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Hanoi vs Raleigh cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
๐บ๐ธ Raleigh
At a glance
- Where Raleigh is clearly cheaper: Half-day tour (27%โ)
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (90%โ), Haircut (90%โ), Street food (86%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Raleigh is easier to travel (1.6 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Hanoi 4 vs Raleigh 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Raleigh | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | $ 18$18 | Hanoi โ85% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | $ 14$14 | Hanoi โ86% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 280,000$10.6 | $ 40$40 | Hanoi โ73% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | $ 6$6 | Hanoi โ71% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | $ 6$6 | Hanoi โ84% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | $ 13$13 | Hanoi โ65% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | $ 2$2 | Hanoi โ85% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | $ 2.5$2.5 | Hanoi โ82% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 75,000$2.85 | $ 14$14 | Hanoi โ80% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | $ 10$10 | Hanoi โ90% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | $ 1.25$1.25 | Hanoi โ76% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | $ 35$35 | Hanoi โ84% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | $ 140$140 | Hanoi โ78% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | $ 1,400$1,400 | Hanoi โ74% |
| Laundry | โซ 30,000$1.14 | $ 6$6 | Hanoi โ81% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 220,000$8.37 | $ 30$30 | Hanoi โ72% |
| Haircutcut | โซ 80,000$3.04 | $ 30$30 | Hanoi โ90% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | $ 80$80 | Hanoi โ86% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | $ 18$18 | Raleigh โ27% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | $ 18$18 | Hanoi โ85% |
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 Raleigh?
Hanoi is 78% cheaper than Raleigh. Daily budget $61.4 vs $286; a month $1,277 vs $5,451.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Raleigh?
Raleigh is easier: Raleigh 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 Raleigh?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Raleigh about $5,451 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.