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Hanoi vs Koh Chang cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
๐น๐ญ Koh Chang
At a glance
- Where Koh Chang is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (16%โ)
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Transit (83%โ), Beer (65%โ), Entry ticket (56%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Koh Chang is easier to travel (3.0 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Hanoi 4 vs Koh Chang 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Koh Chang | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | เธฟ 100$3.03 | Hanoi โ12% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | เธฟ 80$2.42 | Hanoi โ22% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 280,000$10.6 | เธฟ 350$10.6 | similar |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | เธฟ 70$2.12 | Hanoi โ19% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | เธฟ 90$2.73 | Hanoi โ65% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | เธฟ 200$6.06 | Hanoi โ25% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | เธฟ 10$0.3 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | เธฟ 20$0.61 | Hanoi โ25% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 75,000$2.85 | เธฟ 100$3.03 | Hanoi โ6% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | เธฟ 60$1.82 | Hanoi โ48% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | เธฟ 60$1.82 | Hanoi โ83% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | เธฟ 300$9.09 | Hanoi โ37% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | เธฟ 1,500$45.5 | Hanoi โ33% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | เธฟ 10,000$303 | Koh Chang โ16% |
| Laundry | โซ 30,000$1.14 | เธฟ 50$1.52 | Hanoi โ25% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 220,000$8.37 | เธฟ 300$9.09 | Hanoi โ8% |
| Haircutcut | โซ 80,000$3.04 | เธฟ 170$5.15 | Hanoi โ41% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | เธฟ 400$12.1 | Hanoi โ6% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | เธฟ 800$24.2 | similar |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | เธฟ 200$6.06 | Hanoi โ56% |
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 Koh Chang?
Hanoi is 14% cheaper than Koh Chang. Daily budget $61.4 vs $78.8; a month $1,277 vs $1,338.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Koh Chang?
Koh Chang is easier: Koh Chang 3.0/5 vs Hanoi 3.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Hanoi and Koh Chang?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Koh Chang about $1,338 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.