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: $749 in Hanoi versus $799 in Popayan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,241 in Hanoi versus $1,225 in Popayan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,733 in Hanoi versus $1,651 in Popayan.

Living in Hanoi costs roughly 6% less than in Popayan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hanoi 44% lower, Popayan 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ₫51.3K

$3.81 COP 13.3K

-48.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.53 ₫696.5K

$23.86 COP 83.3K

11.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 ₫120.5K

$7.06 COP 24.6K

-34.99%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ₫47.5K

$1.51 COP 5,283

19.87%

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

$0.46 ₫12.0K

$0.94 COP 3,288

-51.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ₫7,088

$0.56 COP 1,962

-51.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 ₫25.5K

$1.20 COP 4,185

-19.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₫50.1K

$2.15 COP 7,507

-11.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ₫36.4K

$1.06 COP 3,704

31.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 ₫24.2K

$1.29 COP 4,502

-28.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 ₫22.6K

$1.13 COP 3,948

-23.89%

Eggs

$1.55 ₫40.8K

$2.15 COP 7,497

-27.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 ₫246.0K

$4.42 COP 15.4K

111.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.81 ₫100.0K

$5.14 COP 17.9K

-25.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.69 ₫254.4K

$7.53 COP 26.3K

28.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ₫86.2K

$2.42 COP 8,460

35.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 ₫26.7K

$1.11 COP 3,865

-8.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 ₫41.6K

$1.34 COP 4,690

17.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ₫29.5K

$0.86 COP 3,009

30.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 ₫28.3K

$1.12 COP 3,897

-3.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.6K

$1.17 COP 4,082

-10.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ₫14.8K

$0.82 COP 2,850

-31.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₫15.1K

$0.66 COP 2,288

-13.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.38 ₫36.2K

$2.42 COP 8,438

-42.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.25 ₫347.9K

$11.09 COP 38.7K

19.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₫23.5K

$1.08 COP 3,776

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₫45.9K

$1.70 COP 5,925

2.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ₫8,755

$0.68 COP 2,368

-51.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.57 ₫198.8K

$29.46 COP 102.8K

-74.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₫20.7K

$1.42 COP 4,943

-44.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₫15.2K

$1.72 COP 6,002

-66.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 ₫43.5K

$5.99 COP 20.9K

-72.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 ₫23.9K

$1.01 COP 3,530

-9.90%

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

$39.1K ₫1.0B

$18.0K COP 62.7M

117.46%

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

$32.4K ₫850.6M

$25.4K COP 88.6M

27.63%

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

$80.0 ₫2.1M

$82.8 COP 288.8K

-3.35%

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

$5.06 ₫132.8K

$8.89 COP 31.0K

-43.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.69 ₫228.0K

$23.06 COP 80.5K

-62.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.86 ₫757.4K

$22.97 COP 80.2K

25.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.14 ₫292.5K

Cinema Ticket

$3.79 ₫99.6K

$3.87 COP 13.5K

-2.07%

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

$264 ₫6.9M

$237 COP 827.4K

11.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K ₫307.1M

$5,846 COP 20.4M

100.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.93 ₫1.2M

$58.3 COP 203.5K

-22.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.10 ₫606.4K

$32.07 COP 111.9K

-27.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 ₫2.4M

$84.7 COP 295.6K

6.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.6 ₫1.9M

$73.2 COP 255.3K

-2.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 ₫8.8M

$281 COP 981.2K

19.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 ₫6.5M

$238 COP 829.5K

3.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 ₫20.2M

$529 COP 1.8M

45.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 ₫16.0M

$435 COP 1.5M

40.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,800 ₫126.0M

$1,621 COP 5.7M

196.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,700 ₫70.9M

$1,239 COP 4.3M

117.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$504 ₫13.2M

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Popayan: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $335 in Hanoi and $281 in Popayan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Hanoi vs $24.00 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 7% in total monthly costs ($749 vs $799 including rent). Hanoi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,123 in Hanoi and $1,198 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: $335 in Hanoi versus $281 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 289% less than in Popayan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $264 in Hanoi versus $237 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 7% less than in Popayan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.