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Hanoi vs Oaxaca cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
๐ฒ๐ฝ Oaxaca
At a glance
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Hotel night (67%โ), Beer (65%โ), Massage (65%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Oaxaca is easier to travel (2.8 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Hanoi 4 vs Oaxaca 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Oaxaca | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | MX$ 120$6.45 | Hanoi โ59% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | MX$ 60$3.23 | Hanoi โ41% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 280,000$10.6 | MX$ 300$16.1 | Hanoi โ34% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | MX$ 60$3.23 | Hanoi โ47% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | MX$ 50$2.69 | Hanoi โ65% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | MX$ 130$6.99 | Hanoi โ35% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | MX$ 15$0.81 | Hanoi โ62% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | MX$ 22$1.18 | Hanoi โ61% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 75,000$2.85 | MX$ 70$3.76 | Hanoi โ24% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | MX$ 45$2.42 | Hanoi โ61% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | MX$ 10$0.54 | Hanoi โ43% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | MX$ 200$10.8 | Hanoi โ47% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | MX$ 1,700$91.4 | Hanoi โ67% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | MX$ 7,500$403 | Hanoi โ10% |
| Laundry | โซ 30,000$1.14 | MX$ 25$1.34 | Hanoi โ15% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 220,000$8.37 | MX$ 150$8.06 | similar |
| Haircutcut | โซ 80,000$3.04 | MX$ 120$6.45 | Hanoi โ53% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | MX$ 600$32.3 | Hanoi โ65% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | MX$ 400$21.5 | Oaxaca โ13% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | MX$ 95$5.11 | Hanoi โ48% |
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 Oaxaca?
Hanoi is 46% cheaper than Oaxaca. Daily budget $61.4 vs $145; a month $1,277 vs $1,751.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Oaxaca?
Oaxaca is easier: Oaxaca 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 Oaxaca?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Oaxaca about $1,751 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.