Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanoi and Popayan Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanoi and Popayan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $765 in Hanoi versus $808 in Popayan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,245 in Hanoi versus $1,232 in Popayan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,725 in Hanoi versus $1,656 in Popayan.

Living in Hanoi costs roughly 5% less than in Popayan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hanoi 43% lower, Popayan 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.88 ₫49.6K

$3.82 COP 12.2K

-50.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.26 ₫717.4K

$23.48 COP 74.9K

16.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.52 ₫119.1K

$7.33 COP 23.4K

-38.34%

Cappuccino

$1.85 ₫48.6K

$1.55 COP 4,938

19.35%

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

$0.49 ₫12.9K

$0.93 COP 2,983

-47.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ₫7,111

$0.62 COP 1,966

-56.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 ₫25.5K

$1.21 COP 3,851

-19.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ₫49.4K

$2.22 COP 7,081

-15.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ₫36.5K

$1.11 COP 3,548

25.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₫25.9K

$1.27 COP 4,052

-22.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 ₫23.5K

$1.17 COP 3,741

-23.93%

Eggs

$1.55 ₫40.7K

$2.22 COP 7,098

-30.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.91 ₫234.4K

$4.35 COP 13.9K

104.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 ₫102.1K

$5.33 COP 17.0K

-27.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 ₫249.9K

$7.28 COP 23.2K

30.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ₫85.3K

$2.42 COP 7,713

33.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ₫28.0K

$1.11 COP 3,552

-4.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ₫42.9K

$1.30 COP 4,150

25.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ₫29.4K

$0.85 COP 2,703

31.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 ₫27.3K

$1.16 COP 3,687

-10.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ₫26.4K

$1.12 COP 3,561

-10.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ₫14.5K

$0.86 COP 2,733

-36.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₫14.9K

$0.66 COP 2,094

-13.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.36 ₫35.9K

$2.38 COP 7,599

-42.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.17 ₫346.6K

$10.44 COP 33.3K

26.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₫25.2K

$1.14 COP 3,629

-15.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ₫47.7K

$1.74 COP 5,546

4.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₫8,892

$0.67 COP 2,143

-49.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.72 ₫203.3K

$29.71 COP 94.8K

-74.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₫20.7K

$1.47 COP 4,686

-46.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₫14.8K

$1.71 COP 5,460

-67.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 ₫42.3K

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-72.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 ₫23.9K

$1.01 COP 3,226

-9.90%

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

$38.7K ₫1.0B

$17.7K COP 56.6M

118.20%

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

$31.2K ₫822.1M

$25.3K COP 80.8M

23.38%

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

$80.7 ₫2.1M

$83.9 COP 267.6K

-3.77%

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

$5.14 ₫135.2K

$8.95 COP 28.5K

-42.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.48 ₫223.3K

$22.61 COP 72.1K

-62.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.35 ₫746.3K

$23.75 COP 75.8K

19.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.06 ₫291.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.72 ₫98.0K

$3.91 COP 12.5K

-4.86%

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

$270 ₫7.1M

$236 COP 751.7K

14.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ₫302.2M

$5,879 COP 18.8M

95.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.26 ₫1.2M

$59.8 COP 190.9K

-24.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.01 ₫605.8K

$32.81 COP 104.7K

-29.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 ₫2.3M

$81.8 COP 261.0K

7.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.8 ₫1.9M

$73.9 COP 235.8K

-0.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 ₫8.6M

$288 COP 917.4K

13.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 ₫6.7M

$237 COP 757.6K

6.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₫20.3M

$523 COP 1.7M

47.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ₫15.7M

$433 COP 1.4M

37.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,865 ₫128.0M

$2,048 COP 6.5M

137.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,721 ₫71.6M

$1,422 COP 4.5M

91.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$517 ₫13.6M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

13.18

-30.96%

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

Last update for Hanoi: July 27, 2026

Last update for Popayan: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $326 in Hanoi and $288 in Popayan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Hanoi vs $23.00 in Popayan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $174 per month, with Popayan 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 Popayan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hanoi and Popayan differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($765 vs $808 including rent). Hanoi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,148 in Hanoi and $1,212 in Popayan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $326 in Hanoi versus $288 in Popayan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Hanoi runs roughly 285% less than in Popayan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $270 in Hanoi versus $236 in Popayan. 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 Popayan 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 6% less than in Popayan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.