Cost of Living Comparison Between Hoi An and Hanoi Cost of Living Comparison Between Hoi An and Hanoi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $891 in Hoi An versus $803 in Hanoi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,275 in Hoi An versus $1,246 in Hanoi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,658 in Hoi An versus $1,688 in Hanoi.

Living in Hoi An is roughly 11% more expensive than in Hanoi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hoi An 35% lower, Hanoi 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.27 ₫59.1K

$2.03 ₫52.8K

11.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.29 ₫476.8K

$20.81 ₫542.5K

-12.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.79 ₫98.7K

$4.40 ₫114.8K

-13.86%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ₫44.9K

$1.89 ₫49.1K

-8.99%

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

$0.62 ₫16.1K

$0.45 ₫11.9K

37.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,248

$0.28 ₫7,223

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ₫34.3K

$1.13 ₫29.5K

15.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₫34.6K

$1.90 ₫49.5K

-30.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ₫40.1K

$1.47 ₫38.2K

4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ₫29.7K

$1.01 ₫26.4K

12.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 ₫27.2K

$0.80 ₫20.9K

30.00%

Eggs

$1.52 ₫39.6K

$1.44 ₫37.6K

5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.83 ₫334.5K

$10.48 ₫273.3K

22.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.94 ₫102.8K

$3.76 ₫97.9K

4.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.06 ₫236.3K

$9.79 ₫255.3K

-7.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ₫69.8K

$3.07 ₫80.0K

-12.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 ₫28.8K

$1.07 ₫27.8K

3.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 ₫26.1K

$1.33 ₫34.6K

-24.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ₫37.8K

$1.09 ₫28.4K

33.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ₫28.5K

$0.98 ₫25.6K

11.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 ₫27.0K

$1.11 ₫29.0K

-6.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₫17.5K

$0.59 ₫15.5K

13.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₫13.9K

$0.55 ₫14.4K

-3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.51 ₫39.2K

$1.37 ₫35.6K

10.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 ₫204.3K

$12.27 ₫319.9K

-36.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₫21.6K

$0.95 ₫24.7K

-12.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₫38.8K

$1.67 ₫43.5K

-10.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₫6,264

$0.37 ₫9,641

-35.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.75 ₫97.7K

$9.26 ₫241.3K

-59.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 ₫24.3K

$0.79 ₫20.7K

17.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₫16.8K

$0.57 ₫14.8K

12.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 ₫101.6K

$2.27 ₫59.1K

71.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 ₫22.4K

$0.83 ₫21.6K

3.61%

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

$30.7K ₫801.4M

$30.1K ₫785.7M

1.99%

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

$27.3K ₫710.6M

$30.3K ₫789.3M

-9.97%

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

$77.6 ₫2.0M

$83.9 ₫2.2M

-7.45%

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

$6.22 ₫162.1K

$5.12 ₫133.4K

21.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.21 ₫214.0K

$8.70 ₫226.8K

-5.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.69 ₫435.0K

$24.54 ₫639.7K

-31.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.66 ₫121.4K

$9.30 ₫242.4K

-49.89%

Cinema Ticket

$3.05 ₫79.6K

$4.29 ₫111.9K

-28.90%

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

$113 ₫2.9M

$790 ₫20.6M

-85.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K ₫436.9M

$27.9K ₫728.4M

-40.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.78 ₫1.2M

$50.4 ₫1.3M

-9.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.19 ₫708.8K

$26.16 ₫681.9K

3.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.7 ₫1.8M

$83.9 ₫2.2M

-18.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 ₫2.1M

$82.2 ₫2.1M

-1.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 ₫11.5M

$410 ₫10.7M

7.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 ₫10.5M

$286 ₫7.5M

40.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 ₫13.9M

$820 ₫21.4M

-34.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$611 ₫15.9M

$531 ₫13.8M

15.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,540 ₫40.1M

$4,714 ₫122.9M

-67.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$975 ₫25.4M

$2,785 ₫72.6M

-64.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$288 ₫7.5M

$504 ₫13.1M

-42.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.34

8.45

22.37%

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

Last update for Hoi An: August 31, 2026

Last update for Hanoi: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Hoi An and $410 in Hanoi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hanoi pays 75% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Hoi An vs $21.00 in Hanoi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $193 per month, with Hoi An 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

Hoi An vs Hanoi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hoi An and Hanoi differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($891 vs $803 including rent). Hanoi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 75% lower in Hanoi. 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: $440 in Hoi An versus $410 in Hanoi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Hanoi runs roughly 147% less than in Hoi An. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $113 in Hoi An versus $790 in Hanoi. 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, Hoi An and Hanoi 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 11% less than in Hoi An. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.