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Hanoi vs Koh Tao 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 Tao
At a glance
- Where Koh Tao is clearly cheaper: Massage (20%โ)
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Transit (90%โ), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (79%โ), Taxi (76%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Koh Tao is easier to travel (3.0 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Hanoi 4 vs Koh Tao 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Koh Tao | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | เธฟ 100$3.03 | Hanoi โ12% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | เธฟ 60$1.82 | similar |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 280,000$10.6 | เธฟ 350$10.6 | similar |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | เธฟ 80$2.42 | Hanoi โ29% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | เธฟ 100$3.03 | Hanoi โ69% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | เธฟ 180$5.45 | Hanoi โ16% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | เธฟ 15$0.45 | Hanoi โ33% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | เธฟ 30$0.91 | Hanoi โ50% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 75,000$2.85 | เธฟ 400$12.1 | Hanoi โ76% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | เธฟ 150$4.55 | Hanoi โ79% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | เธฟ 100$3.03 | Hanoi โ90% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | เธฟ 250$7.58 | Hanoi โ25% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | เธฟ 1,800$54.5 | Hanoi โ44% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | เธฟ 13,000$394 | Hanoi โ8% |
| 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 300$9.09 | Hanoi โ67% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | เธฟ 300$9.09 | Koh Tao 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 100$3.03 | Hanoi โ12% |
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 Tao?
Hanoi is 39% cheaper than Koh Tao. Daily budget $61.4 vs $112; a month $1,277 vs $1,831.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Koh Tao?
Koh Tao is easier: Koh Tao 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 Tao?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Koh Tao about $1,831 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.