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Hanoi vs Sharm El Sheikh cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
๐ช๐ฌ Sharm El Sheikh
At a glance
- Where Sharm El Sheikh is clearly cheaper: Street food (46%โ), Transit (33%โ), Half-day tour (17%โ)
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (87%โ), Beer (69%โ), Local meal (57%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Sharm El Sheikh is easier to travel (2.8 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: language โ Hanoi 3 vs Sharm El Sheikh 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Sharm El Sheikh | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | Eยฃ 300$6.12 | Hanoi โ57% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | Eยฃ 50$1.02 | Sharm El Sheikh โ46% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 280,000$10.6 | Eยฃ 700$14.3 | Hanoi โ25% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | Eยฃ 100$2.04 | Hanoi โ16% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | Eยฃ 150$3.06 | Hanoi โ69% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | Eยฃ 400$8.16 | Hanoi โ44% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | Eยฃ 15$0.31 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | Eยฃ 25$0.51 | Hanoi โ11% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 75,000$2.85 | Eยฃ 120$2.45 | Sharm El Sheikh โ14% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | Eยฃ 70$1.43 | Hanoi โ33% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | Eยฃ 10$0.2 | Sharm El Sheikh โ33% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | Eยฃ 2,200$44.9 | Hanoi โ87% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | Eยฃ 2,300$46.9 | Hanoi โ35% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | Eยฃ 15,000$306 | Sharm El Sheikh โ15% |
| Laundry | โซ 30,000$1.14 | Eยฃ 60$1.22 | Hanoi โ7% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 220,000$8.37 | Eยฃ 350$7.14 | Sharm El Sheikh โ15% |
| Haircutcut | โซ 80,000$3.04 | Eยฃ 150$3.06 | similar |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | Eยฃ 1,000$20.4 | Hanoi โ44% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | Eยฃ 1,000$20.4 | Sharm El Sheikh โ17% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | Eยฃ 300$6.12 | Hanoi โ57% |
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 Sharm El Sheikh?
Hanoi is 26% cheaper than Sharm El Sheikh. Daily budget $61.4 vs $91.4; a month $1,277 vs $1,540.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Sharm El Sheikh?
Sharm El Sheikh is easier: Sharm El Sheikh 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 Sharm El Sheikh?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Sharm El Sheikh about $1,540 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.