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: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $759 in Hanoi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,237 in Hanoi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $1,715 in Hanoi.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 59% more expensive than Hanoi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Hanoi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.21

$1.97 ₫51.8K

148.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$26.89 ₫706.5K

34.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.88

$4.56 ₫119.7K

22.59%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.06

$1.80 ₫47.2K

97.22%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.49 ₫12.7K

16.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.27 ₫7,104

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.67

$0.94 ₫24.7K

52.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.27

$1.96 ₫51.4K

45.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.62

$1.37 ₫36.0K

57.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.04

$0.99 ₫25.9K

79.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$0.91 ₫24.0K

20.88%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.55 ₫40.8K

9.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$9.19 ₫241.5K

66.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.15

$3.86 ₫101.5K

-19.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.9

$9.81 ₫257.7K

9.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.31

$3.29 ₫86.5K

-31.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.33

$1.06 ₫27.8K

57.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.18

$1.56 ₫41.1K

15.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.36

$1.12 ₫29.4K

36.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.47

$1.02 ₫26.9K

-20.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.53

$1.01 ₫26.4K

9.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.62

$0.56 ₫14.8K

21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.54 ₫14.2K

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.22

$1.36 ₫35.7K

108.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.6

$13.09 ₫343.8K

-11.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.98 ₫25.6K

-19.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.08

$1.75 ₫46.0K

-6.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.36 ₫9,517

19.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$7.73 ₫203.0K

345.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.94

$0.81 ₫21.2K

172.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.58 ₫15.1K

-34.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.7

$1.60 ₫41.9K

423.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$0.86 ₫22.5K

32.56%

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

$19.5K ¥132.3K

$37.8K ₫994.4M

-48.37%

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

$18.1K ¥122.9K

$31.8K ₫834.9M

-42.88%

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

$52.8 ¥358

$78.9 ₫2.1M

-33.09%

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

$8.53 ¥57.8

$5.13 ₫134.8K

66.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.7

$8.93 ₫234.5K

54.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$28.05 ₫737.0K

67.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$11.35 ₫298.1K

74.54%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.3

$3.77 ₫99.0K

124.40%

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

$1,303 ¥8,823

$264 ₫6.9M

393.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.8K

$11.5K ₫303.3M

173.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥404

$44.92 ₫1.2M

32.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$22.90 ₫601.6K

66.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥534

$89.2 ₫2.3M

-11.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥672

$71.7 ₫1.9M

38.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,317

$331 ₫8.7M

181.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,861

$249 ₫6.6M

128.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.9K

$773 ₫20.3M

222.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,075

$594 ₫15.6M

100.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.7K

$4,919 ₫129.3M

184.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.6K

$2,835 ₫74.5M

137.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$502 ₫13.2M

236.22%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Hanoi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $331 in Hanoi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 236% 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 $225 vs $193 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 59% in total monthly costs ($1,209 vs $759 including rent). Hanoi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Shanghai pays 236% more on average, 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: $933 in Shanghai 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 345% less than in Shanghai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,303 in Shanghai versus $264 in Hanoi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $759 in Hanoi versus $1,209 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 59% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.