Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanoi and Purwokerto Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanoi and Purwokerto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $805 in Hanoi versus $517 in Purwokerto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,223 in Hanoi versus $847 in Purwokerto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,641 in Hanoi versus $1,176 in Purwokerto.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Hanoi 41% lower, Purwokerto 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.05 ₫53.2K

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

57.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.43 ₫557.1K

$8.34 Rp 147.6K

156.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.45 ₫115.7K

$3.21 Rp 56.8K

38.63%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ₫47.5K

$1.40 Rp 24.7K

30.71%

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

$0.49 ₫12.6K

$0.42 Rp 7,355

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₫8,083

$0.17 Rp 3,075

82.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 ₫30.8K

$2.24 Rp 39.7K

-47.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ₫49.4K

$3.10 Rp 54.9K

-38.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ₫40.1K

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

33.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ₫26.4K

$0.89 Rp 15.7K

13.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 ₫21.0K

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

-2.41%

Eggs

$1.52 ₫39.5K

$1.48 Rp 26.3K

2.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 ₫273.5K

$7.26 Rp 128.5K

44.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 ₫98.3K

$2.88 Rp 51.0K

31.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 ₫251.2K

$7.60 Rp 134.6K

27.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 ₫80.7K

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

39.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.4K

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

-6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 ₫34.6K

$1.51 Rp 26.8K

-11.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 ₫28.3K

$0.91 Rp 16.1K

19.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 ₫24.3K

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

-15.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ₫28.5K

$1.94 Rp 34.3K

-43.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ₫14.2K

$0.67 Rp 11.8K

-17.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₫13.5K

$0.36 Rp 6,299

44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.36 ₫35.4K

$2.39 Rp 42.4K

-43.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.30 ₫319.8K

$22.29 Rp 394.7K

-44.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₫22.5K

$1.87 Rp 33.2K

-53.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₫42.8K

$3.12 Rp 55.3K

-47.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₫10.1K

$0.22 Rp 3,902

77.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.34 ₫242.7K

$11.88 Rp 210.3K

-21.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 ₫20.9K

$0.49 Rp 8,589

63.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₫14.5K

$0.33 Rp 5,793

69.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 ₫60.4K

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

-1.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 ₫21.8K

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

16.67%

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

$30.9K ₫802.4M

$21.5K Rp 380.2M

43.76%

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

$30.6K ₫794.6M

$29.0K Rp 512.8M

5.54%

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

$84.6 ₫2.2M

$34.43 Rp 609.6K

145.63%

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

$4.86 ₫126.5K

$2.78 Rp 49.2K

74.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.59 ₫223.2K

$19.10 Rp 338.1K

-55.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.25 ₫630.3K

$19.74 Rp 349.6K

22.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.66 ₫251.0K

$11.29 Rp 199.9K

-14.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 ₫110.3K

$2.51 Rp 44.4K

68.92%

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

$727 ₫18.9M

$94.4 Rp 1.7M

670.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.1K ₫705.0M

$7,263 Rp 128.6M

273.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.38 ₫1.2M

$39.61 Rp 701.3K

17.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.86 ₫672.3K

$31.60 Rp 559.6K

-18.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ₫2.2M

$73.0 Rp 1.3M

15.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.2 ₫2.1M

$73.2 Rp 1.3M

12.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$410 ₫10.6M

$140 Rp 2.5M

192.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 ₫7.2M

$72.3 Rp 1.3M

283.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$882 ₫22.9M

$587 Rp 10.4M

50.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 ₫13.9M

$259 Rp 4.6M

107.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,583 ₫119.1M

$1,409 Rp 25.0M

225.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,750 ₫71.5M

$288 Rp 5.1M

854.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ₫12.7M

$120 Rp 2.1M

309.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.45

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

Last update for Hanoi: September 14, 2026

Last update for Purwokerto: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $410 in Hanoi and $140 in Purwokerto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hanoi pays 309% 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 $8.00 in Purwokerto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $191 per month, with Purwokerto 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 Purwokerto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hanoi and Purwokerto differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($805 vs $517 including rent). Purwokerto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 309% 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: $410 in Hanoi versus $140 in Purwokerto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Purwokerto runs roughly 27% less than in Hanoi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $727 in Hanoi versus $94.4 in Purwokerto. 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 Purwokerto 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 Purwokerto 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 Purwokerto 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.