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Hanoi vs Sigiriya cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
๐ฑ๐ฐ Sigiriya
At a glance
- Where Sigiriya is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (68%โ), SIM card (40%โ), Haircut (34%โ)
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (93%โ), Beer (71%โ), Massage (47%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Sigiriya is easier to travel (2.8 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Hanoi 4 vs Sigiriya 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Sigiriya | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | Rs 800$2.67 | similar |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | Rs 500$1.67 | Sigiriya โ12% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 280,000$10.6 | Rs 3,000$10 | Sigiriya โ6% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | Rs 900$3 | Hanoi โ43% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | Rs 1,000$3.33 | Hanoi โ71% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | Rs 1,800$6 | Hanoi โ24% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | Rs 80$0.27 | Sigiriya โ12% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | Rs 180$0.6 | Hanoi โ24% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 75,000$2.85 | Rs 800$2.67 | Sigiriya โ6% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | Rs 500$1.67 | Hanoi โ43% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | Rs 100$0.33 | Hanoi โ9% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | Rs 3,000$10 | Hanoi โ43% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | Rs 13,000$43.3 | Hanoi โ30% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | Rs 35,000$117 | Sigiriya โ68% |
| Laundry | โซ 30,000$1.14 | Rs 400$1.33 | Hanoi โ14% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 220,000$8.37 | Rs 1,500$5 | Sigiriya โ40% |
| Haircutcut | โซ 80,000$3.04 | Rs 600$2 | Sigiriya โ34% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | Rs 6,500$21.7 | Hanoi โ47% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | Rs 8,600$28.7 | Hanoi โ14% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | Rs 12,000$40 | Hanoi โ93% |
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 Sigiriya?
Sigiriya is 7% cheaper than Hanoi. Daily budget $61.4 vs $75.1; a month $1,277 vs $823.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Sigiriya?
Sigiriya is easier: Sigiriya 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 Sigiriya?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Sigiriya about $823 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.