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Ella vs Hanoi cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฑ๐ฐ Ella
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
At a glance
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Beer (74%โ), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (64%โ), Scooter rental (57%โ)
- Where Ella is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (54%โ), Transit (45%โ), Half-day tour (19%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Ella is easier to travel (2.8 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Ella 3 vs Hanoi 4. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Ella | Hanoi | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | Rs 1,000$3.33 | โซ 70,000$2.66 | Hanoi โ20% |
| Street food1 item | Rs 600$2 | โซ 50,000$1.9 | similar |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | Rs 3,000$10 | โซ 280,000$10.6 | Ella โ6% |
| Coffeeone cup | Rs 1,000$3.33 | โซ 45,000$1.71 | Hanoi โ49% |
| Beerone bottle | Rs 1,100$3.67 | โซ 25,000$0.95 | Hanoi โ74% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | Rs 2,000$6.67 | โซ 120,000$4.56 | Hanoi โ32% |
| Bottled water | Rs 80$0.27 | โซ 8,000$0.3 | Ella โ12% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | Rs 180$0.6 | โซ 12,000$0.46 | Hanoi โ24% |
| Taxi5 km in town | Rs 1,500$5 | โซ 75,000$2.85 | Hanoi โ43% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | Rs 800$2.67 | โซ 25,000$0.95 | Hanoi โ64% |
| Transitone ride | Rs 50$0.17 | โซ 8,000$0.3 | Ella โ45% |
| Scooter rentalper day | Rs 4,000$13.3 | โซ 150,000$5.7 | Hanoi โ57% |
| Hotel night3-star | Rs 15,000$50 | โซ 800,000$30.4 | Hanoi โ39% |
| Studio rent (month) | Rs 50,000$167 | โซ 9,500,000$361 | Ella โ54% |
| Laundry | Rs 400$1.33 | โซ 30,000$1.14 | Hanoi โ14% |
| SIM card1 week data | Rs 2,500$8.33 | โซ 220,000$8.37 | similar |
| Haircutcut | Rs 800$2.67 | โซ 80,000$3.04 | Ella โ12% |
| Massage1 hour | Rs 5,000$16.7 | โซ 300,000$11.4 | Hanoi โ32% |
| Half-day tourper person | Rs 6,000$20 | โซ 650,000$24.7 | Ella โ19% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | Rs 1,000$3.33 | โซ 70,000$2.66 | Hanoi โ20% |
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, Ella or Hanoi?
Hanoi is 7% cheaper than Ella. Daily budget $90.1 vs $61.4; a month $1,090 vs $1,277.
Which is easier to travel, Ella or Hanoi?
Ella is easier: Ella 2.8/5 vs Hanoi 3.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Ella and Hanoi?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Ella is about $1,090 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.