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: $807 in Hanoi versus $516 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,241 in Hanoi versus $736 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,675 in Hanoi versus $956 in Kandy.

Living in Hanoi is roughly 56% more expensive than in Kandy, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hanoi 41% lower, Kandy 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ₫51.4K

$2.75 LKR 904

-28.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.36 ₫553.7K

$12.92 LKR 4,246

65.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.44 ₫115.1K

$5.98 LKR 1,964

-25.75%

Cappuccino

$1.86 ₫48.1K

$1.99 LKR 654

-6.53%

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

$0.45 ₫11.7K

$0.51 LKR 167

-11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,223

$0.26 LKR 85.5

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 ₫30.5K

$1.86 LKR 612

-36.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ₫48.6K

$2.85 LKR 937

-34.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ₫39.8K

$1.16 LKR 383

31.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₫24.5K

$0.49 LKR 161

93.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 ₫21.0K

$0.78 LKR 258

3.85%

Eggs

$1.43 ₫37.1K

$1.60 LKR 527

-10.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ₫273.6K

$5.24 LKR 1,721

101.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 ₫100.0K

$4.30 LKR 1,412

-10.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.86 ₫255.7K

$6.89 LKR 2,265

43.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 ₫80.4K

$3.08 LKR 1,012

0.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ₫27.7K

$0.89 LKR 292

20.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 ₫34.2K

$1.72 LKR 564

-23.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ₫29.7K

$1.27 LKR 418

-9.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 ₫25.2K

$0.99 LKR 326

-2.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 ₫29.1K

$0.81 LKR 266

38.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ₫14.4K

$0.48 LKR 158

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₫14.1K

$0.45 LKR 147

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.37 ₫35.5K

$7.75 LKR 2,548

-82.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.72 ₫329.6K

$11.53 LKR 3,788

10.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₫22.6K

$1.99 LKR 654

-56.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₫43.4K

$2.04 LKR 669

-17.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₫10.1K

$0.16 LKR 53.3

143.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.12 ₫236.3K

$4.68 LKR 1,538

94.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₫19.1K

$0.42 LKR 138

76.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₫15.6K

$0.38 LKR 126

57.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 ₫59.2K

$0.47 LKR 156

385.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 ₫21.9K

$1.12 LKR 368

-24.11%

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

$30.7K ₫796.8M

$14.1K LKR 4.6M

117.26%

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

$30.8K ₫798.4M

$37.5K LKR 12.3M

-17.93%

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

$83.6 ₫2.2M

$55.1 LKR 18.1K

51.82%

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

$4.91 ₫127.3K

$4.11 LKR 1,351

19.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.87 ₫230.0K

$12.67 LKR 4,164

-29.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.39 ₫658.2K

$11.02 LKR 3,620

130.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.19 ₫238.1K

$6.68 LKR 2,193

37.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.18 ₫108.3K

$2.89 LKR 950

44.64%

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

$773 ₫20.0M

$21.41 LKR 7,036

3511.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.4K ₫709.0M

$305 LKR 100.3K

8862.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.37 ₫1.3M

$20.30 LKR 6,671

143.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.52 ₫687.4K

$10.30 LKR 3,386

157.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 ₫2.2M

$68.8 LKR 22.6K

22.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ₫2.2M

$26.80 LKR 8,805

216.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 ₫10.9M

$174 LKR 57.0K

141.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 ₫7.5M

$116 LKR 38.1K

150.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 ₫21.3M

$177 LKR 58.2K

363.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$537 ₫13.9M

$97.0 LKR 31.9K

453.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,651 ₫120.6M

$414 LKR 135.9K

1024.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,749 ₫71.3M

$406 LKR 133.5K

576.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ₫13.0M

$263 LKR 86.5K

89.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.45

-29.58%

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

Last update for Hanoi: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kandy: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $420 in Hanoi and $174 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hanoi pays 90% 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: $21.00 in Hanoi vs $13.00 in Kandy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $167 per month, with Kandy 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 Kandy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hanoi and Kandy differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($807 vs $516 including rent). Kandy is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 90% 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: $420 in Hanoi versus $174 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 95% less than in Hanoi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $773 in Hanoi versus $21.41 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 56% less than in Hanoi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.