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Hanoi vs Kaohsiung cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
๐น๐ผ Kaohsiung
At a glance
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Beer (73%โ), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (73%โ), Laundry (64%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Kaohsiung is easier to travel (2.2 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Hanoi 4 vs Kaohsiung 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Kaohsiung | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | NT$ 150$4.76 | Hanoi โ44% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | NT$ 80$2.54 | Hanoi โ25% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 280,000$10.6 | NT$ 450$14.3 | Hanoi โ25% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | NT$ 120$3.81 | Hanoi โ55% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | NT$ 110$3.49 | Hanoi โ73% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | NT$ 350$11.1 | Hanoi โ59% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | NT$ 20$0.63 | Hanoi โ52% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | NT$ 35$1.11 | Hanoi โ59% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 75,000$2.85 | NT$ 190$6.03 | Hanoi โ53% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | NT$ 110$3.49 | Hanoi โ73% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | NT$ 25$0.79 | Hanoi โ62% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | NT$ 400$12.7 | Hanoi โ55% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | NT$ 2,300$73 | Hanoi โ58% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | NT$ 12,500$397 | Hanoi โ9% |
| Laundry | โซ 30,000$1.14 | NT$ 100$3.17 | Hanoi โ64% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 220,000$8.37 | NT$ 450$14.3 | Hanoi โ41% |
| Haircutcut | โซ 80,000$3.04 | NT$ 250$7.94 | Hanoi โ62% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | NT$ 750$23.8 | Hanoi โ52% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | NT$ 1,500$47.6 | Hanoi โ48% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | NT$ 100$3.17 | Hanoi โ16% |
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, Hanoi or Kaohsiung?
Hanoi is 42% cheaper than Kaohsiung. Daily budget $61.4 vs $126; a month $1,277 vs $1,743.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Kaohsiung?
Kaohsiung is easier: Kaohsiung 2.2/5 vs Hanoi 3.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Hanoi and Kaohsiung?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Kaohsiung about $1,743 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.