Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanoi and Bac Ninh Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanoi and Bac Ninh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $805 per month in Hanoi vs $464 in Bac Ninh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,235 per month in Hanoi vs $734 in Bac Ninh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,664 per month in Hanoi vs $1,005 in Bac Ninh, rent included.

Hanoi costs about 74% more than Bac Ninh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hanoi and Bac Ninh are more affordable than the global median – Hanoi 40% lower, Bac Ninh 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ₫51.0K

$1.13 ₫29.3K

73.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.11 ₫548.3K

$21.30 ₫553.2K

-0.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.29 ₫111.4K

$2.60 ₫67.4K

65.00%

Cappuccino

$1.82 ₫47.4K

$1.12 ₫29.0K

62.50%

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

$0.46 ₫11.8K

$0.26 ₫6,729

76.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,240

$0.20 ₫5,324

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 ₫29.1K

$0.71 ₫18.6K

57.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₫50.2K

$0.93 ₫24.3K

107.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ₫39.7K

$1.47 ₫38.2K

4.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 ₫27.8K

$1.10 ₫28.5K

-2.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 ₫20.6K

$0.75 ₫19.5K

5.33%

Eggs

$1.44 ₫37.5K

$1.50 ₫38.9K

-4.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.26 ₫266.5K

$10.48 ₫272.1K

-2.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.76 ₫97.6K

$3.74 ₫97.2K

0.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 ₫250.1K

$10.10 ₫262.2K

-4.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 ₫80.2K

$3.18 ₫82.6K

-2.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ₫28.4K

$1.06 ₫27.4K

2.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 ₫36.3K

$1.33 ₫34.6K

5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 ₫28.8K

$1.14 ₫29.6K

-2.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 ₫25.3K

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ₫28.3K

$1.13 ₫29.3K

-3.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ₫15.1K

$0.55 ₫14.3K

5.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.3K

$0.55 ₫14.3K

-7.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.43 ₫37.1K

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 ₫330.0K

$12.64 ₫328.4K

0.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₫23.0K

$0.93 ₫24.2K

-4.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₫41.8K

$1.67 ₫43.5K

-3.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₫10.3K

$0.36 ₫9,395

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.43 ₫245.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₫19.5K

$0.76 ₫19.7K

-1.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 ₫15.3K

$0.59 ₫15.4K

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 ₫60.4K

$2.28 ₫59.1K

2.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 ₫22.0K

$0.89 ₫23.1K

-4.49%

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

$30.5K ₫792.4M

$31.0K ₫803.9M

-1.43%

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

$31.2K ₫810.0M

$31.0K ₫804.0M

0.75%

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

$81.8 ₫2.1M

$84.6 ₫2.2M

-3.31%

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

$5.04 ₫130.9K

$5.04 ₫131.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.73 ₫226.6K

$7.08 ₫183.9K

23.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.42 ₫608.3K

$11.65 ₫302.6K

101.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.29 ₫241.3K

$7.89 ₫204.9K

17.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 ₫113.0K

$3.14 ₫81.5K

38.54%

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

$723 ₫18.8M

$685 ₫17.8M

5.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.5K ₫714.4M

$12.3K ₫319.3M

123.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.87 ₫1.2M

$47.47 ₫1.2M

-1.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.51 ₫662.6K

$25.67 ₫666.6K

-0.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 ₫2.2M

$83.2 ₫2.2M

0.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 ₫2.1M

$82.1 ₫2.1M

-2.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 ₫10.4M

$698 ₫18.1M

-42.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 ₫7.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 ₫22.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$547 ₫14.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,521 ₫117.4M

$1,660 ₫43.1M

172.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,845 ₫73.9M

$761 ₫19.8M

274.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ₫13.0M

$372 ₫9.7M

34.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.45

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

Last update for Hanoi: September 21, 2026

Last update for Bac Ninh: September 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $399 in Hanoi versus $698 in Bac Ninh. 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 35% higher in Hanoi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Hanoi versus $21.00 in Bac Ninh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $196 – making Hanoi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Hanoi vs Bac Ninh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hanoi costs about 74% more than Bac Ninh, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,208 per month in Hanoi and $695 in Bac Ninh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Hanoi and $21.00 in Bac Ninh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Hanoi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bac Ninh, where all-in costs run around $464, than in Hanoi at $805. In Bac Ninh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hanoi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bac Ninh costs $464 versus $805 in Hanoi. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Bac Ninh. 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.