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Hanoi vs Koh Lanta 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 Lanta
At a glance
- Where Koh Lanta is clearly cheaper: Massage (20%โ)
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Transit (83%โ), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (69%โ), Beer (65%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Koh Lanta is easier to travel (3.0 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Hanoi 4 vs Koh Lanta 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Koh Lanta | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | เธฟ 100$3.03 | Hanoi โ12% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | เธฟ 70$2.12 | Hanoi โ10% |
| 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 180$5.45 | Hanoi โ16% |
| 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 150$4.55 | Hanoi โ37% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | เธฟ 100$3.03 | Hanoi โ69% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | เธฟ 60$1.82 | Hanoi โ83% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | เธฟ 250$7.58 | Hanoi โ25% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | เธฟ 1,600$48.5 | Hanoi โ37% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | เธฟ 12,000$364 | similar |
| 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 180$5.45 | Hanoi โ44% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | เธฟ 300$9.09 | Koh Lanta โ20% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | เธฟ 900$27.3 | Hanoi โ9% |
| 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 Lanta?
Hanoi is 23% cheaper than Koh Lanta. Daily budget $61.4 vs $85.8; a month $1,277 vs $1,540.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Koh Lanta?
Koh Lanta is easier: Koh Lanta 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 Lanta?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Koh Lanta about $1,540 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.