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Hanoi vs Riyadh cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
๐ธ๐ฆ Riyadh
At a glance
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (86%โ), Scooter rental (79%โ), Massage (79%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Riyadh is easier to travel (2.4 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Hanoi 4 vs Riyadh 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Riyadh | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | SAR 30$8 | Hanoi โ67% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | SAR 10$2.67 | Hanoi โ29% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 280,000$10.6 | SAR 75$20 | Hanoi โ47% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | SAR 16$4.27 | Hanoi โ60% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | SAR 10$2.67 | Hanoi โ64% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | SAR 28$7.47 | Hanoi โ39% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | SAR 1$0.27 | Riyadh โ12% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | SAR 3$0.8 | Hanoi โ43% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 75,000$2.85 | SAR 18$4.8 | Hanoi โ41% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | SAR 12$3.2 | Hanoi โ70% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | SAR 4$1.07 | Hanoi โ71% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | SAR 100$26.7 | Hanoi โ79% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | SAR 300$80 | Hanoi โ62% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | SAR 3,300$880 | Hanoi โ59% |
| Laundry | โซ 30,000$1.14 | SAR 10$2.67 | Hanoi โ57% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 220,000$8.37 | SAR 40$10.7 | Hanoi โ22% |
| Haircutcut | โซ 80,000$3.04 | SAR 30$8 | Hanoi โ62% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | SAR 200$53.3 | Hanoi โ79% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | SAR 250$66.7 | Hanoi โ63% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | SAR 70$18.7 | Hanoi โ86% |
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 Riyadh?
Hanoi is 58% cheaper than Riyadh. Daily budget $61.4 vs $147; a month $1,277 vs $3,041.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Riyadh?
Riyadh is easier: Riyadh 2.4/5 vs Hanoi 3.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Hanoi and Riyadh?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Riyadh about $3,041 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.