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Hanoi vs Medan cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
๐ฎ๐ฉ Medan
At a glance
- Where Medan is clearly cheaper: Laundry (57%โ), Studio rent (month) (41%โ), Half-day tour (38%โ)
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Beer (66%โ), Cocktail & wine (26%โ), Coffee (20%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Medan is easier to travel (3.0 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Hanoi 4 vs Medan 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Medan | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | Rp 30,000$1.84 | Medan โ31% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | Rp 20,000$1.23 | Medan โ35% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 280,000$10.6 | Rp 120,000$7.36 | Medan โ31% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | Rp 35,000$2.15 | Hanoi โ20% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | Rp 45,000$2.76 | Hanoi โ66% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | Rp 100,000$6.13 | Hanoi โ26% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | Rp 4,000$0.25 | Medan โ19% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | Rp 7,000$0.43 | Medan โ6% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 75,000$2.85 | Rp 35,000$2.15 | Medan โ25% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | Rp 15,000$0.92 | similar |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | Rp 5,000$0.31 | similar |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | Rp 80,000$4.91 | Medan โ14% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | Rp 550,000$33.7 | Hanoi โ10% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | Rp 3,500,000$215 | Medan โ41% |
| Laundry | โซ 30,000$1.14 | Rp 8,000$0.49 | Medan โ57% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 220,000$8.37 | Rp 100,000$6.13 | Medan โ27% |
| Haircutcut | โซ 80,000$3.04 | Rp 40,000$2.45 | Medan โ19% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | Rp 120,000$7.36 | Medan โ35% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | Rp 250,000$15.3 | Medan โ38% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | Rp 35,000$2.15 | Medan โ19% |
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 Medan?
Medan is 19% cheaper than Hanoi. Daily budget $61.4 vs $57.3; a month $1,277 vs $874.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Medan?
Medan is easier: Medan 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 Medan?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Medan about $874 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.