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Hanoi vs Kathmandu cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
๐ณ๐ต Kathmandu
At a glance
- Where Kathmandu is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (59%โ), Street food (42%โ), Bottled water (39%โ)
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Beer (71%โ), Entry ticket (64%โ), Scooter rental (36%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Biggest gap: language โ Hanoi 3 vs Kathmandu 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Kathmandu | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | Rs 300$2.22 | Kathmandu โ17% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | Rs 150$1.11 | Kathmandu โ42% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 280,000$10.6 | Rs 1,000$7.41 | Kathmandu โ30% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | Rs 250$1.85 | Hanoi โ8% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | Rs 450$3.33 | Hanoi โ71% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | Rs 800$5.93 | Hanoi โ23% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | Rs 25$0.19 | Kathmandu โ39% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | Rs 80$0.59 | Hanoi โ23% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 75,000$2.85 | Rs 350$2.59 | Kathmandu โ9% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | Rs 150$1.11 | Hanoi โ14% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | Rs 30$0.22 | Kathmandu โ27% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | Rs 1,200$8.89 | Hanoi โ36% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | Rs 5,000$37 | Hanoi โ18% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | Rs 20,000$148 | Kathmandu โ59% |
| Laundry | โซ 30,000$1.14 | Rs 200$1.48 | Hanoi โ23% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 220,000$8.37 | Rs 700$5.19 | Kathmandu โ38% |
| Haircutcut | โซ 80,000$3.04 | Rs 350$2.59 | Kathmandu โ15% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | Rs 2,000$14.8 | Hanoi โ23% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | Rs 3,000$22.2 | Kathmandu โ10% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | Rs 1,000$7.41 | Hanoi โ64% |
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 Kathmandu?
Kathmandu is 20% cheaper than Hanoi. Daily budget $61.4 vs $62.5; a month $1,277 vs $749.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Kathmandu?
About the same: Hanoi 3.2/5, Kathmandu 3.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Hanoi and Kathmandu?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Kathmandu about $749 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.