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Guilin vs Hanoi cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐จ๐ณ Guilin
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
At a glance
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (79%โ), Laundry (60%โ), SIM card (54%โ)
- Where Guilin is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (53%โ), Street food (26%โ), Taxi (26%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Guilin is easier to travel (3.0 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Guilin 3 vs Hanoi 4. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Guilin | Hanoi | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ยฅ 20$2.82 | โซ 70,000$2.66 | Hanoi โ6% |
| Street food1 item | ยฅ 10$1.41 | โซ 50,000$1.9 | Guilin โ26% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ยฅ 65$9.15 | โซ 280,000$10.6 | Guilin โ14% |
| Coffeeone cup | ยฅ 20$2.82 | โซ 45,000$1.71 | Hanoi โ39% |
| Beerone bottle | ยฅ 10$1.41 | โซ 25,000$0.95 | Hanoi โ33% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ยฅ 45$6.34 | โซ 120,000$4.56 | Hanoi โ28% |
| Bottled water | ยฅ 2$0.28 | โซ 8,000$0.3 | Guilin โ7% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ยฅ 4$0.56 | โซ 12,000$0.46 | Hanoi โ19% |
| Taxi5 km in town | ยฅ 15$2.11 | โซ 75,000$2.85 | Guilin โ26% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ยฅ 9$1.27 | โซ 25,000$0.95 | Hanoi โ25% |
| Transitone ride | ยฅ 2$0.28 | โซ 8,000$0.3 | Guilin โ7% |
| Scooter rentalper day | ยฅ 60$8.45 | โซ 150,000$5.7 | Hanoi โ33% |
| Hotel night3-star | ยฅ 300$42.3 | โซ 800,000$30.4 | Hanoi โ28% |
| Studio rent (month) | ยฅ 1,200$169 | โซ 9,500,000$361 | Guilin โ53% |
| Laundry | ยฅ 20$2.82 | โซ 30,000$1.14 | Hanoi โ60% |
| SIM card1 week data | ยฅ 130$18.3 | โซ 220,000$8.37 | Hanoi โ54% |
| Haircutcut | ยฅ 25$3.52 | โซ 80,000$3.04 | Hanoi โ14% |
| Massage1 hour | ยฅ 90$12.7 | โซ 300,000$11.4 | Hanoi โ10% |
| Half-day tourper person | ยฅ 200$28.2 | โซ 650,000$24.7 | Hanoi โ12% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ยฅ 90$12.7 | โซ 70,000$2.66 | Hanoi โ79% |
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, Guilin or Hanoi?
Guilin is 7% cheaper than Hanoi. Daily budget $71.6 vs $61.4; a month $986 vs $1,277.
Which is easier to travel, Guilin or Hanoi?
Guilin is easier: Guilin 3.0/5 vs Hanoi 3.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Guilin and Hanoi?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Guilin is about $986 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.