Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanoi and Shanghai Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanoi and Shanghai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $758 in Hanoi versus $1,192 in Shanghai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,241 in Hanoi versus $1,958 in Shanghai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,724 in Hanoi versus $2,724 in Shanghai.

Living in Hanoi costs roughly 36% less than in Shanghai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hanoi 43% lower, Shanghai 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 ₫50.1K

$4.72 ¥31.97

-59.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.24 ₫716.1K

$35.92 ¥243

-24.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 ₫121.4K

$5.74 ¥38.81

-19.51%

Cappuccino

$1.79 ₫47.2K

$3.52 ¥23.80

-49.15%

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

$0.49 ₫12.8K

$0.57 ¥3.88

-14.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ₫7,105

$0.33 ¥2.25

-18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ₫24.4K

$1.36 ¥9.20

-31.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₫51.1K

$2.84 ¥19.20

-31.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 ₫37.4K

$2.10 ¥14.20

-32.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₫25.9K

$1.80 ¥12.15

-45.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₫24.0K

$1.05 ¥7.13

-13.33%

Eggs

$1.49 ₫39.1K

$1.68 ¥11.35

-11.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.94 ₫235.2K

$15.78 ¥107

-43.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 ₫99.4K

$3.17 ¥21.43

19.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 ₫249.4K

$11.02 ¥74.6

-13.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ₫85.7K

$2.38 ¥16.08

36.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ₫27.9K

$1.69 ¥11.47

-37.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ₫42.0K

$1.78 ¥12.07

-10.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 ₫28.5K

$1.45 ¥9.83

-25.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 ₫28.2K

$0.83 ¥5.64

28.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.7K

$1.13 ¥7.64

-7.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ₫14.5K

$0.68 ¥4.57

-19.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₫14.9K

$0.60 ¥4.06

-5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.38 ₫36.2K

$2.82 ¥19.06

-51.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.54 ₫355.9K

$11.74 ¥79.5

15.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₫23.6K

$0.78 ¥5.28

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₫46.2K

$1.57 ¥10.64

12.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ₫8,777

$0.41 ¥2.74

-19.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.56 ₫198.8K

$35.05 ¥237

-78.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₫21.2K

$2.26 ¥15.28

-64.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₫16.0K

$0.37 ¥2.52

64.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 ₫42.0K

$8.18 ¥55.4

-80.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 ₫22.1K

$1.15 ¥7.80

-26.96%

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

$38.6K ₫1.0B

$19.3K ¥130.5K

99.92%

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

$32.3K ₫848.0M

$17.7K ¥120.0K

81.97%

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

$78.8 ₫2.1M

$53.0 ¥359

48.68%

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

$5.14 ₫135.2K

$8.77 ¥59.4

-41.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.79 ₫231.1K

$13.78 ¥93.3

-36.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.49 ₫749.1K

$45.42 ¥307

-37.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.02 ₫289.7K

$20.00 ¥135

-44.90%

Cinema Ticket

$3.74 ₫98.5K

$8.30 ¥56.2

-54.94%

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

$269 ₫7.1M

$1,264 ¥8,555

-78.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K ₫300.7M

$31.7K ¥214.3K

-63.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.01 ₫1.2M

$57.7 ¥390

-21.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.24 ₫611.1K

$37.93 ¥257

-38.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 ₫2.3M

$77.0 ¥521

14.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ₫1.9M

$96.7 ¥655

-23.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 ₫8.6M

$955 ¥6,466

-65.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 ₫6.5M

$555 ¥3,755

-55.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$771 ₫20.3M

$2,497 ¥16.9K

-69.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$608 ₫16.0M

$1,207 ¥8,166

-49.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,891 ₫128.6M

$14.3K ¥96.7K

-65.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,709 ₫71.2M

$6,625 ¥44.8K

-59.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$516 ₫13.6M

$1,702 ¥11.5K

-69.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

3.58

154.19%

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

Last update for Hanoi: July 12, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $329 in Hanoi and $955 in Shanghai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 230% 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: $27.00 in Hanoi vs $36.00 in Shanghai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $228 per month, with Hanoi 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 Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hanoi and Shanghai differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($758 vs $1,192 including rent). Hanoi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 230% lower in Shanghai. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $329 in Hanoi versus $955 in Shanghai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Hanoi runs roughly 364% less than in Shanghai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $269 in Hanoi versus $1,264 in Shanghai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $758 in Hanoi versus $1,192 in Shanghai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hanoi but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Hanoi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Shanghai 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 57% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.