Cost of Living Comparison Between Popayan and Hanoi Cost of Living Comparison Between Popayan and Hanoi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $775 in Popayan versus $767 in Hanoi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,180 in Popayan versus $1,256 in Hanoi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,586 in Popayan versus $1,744 in Hanoi.

Living in Popayan is roughly 1% more expensive than Hanoi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Popayan 42% lower, Hanoi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.83 COP 13.8K

$1.94 ₫50.9K

97.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.38 COP 84.4K

$27.16 ₫712.7K

-13.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 COP 26.6K

$4.48 ₫117.4K

64.29%

Cappuccino

$1.56 COP 5,647

$1.86 ₫48.8K

-16.13%

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

$0.86 COP 3,087

$0.48 ₫12.6K

79.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 COP 2,034

$0.25 ₫6,487

124.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 COP 4,185

$0.92 ₫24.1K

26.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 COP 7,652

$1.90 ₫49.8K

11.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,956

$1.36 ₫35.6K

-19.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,657

$0.96 ₫25.3K

34.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.85 ₫22.3K

32.94%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,793

$1.55 ₫40.7K

39.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.46 COP 16.1K

$9.37 ₫245.8K

-52.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 COP 18.9K

$3.84 ₫100.9K

36.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.25 COP 26.2K

$9.41 ₫246.9K

-22.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 COP 9,251

$3.26 ₫85.6K

-21.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,989

$1.07 ₫28.0K

3.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 COP 4,673

$1.58 ₫41.5K

-18.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 COP 3,118

$1.12 ₫29.5K

-23.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,015

$1.06 ₫27.8K

4.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,032

$1.01 ₫26.6K

10.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,993

$0.53 ₫13.8K

56.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 COP 2,511

$0.56 ₫14.7K

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 COP 8,383

$1.31 ₫34.4K

77.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 ₫375.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,920

$0.95 ₫25.0K

14.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 6,275

$1.84 ₫48.3K

-5.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,587

$0.36 ₫9,447

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.48 COP 110.0K

$7.82 ₫205.1K

289.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,190

$0.75 ₫19.6K

92.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 COP 5,976

$0.56 ₫14.7K

196.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.18 COP 22.3K

$1.67 ₫43.9K

270.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,604

$0.83 ₫21.7K

20.48%

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

$17.7K COP 63.8M

$38.0K ₫998.1M

-53.58%

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

$25.4K COP 91.5M

$32.0K ₫839.7M

-20.79%

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

$82.6 COP 298.2K

$79.6 ₫2.1M

3.77%

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

$8.95 COP 32.3K

$5.10 ₫133.8K

75.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.10 COP 83.4K

$8.58 ₫225.1K

169.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.84 COP 86.1K

$28.06 ₫736.2K

-15.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ₫292.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.96 COP 14.3K

$3.74 ₫98.1K

5.88%

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

$242 COP 873.4K

$261 ₫6.8M

-7.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,882 COP 21.2M

$11.7K ₫306.0M

-49.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 209.6K

$44.11 ₫1.2M

31.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.72 COP 118.1K

$23.54 ₫617.6K

39.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 COP 303.0K

$87.9 ₫2.3M

-4.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 COP 265.4K

$72.3 ₫1.9M

1.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 COP 1.0M

$331 ₫8.7M

-14.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 COP 874.1K

$248 ₫6.5M

-2.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 COP 1.9M

$789 ₫20.7M

-34.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$428 COP 1.5M

$594 ₫15.6M

-27.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,285 ₫112.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,408 ₫63.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$488 ₫12.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

9.1

44.84%

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

Last update for Popayan: April 27, 2026

Last update for Hanoi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Popayan and $331 in Hanoi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Popayan vs $27.00 in Hanoi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $153 vs $194 per month, with Popayan 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

Popayan vs Hanoi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Popayan and Hanoi differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($775 vs $767 including rent). Hanoi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,162 in Popayan and $1,151 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: $284 in Popayan versus $331 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 290% less than in Popayan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $242 in Popayan versus $261 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, Popayan 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 1% less than in Popayan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.