Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanoi and Hoi An Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanoi and Hoi An

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $758 in Hanoi versus $763 in Hoi An.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,241 in Hanoi versus $1,058 in Hoi An.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,724 in Hanoi versus $1,353 in Hoi An.

Living in Hanoi costs roughly 1% less than in Hoi An, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hanoi 43% lower, Hoi An 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 ₫50.1K

$1.51 ₫39.7K

26.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.24 ₫716.1K

$16.91 ₫444.5K

61.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 ₫121.4K

$3.84 ₫101.1K

20.31%

Cappuccino

$1.79 ₫47.2K

$1.53 ₫40.3K

16.99%

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

$0.49 ₫12.8K

$0.53 ₫14.0K

-7.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ₫7,105

$0.31 ₫8,266

-12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ₫24.4K

$0.95 ₫25.0K

-2.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₫51.1K

$1.36 ₫35.7K

42.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 ₫37.4K

$1.44 ₫37.7K

-1.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₫25.9K

$0.94 ₫24.7K

4.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₫24.0K

$1.10 ₫28.9K

-17.27%

Eggs

$1.49 ₫39.1K

$1.47 ₫38.6K

1.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.94 ₫235.2K

$12.63 ₫332.1K

-29.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 ₫99.4K

$3.73 ₫98.1K

1.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 ₫249.4K

$10.03 ₫263.7K

-5.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ₫85.7K

$2.62 ₫68.8K

24.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ₫27.9K

$0.86 ₫22.6K

23.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ₫42.0K

$0.97 ₫25.6K

64.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 ₫28.5K

$1.09 ₫28.6K

-0.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 ₫28.2K

$1.13 ₫29.7K

-5.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.7K

$0.82 ₫21.5K

28.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ₫14.5K

$0.40 ₫10.4K

37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₫14.9K

$0.51 ₫13.4K

11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.38 ₫36.2K

$1.17 ₫30.7K

17.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.54 ₫355.9K

$7.73 ₫203.2K

75.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₫23.6K

$0.77 ₫20.1K

16.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₫46.2K

$1.55 ₫40.8K

13.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ₫8,777

$0.22 ₫5,761

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.56 ₫198.8K

$3.88 ₫102.1K

94.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₫21.2K

$0.83 ₫21.7K

-2.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₫16.0K

$0.64 ₫16.9K

-4.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 ₫42.0K

$2.86 ₫75.1K

-44.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 ₫22.1K

$0.86 ₫22.7K

-2.33%

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

$38.6K ₫1.0B

$32.6K ₫857.3M

18.25%

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

$32.3K ₫848.0M

$28.3K ₫744.8M

13.85%

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

$78.8 ₫2.1M

$60.7 ₫1.6M

29.80%

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

$5.14 ₫135.2K

$5.69 ₫149.7K

-9.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.79 ₫231.1K

$7.63 ₫200.6K

15.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.49 ₫749.1K

$15.35 ₫403.6K

85.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.02 ₫289.7K

$4.90 ₫128.7K

124.90%

Cinema Ticket

$3.74 ₫98.5K

$2.83 ₫74.5K

32.16%

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

$269 ₫7.1M

$154 ₫4.1M

74.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K ₫300.7M

$14.7K ₫387.2M

-22.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.01 ₫1.2M

$23.30 ₫612.5K

93.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.24 ₫611.1K

$15.57 ₫409.4K

49.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 ₫2.3M

$52.8 ₫1.4M

66.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ₫1.9M

$77.0 ₫2.0M

-4.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 ₫8.6M

$389 ₫10.2M

-15.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 ₫6.5M

$334 ₫8.8M

-25.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$771 ₫20.3M

$427 ₫11.2M

80.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$608 ₫16.0M

$455 ₫12.0M

33.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,891 ₫128.6M

$1,535 ₫40.4M

218.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,709 ₫71.2M

$936 ₫24.6M

189.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$516 ₫13.6M

$289 ₫7.6M

78.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

10.34

-11.99%

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

Last update for Hanoi: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hoi An: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $329 in Hanoi and $389 in Hoi An. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hanoi pays 79% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Hanoi vs $17.00 in Hoi An for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $183 per month, with Hoi An cheaper across the board.

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 Hoi An: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hanoi and Hoi An differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($758 vs $763 including rent). Hanoi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 79% 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: $329 in Hanoi versus $389 in Hoi An. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Hanoi runs roughly 95% less than in Hoi An. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $269 in Hanoi versus $154 in Hoi An. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Hanoi and Hoi An 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 1% less than in Hoi An. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.