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Hanoi vs Recife cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
๐ง๐ท Recife
At a glance
- Where Recife is clearly cheaper: Half-day tour (48%โ), SIM card (23%โ)
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (74%โ), Transit (63%โ), Haircut (63%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Recife is easier to travel (2.8 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Hanoi 4 vs Recife 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Recife | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | R$ 30$5.56 | Hanoi โ52% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | R$ 12$2.22 | Hanoi โ14% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 280,000$10.6 | R$ 80$14.8 | Hanoi โ28% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | R$ 12$2.22 | Hanoi โ23% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | R$ 12$2.22 | Hanoi โ57% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | R$ 22$4.07 | Recife โ11% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | R$ 3$0.56 | Hanoi โ45% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | R$ 6$1.11 | Hanoi โ59% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 75,000$2.85 | R$ 17$3.15 | Hanoi โ9% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | R$ 8$1.48 | Hanoi โ36% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | R$ 4.5$0.83 | Hanoi โ63% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | R$ 120$22.2 | Hanoi โ74% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | R$ 260$48.1 | Hanoi โ37% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | R$ 1,800$333 | Recife โ8% |
| Laundry | โซ 30,000$1.14 | R$ 16$2.96 | Hanoi โ62% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 220,000$8.37 | R$ 35$6.48 | Recife โ23% |
| Haircutcut | โซ 80,000$3.04 | R$ 45$8.33 | Hanoi โ63% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | R$ 120$22.2 | Hanoi โ49% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | R$ 70$13 | Recife โ48% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | R$ 30$5.56 | Hanoi โ52% |
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 Recife?
Hanoi is 25% cheaper than Recife. Daily budget $61.4 vs $93.9; a month $1,277 vs $1,459.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Recife?
Recife is easier: Recife 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 Recife?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Recife about $1,459 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.