Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanoi and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Hanoi: $805 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Hanoi
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Hanoi Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index

Jump to prices

Hanoi

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$805

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hanoi and in Cebu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hanoi and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $805 in Hanoi versus $934 in Cebu.

Hanoi $805
Cebu $934

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,254 in Hanoi versus $1,415 in Cebu.

Hanoi $1,254
Cebu $1,415

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,704 in Hanoi versus $1,896 in Cebu.

Hanoi $1,704
Cebu $1,896

Living in Hanoi costs roughly 14% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hanoi 40% lower, Cebu 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 ₫54.0K

$3.03 ₱191

-31.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.19 ₫600.5K

$23.48 ₱1,476

-1.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.49 ₫116.3K

$4.09 ₱257

9.78%

Cappuccino

$1.87 ₫48.3K

$2.52 ₱158

-25.79%

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

$0.47 ₫12.3K

$1.54 ₱97.2

-69.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₫7,658

$0.49 ₱31.06

-38.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ₫28.4K

$1.79 ₱113

-38.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₫50.3K

$2.26 ₱142

-14.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ₫38.3K

$1.95 ₱122

-24.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 ₫28.4K

$1.43 ₱89.9

-23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 ₫19.4K

$1.02 ₱64.0

-26.47%

Eggs

$1.50 ₫38.9K

$2.06 ₱129

-27.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.36 ₫268.1K

$9.81 ₱617

5.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 ₫98.2K

$4.61 ₱290

-17.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.91 ₫256.4K

$7.70 ₱484

28.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 ₫87.2K

$3.31 ₱208

1.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ₫26.8K

$1.45 ₱91.2

-28.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ₫33.9K

$2.36 ₱148

-44.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ₫29.5K

$1.54 ₱96.6

-25.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 ₫25.5K

$2.36 ₱148

-58.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 ₫28.1K

$1.99 ₱125

-45.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ₫14.8K

$1.15 ₱72.3

-50.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₫14.1K

$0.67 ₱42.26

-17.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.44 ₫37.2K

$3.00 ₱189

-52.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.74 ₫329.9K

$6.35 ₱399

100.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₫23.1K

$1.31 ₱82.1

-32.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₫44.6K

$1.73 ₱109

-0.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₫10.2K

$0.25 ₱15.82

56.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.43 ₫244.2K

$12.65 ₱796

-25.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₫19.2K

$0.74 ₱46.44

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₫15.7K

$0.21 ₱13.15

190.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 ₫59.3K

$4.33 ₱272

-47.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ₫23.3K

$1.33 ₱83.7

-32.33%

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

$31.2K ₫808.2M

$21.8K ₱1.4M

43.43%

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

$29.9K ₫772.9M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

53.90%

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

$86.3 ₫2.2M

$121 ₱7,583

-28.44%

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

$5.30 ₫137.3K

$14.45 ₱909

-63.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.95 ₫231.7K

$28.29 ₱1,779

-68.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.82 ₫642.6K

$32.68 ₱2,055

-24.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.62 ₫249.1K

$6.39 ₱402

50.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 ₫110.7K

$5.46 ₱343

-21.61%

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

$755 ₫19.6M

$273 ₱17.2K

176.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.7K ₫716.4M

$8,156 ₱512.9K

239.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.39 ₫1.3M

$49.57 ₱3,117

-2.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.60 ₫688.6K

$24.87 ₱1,564

6.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.3 ₫2.2M

$76.6 ₱4,817

10.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.3 ₫2.0M

$59.3 ₱3,727

30.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$414 ₫10.7M

$506 ₱31.8K

-18.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 ₫7.2M

$309 ₱19.5K

-10.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 ₫22.6M

$1,052 ₱66.1K

-16.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 ₫13.9M

$619 ₱38.9K

-13.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,285 ₫136.8M

$2,915 ₱183.4K

81.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,798 ₫72.4M

$1,867 ₱117.4K

49.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$518 ₫13.4M

$341 ₱21.5K

51.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.28

7.2

15.00%

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

Last update for Hanoi: October 6, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Hanoi

$278 35%

Cebu

$309 33.5% 11.4% $32

Groceries & Markets

Hanoi

$196 24.7%

Cebu

$210 22.7% 7.4% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Hanoi

$106 13.4%

Cebu

$95 10.2% 11.1% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hanoi

$101 12.7%

Cebu

$163 17.7% 62.4% $63

Eating Out

Hanoi

$65 8.2%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 35.9% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Hanoi

$33 4.2%

Cebu

$44 4.7% 30.6% $10

Getting Around

Hanoi

$15 1.9%

Cebu

$15 1.7% 4.5% $0.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $414 in Hanoi and $506 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hanoi pays 52% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Hanoi vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $210 per month, with Hanoi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Hanoi

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

08:04 8:04 AM

09:04 9:04 AM

1 h ahead of Hanoi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,587,100 Capital

964,169

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Dong (₫)

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,037 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.54 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Hanoi Cebu 2,270 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Hanoi
Cebu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hanoi is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 52% higher in Hanoi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $414 in Hanoi versus $506 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $805 per month in Hanoi versus $934 in Cebu – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Hanoi runs roughly 34% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Hanoi gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Hanoi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cebu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Hanoi and Cebu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Hanoi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.