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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Hanoi costs about 20% more than Chongqing, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ₫51.4K

$2.73 ¥18.66

-28.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.46 ₫694.4K

$21.15 ¥145

25.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₫123.4K

$4.98 ¥34.09

-5.62%

Cappuccino

$1.85 ₫48.6K

$2.38 ¥16.25

-22.27%

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

$0.48 ₫12.7K

$0.44 ¥3.00

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₫6,529

$0.29 ¥1.98

-13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ₫24.5K

$0.95 ¥6.50

-2.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₫51.1K

$2.13 ¥14.57

-8.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 ₫36.0K

$1.78 ¥12.16

-23.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ₫25.9K

$1.25 ¥8.52

-20.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 ₫22.2K

$0.73 ¥4.96

15.07%

Eggs

$1.51 ₫39.7K

$1.86 ¥12.70

-18.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.14 ₫240.0K

$15.87 ¥109

-42.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 ₫98.2K

$2.51 ¥17.14

49.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 ₫249.4K

$10.37 ¥70.9

-8.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 ₫88.4K

$1.48 ¥10.11

127.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 ₫26.9K

$1.31 ¥8.94

-22.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₫42.5K

$1.07 ¥7.34

51.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ₫29.6K

$1.13 ¥7.75

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 ₫26.7K

$0.65 ¥4.44

56.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ₫26.4K

$0.90 ¥6.12

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ₫14.7K

$0.54 ¥3.67

3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₫14.1K

$0.63 ¥4.31

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.37 ₫36.0K

$3.15 ¥21.57

-56.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.27 ₫374.4K

$8.89 ¥60.8

60.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ₫25.5K

$0.96 ¥6.56

1.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₫45.6K

$1.98 ¥13.55

-12.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₫8,903

$0.27 ¥1.84

25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.82 ₫205.2K

$25.11 ¥172

-68.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₫19.4K

$1.41 ¥9.61

-47.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₫15.0K

$0.30 ¥2.03

90.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 ₫43.7K

$2.71 ¥18.54

-38.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 ₫23.4K

$1.11 ¥7.59

-19.82%

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

$38.4K ₫1.0B

$18.3K ¥125.4K

109.29%

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

$32.3K ₫848.6M

$16.3K ¥111.5K

98.30%

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

$80.8 ₫2.1M

$35.98 ¥246

124.54%

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

$5.27 ₫138.2K

$6.04 ¥41.33

-12.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.50 ₫223.0K

$8.45 ¥57.8

0.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.54 ₫749.0K

$21.73 ¥149

31.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.14 ₫292.4K

$15.95 ¥109

-30.16%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 ₫102.1K

$5.46 ¥37.31

-28.75%

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

$262 ₫6.9M

$331 ¥2,264

-20.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K ₫307.0M

$27.4K ¥187.5K

-57.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.22 ₫1.2M

$29.34 ¥201

54.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.02 ₫604.2K

$28.75 ¥197

-19.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 ₫2.4M

$58.5 ¥400

53.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ₫1.9M

$60.0 ¥410

19.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 ₫8.7M

$266 ¥1,818

24.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 ₫6.6M

$158 ¥1,083

58.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₫20.4M

$582 ¥3,979

33.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 ₫15.8M

$324 ¥2,214

86.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,338 ₫113.9M

$2,569 ¥17.6K

68.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₫64.3M

$1,657 ¥11.3K

47.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ₫13.2M

$1,041 ¥7,123

-51.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

3.74

143.32%

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

Last update for Hanoi: April 19, 2026

Last update for Chongqing: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $330 in Hanoi versus $266 in Chongqing. 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 $26 in Hanoi versus $21 in Chongqing. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Hanoi vs $197 in Chongqing – 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

Hanoi vs Chongqing: 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 $1,137 per month in Hanoi and $951 in Chongqing. 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 $262 per month in Hanoi and $331 in Chongqing. 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 $758 in Hanoi and $634 in Chongqing, 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.