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Hanoi vs Kigali cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
๐ท๐ผ Kigali
At a glance
- Where Kigali is clearly cheaper: SIM card (59%โ), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (50%โ), Haircut (33%โ)
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (61%โ), Scooter rental (53%โ), Hotel night (50%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Kigali is easier to travel (2.6 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Hanoi 4 vs Kigali 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Kigali | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | FRw 4,000$2.71 | similar |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | FRw 2,000$1.36 | Kigali โ29% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 280,000$10.6 | FRw 15,000$10.2 | similar |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | FRw 3,000$2.03 | Hanoi โ16% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | FRw 2,000$1.36 | Hanoi โ30% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | FRw 10,000$6.78 | Hanoi โ33% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | FRw 400$0.27 | Kigali โ11% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | FRw 600$0.41 | Kigali โ11% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 75,000$2.85 | FRw 5,000$3.39 | Hanoi โ16% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | FRw 700$0.47 | Kigali โ50% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | FRw 400$0.27 | Kigali โ11% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | FRw 18,000$12.2 | Hanoi โ53% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | FRw 90,000$61 | Hanoi โ50% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | FRw 550,000$373 | similar |
| Laundry | โซ 30,000$1.14 | FRw 2,000$1.36 | Hanoi โ16% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 220,000$8.37 | FRw 5,000$3.39 | Kigali โ59% |
| Haircutcut | โซ 80,000$3.04 | FRw 3,000$2.03 | Kigali โ33% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | FRw 25,000$16.9 | Hanoi โ33% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | FRw 40,000$27.1 | Hanoi โ9% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | FRw 10,000$6.78 | Hanoi โ61% |
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 Kigali?
Hanoi is 22% cheaper than Kigali. Daily budget $61.4 vs $94.2; a month $1,277 vs $1,307.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Kigali?
Kigali is easier: Kigali 2.6/5 vs Hanoi 3.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Hanoi and Kigali?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Kigali about $1,307 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.