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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Shanghai is roughly 57% more expensive than in Hanoi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ¥31.97

$1.91 ₫50.1K

147.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥243

$27.24 ₫716.1K

31.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.81

$4.62 ₫121.4K

24.24%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.80

$1.79 ₫47.2K

96.65%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.49 ₫12.8K

16.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.27 ₫7,105

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.20

$0.93 ₫24.4K

46.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.20

$1.94 ₫51.1K

46.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ¥14.20

$1.42 ₫37.4K

47.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.15

$0.98 ₫25.9K

83.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.13

$0.91 ₫24.0K

15.38%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.35

$1.49 ₫39.1K

12.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 ¥107

$8.94 ₫235.2K

76.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.43

$3.78 ₫99.4K

-16.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 ¥74.6

$9.49 ₫249.4K

16.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.08

$3.26 ₫85.7K

-26.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.47

$1.06 ₫27.9K

59.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.07

$1.60 ₫42.0K

11.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.83

$1.08 ₫28.5K

34.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.64

$1.07 ₫28.2K

-22.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.64

$1.05 ₫27.7K

7.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.57

$0.55 ₫14.5K

23.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.06

$0.57 ₫14.9K

5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.06

$1.38 ₫36.2K

104.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 ¥79.5

$13.54 ₫355.9K

-13.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.28

$0.90 ₫23.6K

-13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.64

$1.76 ₫46.2K

-10.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.33 ₫8,777

24.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 ¥237

$7.56 ₫198.8K

363.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.28

$0.81 ₫21.2K

179.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.52

$0.61 ₫16.0K

-39.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥55.4

$1.60 ₫42.0K

411.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.80

$0.84 ₫22.1K

36.90%

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

$19.3K ¥130.5K

$38.6K ₫1.0B

-49.98%

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

$17.7K ¥120.0K

$32.3K ₫848.0M

-45.05%

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

$53.0 ¥359

$78.8 ₫2.1M

-32.74%

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

$8.77 ¥59.4

$5.14 ₫135.2K

70.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ¥93.3

$8.79 ₫231.1K

56.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 ¥307

$28.49 ₫749.1K

59.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

$11.02 ₫289.7K

81.49%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.2

$3.74 ₫98.5K

121.93%

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

$1,264 ¥8,555

$269 ₫7.1M

370.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.3K

$11.4K ₫300.7M

176.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ¥390

$45.01 ₫1.2M

28.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ¥257

$23.24 ₫611.1K

63.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥521

$87.9 ₫2.3M

-12.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 ¥655

$73.5 ₫1.9M

31.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,466

$329 ₫8.6M

190.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,755

$248 ₫6.5M

123.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ¥16.9K

$771 ₫20.3M

223.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ¥8,166

$608 ₫16.0M

98.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥96.7K

$4,891 ₫128.6M

192.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,625 ¥44.8K

$2,709 ₫71.2M

144.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

$516 ₫13.6M

229.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

9.1

-60.66%

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

Last update for Shanghai: July 11, 2026

Last update for Hanoi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $955 in Shanghai and $329 in Hanoi. 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: $36.00 in Shanghai vs $27.00 in Hanoi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $192 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

Shanghai vs Hanoi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Average pay runs 230% higher in Shanghai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $955 in Shanghai versus $329 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 364% less than in Shanghai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,264 in Shanghai versus $269 in Hanoi. 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, Shanghai 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 57% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.