Popular cities
Hanoi vs Seoul cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
๐ฐ๐ท Seoul
At a glance
- Where Seoul is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (75%โ), Entry ticket (18%โ)
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Laundry (83%โ), Massage (78%โ), Haircut (77%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Seoul is easier to travel (1.4 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Hanoi 4 vs Seoul 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Seoul | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | โฉ 10,000$7.25 | Hanoi โ63% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | โฉ 4,000$2.9 | Hanoi โ34% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 280,000$10.6 | โฉ 30,000$21.7 | Hanoi โ51% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | โฉ 5,500$3.99 | Hanoi โ57% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | โฉ 5,500$3.99 | Hanoi โ76% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | โฉ 15,000$10.9 | Hanoi โ58% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | โฉ 1,000$0.72 | Hanoi โ58% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | โฉ 2,000$1.45 | Hanoi โ69% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 75,000$2.85 | โฉ 8,500$6.16 | Hanoi โ54% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | โฉ 5,500$3.99 | Hanoi โ76% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | โฉ 1,550$1.12 | Hanoi โ73% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | โฉ 2,000$1.45 | Seoul โ75% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | โฉ 110,000$79.7 | Hanoi โ62% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | โฉ 1,000,000$725 | Hanoi โ50% |
| Laundry | โซ 30,000$1.14 | โฉ 9,000$6.52 | Hanoi โ83% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 220,000$8.37 | โฉ 30,000$21.7 | Hanoi โ62% |
| Haircutcut | โซ 80,000$3.04 | โฉ 18,000$13 | Hanoi โ77% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | โฉ 70,000$50.7 | Hanoi โ78% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | โฉ 70,000$50.7 | Hanoi โ51% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | โฉ 3,000$2.17 | Seoul โ18% |
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 Seoul?
Hanoi is 57% cheaper than Seoul. Daily budget $61.4 vs $150; a month $1,277 vs $2,762.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Seoul?
Seoul is easier: Seoul 1.4/5 vs Hanoi 3.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Hanoi and Seoul?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Seoul about $2,762 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.