Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanoi and Semey Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanoi and Semey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $752 in Hanoi versus $685 in Semey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,245 in Hanoi versus $1,102 in Semey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,737 in Hanoi versus $1,520 in Semey.

Living in Hanoi is roughly 10% more expensive than Semey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hanoi 44% lower, Semey 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.90 ₫49.9K

$4.36 ₸2,124

-56.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.52 ₫695.9K

$27.18 ₸13.3K

-2.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 ₫121.2K

$4.80 ₸2,341

-3.75%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ₫47.4K

$1.54 ₸749

17.53%

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

$0.45 ₫11.9K

$0.96 ₸470

-53.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ₫7,112

$0.53 ₸257

-49.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₫25.9K

$1.19 ₸580

-16.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₫50.7K

$1.90 ₸929

1.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ₫36.4K

$0.73 ₸355

90.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ₫25.5K

$0.32 ₸154

203.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 ₫22.0K

$1.57 ₸767

-46.50%

Eggs

$1.57 ₫41.1K

$1.33 ₸650

18.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 ₫244.5K

$8.71 ₸4,245

7.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.75 ₫98.4K

$4.72 ₸2,301

-20.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.33 ₫244.9K

$7.06 ₸3,444

32.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ₫88.1K

$1.35 ₸659

148.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ₫26.6K

$1.89 ₸923

-46.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 ₫41.2K

$1.93 ₸940

-18.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 ₫28.1K

$1.97 ₸963

-45.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 ₫27.1K

$0.54 ₸265

90.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.5K

$0.41 ₸200

156.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 ₫13.9K

$0.98 ₸479

-45.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₫15.0K

$0.76 ₸372

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.37 ₫35.9K

$2.55 ₸1,242

-46.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.39 ₫351.3K

$6.67 ₸3,254

100.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₫23.9K

$0.99 ₸481

-8.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ₫47.6K

$1.60 ₸779

13.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₫9,582

$0.22 ₸107

68.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.64 ₫200.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₫20.7K

$0.97 ₸471

-18.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₫15.2K

$0.67 ₸325

-13.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 ₫41.9K

$4.71 ₸2,298

-66.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 ₫22.3K

$0.47 ₸228

80.85%

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

$38.7K ₫1.0B

$19.8K ₸9.7M

95.40%

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

$32.4K ₫850.2M

$24.1K ₸11.7M

34.59%

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

$78.7 ₫2.1M

$49.55 ₸24.2K

58.89%

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

$5.29 ₫138.7K

$8.71 ₸4,250

-39.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.77 ₫230.2K

$12.53 ₸6,112

-30.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.81 ₫729.7K

$33.66 ₸16.4K

-17.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.15 ₫292.5K

$9.98 ₸4,867

11.72%

Cinema Ticket

$3.91 ₫102.5K

$4.51 ₸2,201

-13.30%

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

$267 ₫7.0M

$214 ₸104.5K

24.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ₫301.1M

$4,934 ₸2.4M

132.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.72 ₫1.2M

$56.7 ₸27.7K

-21.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.04 ₫604.5K

$35.27 ₸17.2K

-34.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 ₫2.3M

$88.0 ₸42.9K

1.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.3 ₫1.9M

$76.8 ₸37.4K

-5.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 ₫8.6M

$319 ₸155.3K

2.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 ₫6.7M

$204 ₸99.5K

25.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₫20.1M

$520 ₸253.8K

47.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$603 ₫15.8M

$397 ₸193.7K

51.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,821 ₫126.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,722 ₫71.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$498 ₫13.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

18.39

-50.52%

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

Last update for Hanoi: June 15, 2026

Last update for Semey: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $327 in Hanoi and $319 in Semey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Hanoi vs $27.00 in Semey. Groceries flip the comparison at $192 vs $166, with Semey 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 Semey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hanoi and Semey differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($752 vs $685 including rent). Semey is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,129 in Hanoi and $1,027 in Semey 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: $327 in Hanoi versus $319 in Semey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $267 in Hanoi versus $214 in Semey. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Semey – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $27.00 in Hanoi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Semey 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 Semey 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 Semey gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Hanoi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.