Popular cities
Hanoi vs Kolkata cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
๐ฎ๐ณ Kolkata
At a glance
- Where Kolkata is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (64%โ), Bottled water (61%โ), Street food (56%โ)
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Beer (64%โ), Entry ticket (55%โ), Hotel night (29%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Kolkata is easier to travel (2.4 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Hanoi 4 vs Kolkata 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Kolkata | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | โน 180$2.14 | Kolkata โ19% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | โน 70$0.83 | Kolkata โ56% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 280,000$10.6 | โน 550$6.55 | Kolkata โ38% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | โน 170$2.02 | Hanoi โ15% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | โน 220$2.62 | Hanoi โ64% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | โน 500$5.95 | Hanoi โ23% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | โน 10$0.12 | Kolkata โ61% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | โน 20$0.24 | Kolkata โ48% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 75,000$2.85 | โน 150$1.79 | Kolkata โ37% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | โน 60$0.71 | Kolkata โ25% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | โน 12$0.14 | Kolkata โ53% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | โน 400$4.76 | Kolkata โ17% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | โน 3,600$42.9 | Hanoi โ29% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | โน 11,000$131 | Kolkata โ64% |
| Laundry | โซ 30,000$1.14 | โน 70$0.83 | Kolkata โ27% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 220,000$8.37 | โน 350$4.17 | Kolkata โ50% |
| Haircutcut | โซ 80,000$3.04 | โน 200$2.38 | Kolkata โ22% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | โน 1,000$11.9 | similar |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | โน 1,500$17.9 | Kolkata โ28% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | โน 500$5.95 | Hanoi โ55% |
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 Kolkata?
Kolkata is 21% cheaper than Hanoi. Daily budget $61.4 vs $65.3; a month $1,277 vs $668.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Kolkata?
Kolkata is easier: Kolkata 2.4/5 vs Hanoi 3.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Hanoi and Kolkata?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Kolkata about $668 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.