Cost of Living Comparison Between Ninh Binh and Hanoi Cost of Living Comparison Between Ninh Binh and Hanoi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $727 in Ninh Binh versus $749 in Hanoi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,175 in Ninh Binh versus $1,241 in Hanoi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,623 in Ninh Binh versus $1,733 in Hanoi.

Living in Ninh Binh costs roughly 3% less than in Hanoi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ninh Binh 46% lower, Hanoi 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 ₫50.0K

$1.96 ₫51.3K

-2.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.03 ₫551.9K

$26.53 ₫696.5K

-20.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.46 ₫117.0K

$4.59 ₫120.5K

-2.83%

Cappuccino

$1.78 ₫46.7K

$1.81 ₫47.5K

-1.66%

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

$0.48 ₫12.6K

$0.46 ₫12.0K

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₫7,979

$0.27 ₫7,088

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ₫26.4K

$0.97 ₫25.5K

4.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ₫41.1K

$1.91 ₫50.1K

-17.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 ₫35.9K

$1.39 ₫36.4K

-1.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ₫26.3K

$0.92 ₫24.2K

8.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ₫24.5K

$0.86 ₫22.6K

8.14%

Eggs

$1.48 ₫38.9K

$1.55 ₫40.8K

-4.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.90 ₫312.5K

$9.37 ₫246.0K

27.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 ₫94.4K

$3.81 ₫100.0K

-5.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.82 ₫257.9K

$9.69 ₫254.4K

1.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 ₫70.8K

$3.28 ₫86.2K

-17.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ₫28.1K

$1.02 ₫26.7K

4.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₫33.7K

$1.58 ₫41.6K

-18.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ₫29.7K

$1.12 ₫29.5K

0.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 ₫27.2K

$1.08 ₫28.3K

-3.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ₫26.5K

$1.05 ₫27.6K

-3.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ₫17.3K

$0.56 ₫14.8K

17.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₫13.7K

$0.57 ₫15.1K

-8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.31 ₫34.5K

$1.38 ₫36.2K

-5.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.20 ₫294.1K

$13.25 ₫347.9K

-15.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₫20.7K

$0.90 ₫23.5K

-12.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ₫41.3K

$1.75 ₫45.9K

-10.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ₫8,364

$0.33 ₫8,755

-3.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.40 ₫167.9K

$7.57 ₫198.8K

-15.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₫17.5K

$0.79 ₫20.7K

-15.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₫16.2K

$0.58 ₫15.2K

6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 ₫74.2K

$1.66 ₫43.5K

70.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 ₫22.0K

$0.91 ₫23.9K

-7.69%

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

$35.1K ₫921.9M

$39.1K ₫1.0B

-10.11%

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

$31.5K ₫826.5M

$32.4K ₫850.6M

-2.84%

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

$74.0 ₫1.9M

$80.0 ₫2.1M

-7.44%

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

$5.72 ₫150.2K

$5.06 ₫132.8K

13.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.49 ₫222.8K

$8.69 ₫228.0K

-2.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.35 ₫586.7K

$28.86 ₫757.4K

-22.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.88 ₫206.9K

$11.14 ₫292.5K

-29.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.02 ₫79.3K

$3.79 ₫99.6K

-20.32%

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

$265 ₫7.0M

$264 ₫6.9M

0.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ₫300.9M

$11.7K ₫307.1M

-2.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.15 ₫1.1M

$44.93 ₫1.2M

-8.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.29 ₫611.3K

$23.10 ₫606.4K

0.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 ₫2.2M

$89.9 ₫2.4M

-5.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.5 ₫2.0M

$71.6 ₫1.9M

5.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 ₫9.3M

$335 ₫8.8M

5.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 ₫6.6M

$247 ₫6.5M

1.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$731 ₫19.2M

$769 ₫20.2M

-4.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$528 ₫13.9M

$610 ₫16.0M

-13.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,121 ₫55.7M

$4,800 ₫126.0M

-55.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,232 ₫32.4M

$2,700 ₫70.9M

-54.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$504 ₫13.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

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

Last update for Ninh Binh: June 7, 2026

Last update for Hanoi: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $353 in Ninh Binh and $335 in Hanoi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $21.00 in Ninh Binh vs $27.00 in Hanoi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $192 per month, with Ninh Binh 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

Ninh Binh vs Hanoi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ninh Binh and Hanoi differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($727 vs $749 including rent). Ninh Binh is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,091 in Ninh Binh and $1,123 in Hanoi 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: $353 in Ninh Binh versus $335 in Hanoi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ninh Binh runs roughly 18% less than in Hanoi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $265 in Ninh Binh versus $264 in Hanoi. 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 Ninh Binh 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, Ninh Binh 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 Ninh Binh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Hanoi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.