Popular cities
Hanoi vs Phnom Penh cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
๐ฐ๐ญ Phnom Penh
At a glance
- Where Phnom Penh is clearly cheaper: SIM card (28%โ), Half-day tour (19%โ)
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (73%โ), Convenience store (54%โ), Beer (52%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Phnom Penh is easier to travel (3.0 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: getting around โ Hanoi 3 vs Phnom Penh 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Phnom Penh | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | $ 3.5$3.5 | Hanoi โ24% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | $ 2$2 | Hanoi โ5% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 280,000$10.6 | $ 12$12 | Hanoi โ11% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | $ 2.8$2.8 | Hanoi โ39% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | $ 2$2 | Hanoi โ52% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | $ 5$5 | Hanoi โ9% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | $ 0.5$0.5 | Hanoi โ39% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | $ 1$1 | Hanoi โ54% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 75,000$2.85 | $ 2.5$2.5 | Phnom Penh โ12% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | $ 1.25$1.25 | Hanoi โ24% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | $ 0.4$0.4 | Hanoi โ24% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | $ 8$8 | Hanoi โ29% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | $ 45$45 | Hanoi โ32% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | $ 500$500 | Hanoi โ28% |
| Laundry | โซ 30,000$1.14 | $ 1.25$1.25 | Hanoi โ9% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 220,000$8.37 | $ 6$6 | Phnom Penh โ28% |
| Haircutcut | โซ 80,000$3.04 | $ 3$3 | similar |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | $ 10$10 | Phnom Penh โ12% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | $ 20$20 | Phnom Penh โ19% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | $ 10$10 | Hanoi โ73% |
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 Phnom Penh?
Hanoi is 24% cheaper than Phnom Penh. Daily budget $61.4 vs $80.9; a month $1,277 vs $1,689.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Phnom Penh?
Phnom Penh is easier: Phnom Penh 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 Phnom Penh?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Phnom Penh about $1,689 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.