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Cusco vs Hanoi cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ต๐ช Cusco
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
At a glance
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (82%โ), Entry ticket (75%โ), Beer (61%โ)
- Where Cusco is clearly cheaper: Half-day tour (34%โ), Street food (29%โ), Studio rent (month) (25%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Cusco | Hanoi | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | S/ 15$4.05 | โซ 70,000$2.66 | Hanoi โ34% |
| Street food1 item | S/ 5$1.35 | โซ 50,000$1.9 | Cusco โ29% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | S/ 55$14.9 | โซ 280,000$10.6 | Hanoi โ28% |
| Coffeeone cup | S/ 9$2.43 | โซ 45,000$1.71 | Hanoi โ30% |
| Beerone bottle | S/ 9$2.43 | โซ 25,000$0.95 | Hanoi โ61% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | S/ 20$5.41 | โซ 120,000$4.56 | Hanoi โ16% |
| Bottled water | S/ 2.5$0.68 | โซ 8,000$0.3 | Hanoi โ55% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | S/ 3.5$0.95 | โซ 12,000$0.46 | Hanoi โ52% |
| Taxi5 km in town | S/ 15$4.05 | โซ 75,000$2.85 | Hanoi โ30% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | S/ 7$1.89 | โซ 25,000$0.95 | Hanoi โ50% |
| Transitone ride | S/ 1.5$0.41 | โซ 8,000$0.3 | Hanoi โ25% |
| Scooter rentalper day | S/ 120$32.4 | โซ 150,000$5.7 | Hanoi โ82% |
| Hotel night3-star | S/ 230$62.2 | โซ 800,000$30.4 | Hanoi โ51% |
| Studio rent (month) | S/ 1,000$270 | โซ 9,500,000$361 | Cusco โ25% |
| Laundry | S/ 8$2.16 | โซ 30,000$1.14 | Hanoi โ47% |
| SIM card1 week data | S/ 30$8.11 | โซ 220,000$8.37 | similar |
| Haircutcut | S/ 15$4.05 | โซ 80,000$3.04 | Hanoi โ25% |
| Massage1 hour | S/ 60$16.2 | โซ 300,000$11.4 | Hanoi โ30% |
| Half-day tourper person | S/ 60$16.2 | โซ 650,000$24.7 | Cusco โ34% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | S/ 40$10.8 | โซ 70,000$2.66 | Hanoi โ75% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Cusco or Hanoi?
Hanoi is 25% cheaper than Cusco. Daily budget $107 vs $61.4; a month $1,383 vs $1,277.
Which is easier to travel, Cusco or Hanoi?
About the same: Cusco 3.2/5, Hanoi 3.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Cusco and Hanoi?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Cusco is about $1,383 and Hanoi about $1,277 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.