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: $808 in Popayan versus $765 in Hanoi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,232 in Popayan versus $1,245 in Hanoi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,656 in Popayan versus $1,725 in Hanoi.

Living in Popayan is roughly 6% more expensive than in Hanoi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Popayan 39% lower, Hanoi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.82 COP 12.2K

$1.88 ₫49.6K

103.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 COP 74.9K

$27.26 ₫717.4K

-13.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.33 COP 23.4K

$4.52 ₫119.1K

62.17%

Cappuccino

$1.55 COP 4,938

$1.85 ₫48.6K

-16.22%

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

$0.93 COP 2,983

$0.49 ₫12.9K

89.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 COP 1,966

$0.27 ₫7,111

129.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 COP 3,851

$0.97 ₫25.5K

24.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 COP 7,081

$1.88 ₫49.4K

18.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 3,548

$1.39 ₫36.5K

-20.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 COP 4,052

$0.98 ₫25.9K

29.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,741

$0.89 ₫23.5K

31.46%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 7,098

$1.55 ₫40.7K

43.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 13.9K

$8.91 ₫234.4K

-51.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 COP 17.0K

$3.88 ₫102.1K

37.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.28 COP 23.2K

$9.50 ₫249.9K

-23.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 COP 7,713

$3.24 ₫85.3K

-25.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,552

$1.06 ₫28.0K

4.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 COP 4,150

$1.63 ₫42.9K

-20.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 COP 2,703

$1.12 ₫29.4K

-24.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 3,687

$1.04 ₫27.3K

11.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,561

$1.00 ₫26.4K

12.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 COP 2,733

$0.55 ₫14.5K

56.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 COP 2,094

$0.57 ₫14.9K

15.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.38 COP 7,599

$1.36 ₫35.9K

75.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.44 COP 33.3K

$13.17 ₫346.6K

-20.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,629

$0.96 ₫25.2K

18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,546

$1.81 ₫47.7K

-3.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,143

$0.34 ₫8,892

97.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.71 COP 94.8K

$7.72 ₫203.3K

284.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 4,686

$0.79 ₫20.7K

86.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 COP 5,460

$0.56 ₫14.8K

205.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$1.61 ₫42.3K

267.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,226

$0.91 ₫23.9K

10.99%

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

$17.7K COP 56.6M

$38.7K ₫1.0B

-54.17%

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

$25.3K COP 80.8M

$31.2K ₫822.1M

-18.95%

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

$83.9 COP 267.6K

$80.7 ₫2.1M

3.91%

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

$8.95 COP 28.5K

$5.14 ₫135.2K

74.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.61 COP 72.1K

$8.48 ₫223.3K

166.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.75 COP 75.8K

$28.35 ₫746.3K

-16.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.06 ₫291.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.91 COP 12.5K

$3.72 ₫98.0K

5.11%

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

$236 COP 751.7K

$270 ₫7.1M

-12.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,879 COP 18.8M

$11.5K ₫302.2M

-48.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 COP 190.9K

$45.26 ₫1.2M

32.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.81 COP 104.7K

$23.01 ₫605.8K

42.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 COP 261.0K

$88.0 ₫2.3M

-6.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.9 COP 235.8K

$73.8 ₫1.9M

0.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$288 COP 917.4K

$326 ₫8.6M

-11.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 COP 757.6K

$253 ₫6.7M

-6.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 COP 1.7M

$770 ₫20.3M

-32.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 COP 1.4M

$596 ₫15.7M

-27.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,048 COP 6.5M

$4,865 ₫128.0M

-57.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,422 COP 4.5M

$2,721 ₫71.6M

-47.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$517 ₫13.6M

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Hanoi: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $288 in Popayan and $326 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 $174 vs $192 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 6% in total monthly costs ($808 vs $765 including rent). Hanoi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,212 in Popayan and $1,148 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: $288 in Popayan versus $326 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 285% less than in Popayan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $236 in Popayan versus $270 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 6% less than in Popayan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.