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: $805 in Hanoi versus $707 in Semey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,223 in Hanoi versus $1,146 in Semey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,641 in Hanoi versus $1,584 in Semey.

Living in Hanoi is roughly 14% more expensive than in Semey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hanoi 41% lower, Semey 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.05 ₫53.2K

$4.97 ₸2,228

-58.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.43 ₫557.1K

$22.56 ₸10.1K

-5.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.45 ₫115.7K

$5.45 ₸2,443

-18.35%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ₫47.5K

$1.69 ₸756

8.28%

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

$0.49 ₫12.6K

$0.80 ₸356

-38.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₫8,083

$0.52 ₸233

-40.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 ₫30.8K

$0.93 ₸415

26.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ₫49.4K

$1.41 ₸633

34.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ₫40.1K

$1.05 ₸469

46.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ₫26.4K

$0.33 ₸150

206.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 ₫21.0K

$1.90 ₸851

-57.37%

Eggs

$1.52 ₫39.5K

$1.51 ₸679

0.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 ₫273.5K

$5.44 ₸2,440

93.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 ₫98.3K

$3.78 ₸1,695

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 ₫251.2K

$5.28 ₸2,365

82.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 ₫80.7K

$1.26 ₸566

146.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.4K

$1.68 ₸755

-37.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 ₫34.6K

$1.74 ₸780

-23.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 ₫28.3K

$1.69 ₸758

-35.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 ₫24.3K

$0.38 ₸172

147.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ₫28.5K

$0.57 ₸254

91.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ₫14.2K

$1.27 ₸571

-56.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₫13.5K

$0.97 ₸436

-46.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.36 ₫35.4K

$2.47 ₸1,108

-44.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.30 ₫319.8K

$7.10 ₸3,184

73.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₫22.5K

$1.37 ₸616

-36.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₫42.8K

$2.18 ₸978

-24.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₫10.1K

$0.26 ₸117

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.34 ₫242.7K

$16.98 ₸7,613

-44.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 ₫20.9K

$1.37 ₸614

-41.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₫14.5K

$1.18 ₸529

-52.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 ₫60.4K

$6.69 ₸2,998

-65.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 ₫21.8K

$0.68 ₸304

23.53%

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

$30.9K ₫802.4M

$24.2K ₸10.9M

27.47%

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

$30.6K ₫794.6M

$26.0K ₸11.7M

17.36%

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

$84.6 ₫2.2M

$33.94 ₸15.2K

149.18%

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

$4.86 ₫126.5K

$8.78 ₸3,936

-44.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.59 ₫223.2K

$18.96 ₸8,501

-54.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.25 ₫630.3K

$42.68 ₸19.1K

-43.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.66 ₫251.0K

$11.09 ₸4,972

-12.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 ₫110.3K

$4.35 ₸1,950

-2.53%

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

$727 ₫18.9M

$133 ₸59.4K

448.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.1K ₫705.0M

$4,381 ₸2.0M

519.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.38 ₫1.2M

$28.67 ₸12.9K

61.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.86 ₫672.3K

$25.42 ₸11.4K

1.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ₫2.2M

$102 ₸45.5K

-16.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.2 ₫2.1M

$75.2 ₸33.7K

9.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$410 ₫10.6M

$353 ₸158.1K

16.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 ₫7.2M

$234 ₸104.7K

18.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$882 ₫22.9M

$637 ₸285.7K

38.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 ₫13.9M

$484 ₸217.1K

10.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,583 ₫119.1M

$1,235 ₸553.6K

271.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,750 ₫71.5M

$822 ₸368.4K

234.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ₫12.7M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.45

19.25

-56.10%

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

Last update for Hanoi: September 14, 2026

Last update for Semey: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $410 in Hanoi and $353 in Semey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $21.00 in Hanoi vs $23.00 in Semey. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $155, 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 14% in total monthly costs ($805 vs $707 including rent). Semey is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,207 in Hanoi and $1,061 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: $410 in Hanoi versus $353 in Semey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Semey runs roughly 82% 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 $133 in Semey. 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 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 14% less than in Hanoi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.