Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanoi and Kandy Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanoi and Kandy

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $758 in Hanoi versus $549 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,233 in Hanoi versus $862 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,708 in Hanoi versus $1,175 in Kandy.

Living in Hanoi is roughly 38% more expensive than Kandy, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hanoi 43% lower, Kandy 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ₫51.4K

$2.77 LKR 877

-29.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.46 ₫694.4K

$11.69 LKR 3,700

126.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₫123.4K

$6.60 LKR 2,087

-28.79%

Cappuccino

$1.85 ₫48.6K

$2.61 LKR 825

-29.12%

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

$0.48 ₫12.7K

$0.61 LKR 193

-21.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₫6,529

$0.30 LKR 94.5

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ₫24.5K

$2.12 LKR 670

-56.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₫51.1K

$3.37 LKR 1,067

-42.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 ₫36.0K

$1.45 LKR 458

-5.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ₫25.9K

$0.56 LKR 177

76.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 ₫22.2K

$0.87 LKR 275

-3.45%

Eggs

$1.51 ₫39.7K

$2.13 LKR 674

-29.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.14 ₫240.0K

$8.95 LKR 2,832

2.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 ₫98.2K

$4.77 LKR 1,511

-21.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 ₫249.4K

$8.12 LKR 2,570

17.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 ₫88.4K

$4.64 LKR 1,467

-27.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 ₫26.9K

$1.02 LKR 324

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₫42.5K

$3.63 LKR 1,150

-55.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ₫29.6K

$1.26 LKR 398

-10.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 ₫26.7K

$1.14 LKR 362

-10.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ₫26.4K

$1.23 LKR 390

-18.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ₫14.7K

$0.77 LKR 245

-27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₫14.1K

$0.56 LKR 177

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.37 ₫36.0K

$9.25 LKR 2,928

-85.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.27 ₫374.4K

$12.05 LKR 3,814

18.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ₫25.5K

$2.06 LKR 652

-52.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₫45.6K

$2.71 LKR 858

-35.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₫8,903

$0.17 LKR 55.3

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.82 ₫205.2K

$15.20 LKR 4,810

-48.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₫19.4K

$0.42 LKR 132

76.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₫15.0K

$0.35 LKR 111

62.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 ₫43.7K

$0.40 LKR 128

317.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 ₫23.4K

$1.21 LKR 384

-26.45%

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

$38.4K ₫1.0B

$17.7K LKR 5.6M

117.03%

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

$32.3K ₫848.6M

$21.2K LKR 6.7M

52.83%

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

$80.8 ₫2.1M

$40.48 LKR 12.8K

99.58%

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

$5.27 ₫138.2K

$4.27 LKR 1,353

23.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.50 ₫223.0K

$14.97 LKR 4,737

-43.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.54 ₫749.0K

$15.12 LKR 4,784

88.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.14 ₫292.4K

$5.82 LKR 1,841

91.41%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 ₫102.1K

$3.40 LKR 1,077

14.41%

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

$262 ₫6.9M

$36.64 LKR 11.6K

616.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K ₫307.0M

$321 LKR 101.5K

3549.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.22 ₫1.2M

$27.83 LKR 8,808

62.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.02 ₫604.2K

$14.44 LKR 4,569

59.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 ₫2.4M

$57.1 LKR 18.1K

57.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ₫1.9M

$29.77 LKR 9,423

141.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 ₫8.7M

$132 LKR 41.9K

149.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 ₫6.6M

$85.3 LKR 27.0K

193.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₫20.4M

$221 LKR 69.8K

252.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 ₫15.8M

$161 LKR 51.0K

273.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,338 ₫113.9M

$428 LKR 135.3K

914.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₫64.3M

$417 LKR 132.0K

487.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ₫13.2M

$277 LKR 87.6K

81.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

-39.33%

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

Last update for Hanoi: April 19, 2026

Last update for Kandy: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $330 in Hanoi and $132 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hanoi pays 81% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $26 in Hanoi vs $12 in Kandy. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $213, with Hanoi cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kandy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hanoi and Kandy differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($758 vs $549 including rent). Kandy is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Hanoi pays 81% more on average, 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: $330 in Hanoi versus $132 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 94% less than in Hanoi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $262 in Hanoi versus $36.64 in Kandy. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kandy 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 Kandy 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 Kandy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Hanoi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.