chongqing vs $1,233 in Hanoi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,429 per month in Chongqing vs $1,708 in Hanoi, rent included.

Chongqing is about 16% cheaper than Hanoi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chongqing and Hanoi are more affordable than the global median – Chongqing 53% lower, Hanoi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 ¥18.66

$1.96 ₫51.4K

39.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.15 ¥145

$26.46 ₫694.4K

-20.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥34.09

$4.70 ₫123.4K

5.96%

Cappuccino

$2.38 ¥16.25

$1.85 ₫48.6K

28.65%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ¥3.00

$0.48 ₫12.7K

-8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.25 ₫6,529

16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.95 ¥6.50

$0.93 ₫24.5K

2.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.57

$1.95 ₫51.1K

9.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 ¥12.16

$1.37 ₫36.0K

29.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ¥8.52

$0.99 ₫25.9K

26.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.96

$0.84 ₫22.2K

-13.10%

Eggs

$1.86 ¥12.70

$1.51 ₫39.7K

23.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.87 ¥109

$9.14 ₫240.0K

73.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.51 ¥17.14

$3.74 ₫98.2K

-32.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.37 ¥70.9

$9.50 ₫249.4K

9.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 ¥10.11

$3.37 ₫88.4K

-56.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.94

$1.02 ₫26.9K

28.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 ¥7.34

$1.62 ₫42.5K

-33.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.75

$1.13 ₫29.6K

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ¥4.44

$1.02 ₫26.7K

-36.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.12

$1.00 ₫26.4K

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.56 ₫14.7K

-3.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ¥4.31

$0.54 ₫14.1K

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 ¥21.57

$1.37 ₫36.0K

129.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.89 ¥60.8

$14.27 ₫374.4K

-37.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ¥6.56

$0.97 ₫25.5K

-1.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ¥13.55

$1.74 ₫45.6K

13.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.84

$0.34 ₫8,903

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.11 ¥172

$7.82 ₫205.2K

221.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ¥9.61

$0.74 ₫19.4K

90.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ¥2.03

$0.57 ₫15.0K

-47.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 ¥18.54

$1.67 ₫43.7K

62.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ¥7.59

$0.89 ₫23.4K

24.72%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.3K ¥125.4K

$38.4K ₫1.0B

-52.22%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$16.3K ¥111.5K

$32.3K ₫848.6M

-49.57%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$35.98 ¥246

$80.8 ₫2.1M

-55.46%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$6.04 ¥41.33

$5.27 ₫138.2K

14.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.45 ¥57.8

$8.50 ₫223.0K

-0.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.73 ¥149

$28.54 ₫749.0K

-23.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.95 ¥109

$11.14 ₫292.4K

43.18%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ¥37.31

$3.89 ₫102.1K

40.36%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$331 ¥2,264

$262 ₫6.9M

26.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.4K ¥187.5K

$11.7K ₫307.0M

134.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.34 ¥201

$45.22 ₫1.2M

-35.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.75 ¥197

$23.02 ₫604.2K

24.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.5 ¥400

$89.9 ₫2.4M

-34.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.0 ¥410

$71.8 ₫1.9M

-16.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 ¥1,818

$330 ₫8.7M

-19.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 ¥1,083

$250 ₫6.6M

-36.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 ¥3,979

$776 ₫20.4M

-25.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ¥2,214

$602 ₫15.8M

-46.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,569 ¥17.6K

$4,338 ₫113.9M

-40.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,657 ¥11.3K

$2,449 ₫64.3M

-32.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,041 ¥7,123

$501 ₫13.2M

107.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.74

9.1

-58.90%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chongqing: April 21, 2026

Last update for Hanoi: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $266 in Chongqing versus $330 in Hanoi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 108% higher in Chongqing, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21 in Chongqing versus $26 in Hanoi. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Chongqing vs $193 in Hanoi – so Hanoi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chongqing vs Hanoi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hanoi is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $951 per month in Chongqing and $1,137 in Hanoi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chongqing, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $331 per month in Chongqing and $262 in Hanoi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Hanoi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $634 in Chongqing and $758 in Hanoi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chongqing – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chongqing. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hanoi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.