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Hanoi vs Quito cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
๐ช๐จ Quito
At a glance
- Where Quito is clearly cheaper: Street food (21%โ)
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Haircut (70%โ), Entry ticket (69%โ), Beer (68%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Quito is easier to travel (2.8 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Hanoi 4 vs Quito 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Quito | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | $ 5$5 | Hanoi โ47% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | $ 1.5$1.5 | Quito โ21% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 280,000$10.6 | $ 18$18 | Hanoi โ41% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | $ 3$3 | Hanoi โ43% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | $ 3$3 | Hanoi โ68% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | $ 6$6 | Hanoi โ24% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | $ 0.7$0.7 | Hanoi โ57% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | $ 1$1 | Hanoi โ54% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 75,000$2.85 | $ 5$5 | Hanoi โ43% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | $ 3$3 | Hanoi โ68% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | $ 0.35$0.35 | Hanoi โ13% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | $ 15$15 | Hanoi โ62% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | $ 55$55 | Hanoi โ45% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | $ 450$450 | Hanoi โ20% |
| Laundry | โซ 30,000$1.14 | $ 1$1 | Quito โ12% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 220,000$8.37 | $ 10$10 | Hanoi โ16% |
| Haircutcut | โซ 80,000$3.04 | $ 10$10 | Hanoi โ70% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | $ 25$25 | Hanoi โ54% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | $ 30$30 | Hanoi โ18% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | $ 8.5$8.5 | Hanoi โ69% |
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 Quito?
Hanoi is 38% cheaper than Quito. Daily budget $61.4 vs $109; a month $1,277 vs $1,830.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Quito?
Quito is easier: Quito 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 Quito?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Quito about $1,830 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.