Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanoi and Ha Long Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanoi and Ha Long

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $758 per month in Hanoi vs $730 in Ha Long, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,241 per month in Hanoi vs $1,125 in Ha Long, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,724 per month in Hanoi vs $1,521 in Ha Long, rent included.

Hanoi costs about 4% more than Ha Long, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Hanoi and Ha Long are more affordable than the global median – Hanoi 43% lower, Ha Long 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 ₫50.1K

$1.87 ₫49.2K

2.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.24 ₫716.1K

$21.32 ₫560.6K

27.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 ₫121.4K

$4.27 ₫112.4K

8.20%

Cappuccino

$1.79 ₫47.2K

$1.61 ₫42.2K

11.18%

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

$0.49 ₫12.8K

$0.47 ₫12.3K

4.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ₫7,105

$0.30 ₫7,980

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ₫24.4K

$0.99 ₫26.0K

-6.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₫51.1K

$1.56 ₫41.1K

24.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 ₫37.4K

$1.37 ₫35.9K

3.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₫25.9K

$0.92 ₫24.3K

6.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₫24.0K

$0.93 ₫24.5K

-2.15%

Eggs

$1.49 ₫39.1K

$1.41 ₫37.1K

5.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.94 ₫235.2K

$11.86 ₫311.9K

-24.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 ₫99.4K

$3.67 ₫96.4K

3.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 ₫249.4K

$9.62 ₫253.0K

-1.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ₫85.7K

$2.76 ₫72.5K

18.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ₫27.9K

$1.03 ₫27.0K

2.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ₫42.0K

$1.35 ₫35.6K

18.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 ₫28.5K

$1.08 ₫28.3K

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 ₫28.2K

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.7K

$1.00 ₫26.4K

5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ₫14.5K

$0.60 ₫15.7K

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₫14.9K

$0.49 ₫12.8K

16.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.38 ₫36.2K

$1.30 ₫34.2K

6.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.54 ₫355.9K

$10.92 ₫287.0K

23.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₫23.6K

$0.74 ₫19.4K

21.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₫46.2K

$1.64 ₫43.2K

7.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ₫8,777

$0.32 ₫8,327

3.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.56 ₫198.8K

$6.52 ₫171.3K

15.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₫21.2K

$0.76 ₫19.9K

6.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₫16.0K

$0.66 ₫17.3K

-7.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 ₫42.0K

$2.82 ₫74.3K

-43.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 ₫22.1K

$0.85 ₫22.4K

-1.18%

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

$38.6K ₫1.0B

$35.1K ₫922.2M

9.92%

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

$32.3K ₫848.0M

$31.7K ₫833.6M

1.73%

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

$78.8 ₫2.1M

$75.3 ₫2.0M

4.63%

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

$5.14 ₫135.2K

$5.71 ₫150.1K

-9.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.79 ₫231.1K

$8.65 ₫227.5K

1.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.49 ₫749.1K

$21.37 ₫561.8K

33.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.02 ₫289.7K

$7.88 ₫207.1K

39.85%

Cinema Ticket

$3.74 ₫98.5K

$3.02 ₫79.4K

23.84%

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

$269 ₫7.1M

$265 ₫7.0M

1.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K ₫300.7M

$11.9K ₫312.6M

-3.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.01 ₫1.2M

$41.53 ₫1.1M

8.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.24 ₫611.1K

$23.46 ₫616.9K

-0.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 ₫2.3M

$85.0 ₫2.2M

3.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ₫1.9M

$74.5 ₫2.0M

-1.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 ₫8.6M

$354 ₫9.3M

-7.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 ₫6.5M

$251 ₫6.6M

-1.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$771 ₫20.3M

$690 ₫18.1M

11.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$608 ₫16.0M

$459 ₫12.1M

32.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,891 ₫128.6M

$2,487 ₫65.4M

96.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,709 ₫71.2M

$1,272 ₫33.4M

113.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$516 ₫13.6M

$227 ₫6.0M

127.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

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

Last update for Hanoi: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ha Long: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $329 in Hanoi versus $354 in Ha Long. 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 127% 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 $27.00 in Hanoi versus $21.00 in Ha Long. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $188 – making Ha Long 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 Ha Long: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $758 in Hanoi, $730 in Ha Long – roughly 4% apart. Hanoi costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,137 per month in Hanoi and $1,095 in Ha Long. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 2% more in Hanoi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Hanoi and $21.00 in Ha Long. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $758 in Hanoi and $730 in Ha Long, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Hanoi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $730 in Ha Long to $758 in Hanoi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Ha Long. 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.