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Hanoi vs Melbourne cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
๐ฆ๐บ Melbourne
At a glance
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Transit (92%โ), Beer (90%โ), Entry ticket (89%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Melbourne is easier to travel (1.6 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Hanoi 4 vs Melbourne 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Melbourne | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | A$ 24$16 | Hanoi โ83% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | A$ 15$10 | Hanoi โ81% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 280,000$10.6 | A$ 55$36.7 | Hanoi โ71% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | A$ 5.6$3.73 | Hanoi โ54% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | A$ 14$9.33 | Hanoi โ90% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | A$ 20$13.3 | Hanoi โ66% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | A$ 4$2.67 | Hanoi โ89% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | A$ 4.8$3.2 | Hanoi โ86% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 75,000$2.85 | A$ 18$12 | Hanoi โ76% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | A$ 11$7.33 | Hanoi โ87% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | A$ 5.7$3.8 | Hanoi โ92% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | A$ 40$26.7 | Hanoi โ79% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | A$ 190$127 | Hanoi โ76% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | A$ 2,150$1,433 | Hanoi โ75% |
| Laundry | โซ 30,000$1.14 | A$ 7.5$5 | Hanoi โ77% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 220,000$8.37 | A$ 30$20 | Hanoi โ58% |
| Haircutcut | โซ 80,000$3.04 | A$ 38$25.3 | Hanoi โ88% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | A$ 85$56.7 | Hanoi โ80% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | A$ 90$60 | Hanoi โ59% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | A$ 38$25.3 | Hanoi โ89% |
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 Melbourne?
Hanoi is 76% cheaper than Melbourne. Daily budget $61.4 vs $255; a month $1,277 vs $5,229.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Melbourne?
Melbourne is easier: Melbourne 1.6/5 vs Hanoi 3.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Hanoi and Melbourne?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Melbourne about $5,229 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.