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Hanoi vs Muscat cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
๐ด๐ฒ Muscat
At a glance
- Where Muscat is clearly cheaper: Street food (32%โ)
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Beer (92%โ), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (80%โ), Entry ticket (80%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Muscat is easier to travel (2.8 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Hanoi 4 vs Muscat 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Muscat | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | OMR 2.5$6.5 | Hanoi โ59% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | OMR 0.5$1.3 | Muscat โ32% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 280,000$10.6 | OMR 7$18.2 | Hanoi โ42% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | OMR 1.8$4.68 | Hanoi โ63% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | OMR 4.5$11.7 | Hanoi โ92% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | OMR 6$15.6 | Hanoi โ71% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | OMR 0.1$0.26 | Muscat โ14% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | OMR 0.3$0.78 | Hanoi โ42% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 75,000$2.85 | OMR 2.5$6.5 | Hanoi โ56% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | OMR 1.8$4.68 | Hanoi โ80% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | OMR 0.3$0.78 | Hanoi โ61% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | OMR 7$18.2 | Hanoi โ69% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | OMR 28$72.8 | Hanoi โ58% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | OMR 230$598 | Hanoi โ40% |
| Laundry | โซ 30,000$1.14 | OMR 1$2.6 | Hanoi โ56% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 220,000$8.37 | OMR 5$13 | Hanoi โ36% |
| Haircutcut | โซ 80,000$3.04 | OMR 3$7.8 | Hanoi โ61% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | OMR 18$46.8 | Hanoi โ76% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | OMR 20$52 | Hanoi โ52% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | OMR 5$13 | Hanoi โ80% |
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 Muscat?
Hanoi is 52% cheaper than Muscat. Daily budget $61.4 vs $138; a month $1,277 vs $2,486.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Muscat?
Muscat is easier: Muscat 2.8/5 vs Hanoi 3.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Hanoi and Muscat?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Muscat about $2,486 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.