Popular cities
Hanoi vs Shanghai cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
๐จ๐ณ Shanghai
At a glance
- Where Shanghai is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (63%โ)
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (84%โ), Beer (78%โ), Haircut (64%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Shanghai is easier to travel (2.4 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Hanoi 4 vs Shanghai 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Shanghai | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | ยฅ 35$4.93 | Hanoi โ46% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | ยฅ 15$2.11 | Hanoi โ10% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 280,000$10.6 | ยฅ 110$15.5 | Hanoi โ31% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | ยฅ 28$3.94 | Hanoi โ57% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | ยฅ 30$4.23 | Hanoi โ78% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | ยฅ 85$12 | Hanoi โ62% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | ยฅ 3$0.42 | Hanoi โ28% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | ยฅ 5$0.7 | Hanoi โ35% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 75,000$2.85 | ยฅ 20$2.82 | similar |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | ยฅ 16$2.25 | Hanoi โ58% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | ยฅ 4$0.56 | Hanoi โ46% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | ยฅ 15$2.11 | Shanghai โ63% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | ยฅ 500$70.4 | Hanoi โ57% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | ยฅ 6,000$845 | Hanoi โ57% |
| Laundry | โซ 30,000$1.14 | ยฅ 14$1.97 | Hanoi โ42% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 220,000$8.37 | ยฅ 100$14.1 | Hanoi โ41% |
| Haircutcut | โซ 80,000$3.04 | ยฅ 60$8.45 | Hanoi โ64% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | ยฅ 200$28.2 | Hanoi โ60% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | ยฅ 250$35.2 | Hanoi โ30% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | ยฅ 120$16.9 | Hanoi โ84% |
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 Shanghai?
Hanoi is 50% cheaper than Shanghai. Daily budget $61.4 vs $118; a month $1,277 vs $2,712.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Shanghai?
Shanghai is easier: Shanghai 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 Shanghai?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Shanghai about $2,712 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.