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: $749 in Hanoi versus $551 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,241 in Hanoi versus $860 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,733 in Hanoi versus $1,169 in Kandy.

Living in Hanoi is roughly 36% more expensive than Kandy, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hanoi 44% lower, Kandy 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ₫51.4K

$2.82 LKR 950

-30.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.53 ₫697.1K

$11.83 LKR 3,988

124.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 ₫120.6K

$6.58 LKR 2,216

-30.24%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ₫47.5K

$2.56 LKR 861

-29.30%

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

$0.46 ₫12.1K

$0.65 LKR 217

-29.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ₫7,094

$0.33 LKR 110

-18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 ₫25.5K

$2.15 LKR 726

-54.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₫50.1K

$3.43 LKR 1,154

-44.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ₫36.4K

$1.40 LKR 472

-0.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 ₫24.3K

$0.52 LKR 175

76.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 ₫22.6K

$0.85 LKR 287

1.18%

Eggs

$1.55 ₫40.8K

$2.19 LKR 737

-29.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 ₫246.2K

$8.48 LKR 2,859

10.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.81 ₫100.1K

$4.64 LKR 1,565

-17.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.69 ₫254.6K

$8.15 LKR 2,746

18.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ₫86.3K

$4.42 LKR 1,491

-25.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 ₫26.7K

$1.02 LKR 345

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 ₫41.6K

$3.63 LKR 1,222

-56.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ₫29.5K

$1.21 LKR 408

-7.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 ₫28.4K

$1.16 LKR 390

-6.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.6K

$1.30 LKR 439

-19.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ₫14.8K

$0.74 LKR 248

-24.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₫15.1K

$0.55 LKR 186

3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.38 ₫36.2K

$9.30 LKR 3,134

-85.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.25 ₫348.2K

$11.32 LKR 3,815

17.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₫23.5K

$1.99 LKR 671

-54.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₫46.0K

$2.77 LKR 934

-36.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ₫8,762

$0.17 LKR 58.1

94.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.57 ₫198.9K

$14.86 LKR 5,009

-49.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₫20.7K

$0.39 LKR 130

102.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₫15.2K

$0.33 LKR 110

75.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 ₫43.5K

$0.44 LKR 148

277.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 ₫23.9K

$1.25 LKR 423

-27.20%

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

$39.1K ₫1.0B

$17.9K LKR 6.0M

117.70%

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

$32.4K ₫851.3M

$21.2K LKR 7.2M

52.71%

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

$80.0 ₫2.1M

$40.82 LKR 13.8K

95.96%

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

$5.06 ₫132.9K

$4.26 LKR 1,437

18.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.69 ₫228.2K

$15.41 LKR 5,194

-43.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.86 ₫758.0K

$14.86 LKR 5,006

94.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.14 ₫292.7K

$5.62 LKR 1,895

98.22%

Cinema Ticket

$3.79 ₫99.7K

$3.33 LKR 1,122

13.81%

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

$264 ₫6.9M

$37.50 LKR 12.6K

603.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K ₫307.4M

$328 LKR 110.5K

3467.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.93 ₫1.2M

$27.01 LKR 9,102

66.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.10 ₫606.8K

$14.32 LKR 4,826

61.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 ₫2.4M

$56.9 LKR 19.2K

57.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.6 ₫1.9M

$29.20 LKR 9,841

145.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 ₫8.8M

$131 LKR 44.3K

155.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 ₫6.5M

$83.3 LKR 28.1K

196.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 ₫20.2M

$217 LKR 73.0K

255.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 ₫16.0M

$160 LKR 53.8K

282.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,800 ₫126.1M

$401 LKR 135.2K

1096.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,700 ₫70.9M

$394 LKR 132.8K

585.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$504 ₫13.2M

$260 LKR 87.6K

93.80%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kandy: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $335 in Hanoi and $131 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hanoi pays 94% 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: $27.00 in Hanoi vs $12.00 in Kandy. Groceries flip the comparison at $192 vs $207, 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 36% in total monthly costs ($749 vs $551 including rent). Kandy is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Hanoi pays 94% 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: $335 in Hanoi versus $131 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 96% less than in Hanoi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $264 in Hanoi versus $37.50 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 36% less than in Hanoi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.