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Hanoi vs Sarajevo cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
๐ง๐ฆ Sarajevo
At a glance
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Laundry (87%โ), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (80%โ), Entry ticket (78%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Sarajevo is easier to travel (2.2 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Hanoi 4 vs Sarajevo 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Sarajevo | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | KM 18$10.7 | Hanoi โ75% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | KM 7$4.17 | Hanoi โ54% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 280,000$10.6 | KM 30$17.9 | Hanoi โ40% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | KM 4$2.38 | Hanoi โ28% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | KM 5$2.98 | Hanoi โ68% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | KM 12$7.14 | Hanoi โ36% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | KM 1.2$0.71 | Hanoi โ57% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | KM 2$1.19 | Hanoi โ62% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 75,000$2.85 | KM 15$8.93 | Hanoi โ68% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | KM 8$4.76 | Hanoi โ80% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | KM 1.8$1.07 | Hanoi โ72% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | KM 30$17.9 | Hanoi โ68% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | KM 130$77.4 | Hanoi โ61% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | KM 600$357 | similar |
| Laundry | โซ 30,000$1.14 | KM 15$8.93 | Hanoi โ87% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 220,000$8.37 | KM 15$8.93 | Hanoi โ6% |
| Haircutcut | โซ 80,000$3.04 | KM 10$5.95 | Hanoi โ49% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | KM 50$29.8 | Hanoi โ62% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | KM 50$29.8 | Hanoi โ17% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | KM 20$11.9 | Hanoi โ78% |
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 Sarajevo?
Hanoi is 53% cheaper than Sarajevo. Daily budget $61.4 vs $156; a month $1,277 vs $2,167.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Sarajevo?
Sarajevo is easier: Sarajevo 2.2/5 vs Hanoi 3.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Hanoi and Sarajevo?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Sarajevo about $2,167 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.