Popular cities
Hanoi vs Tainan cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
๐น๐ผ Tainan
At a glance
- Where Tainan is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (38%โ), Entry ticket (17%โ)
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Beer (77%โ), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (77%โ), Laundry (70%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Tainan is easier to travel (2.8 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Hanoi 4 vs Tainan 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Tainan | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | NT$ 120$3.81 | Hanoi โ30% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | NT$ 70$2.22 | Hanoi โ14% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 280,000$10.6 | NT$ 400$12.7 | Hanoi โ16% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | NT$ 110$3.49 | Hanoi โ51% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | NT$ 130$4.13 | Hanoi โ77% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | NT$ 350$11.1 | Hanoi โ59% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | NT$ 20$0.63 | Hanoi โ52% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | NT$ 35$1.11 | Hanoi โ59% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 75,000$2.85 | NT$ 190$6.03 | Hanoi โ53% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | NT$ 130$4.13 | Hanoi โ77% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | NT$ 18$0.57 | Hanoi โ47% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | NT$ 450$14.3 | Hanoi โ60% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | NT$ 2,800$88.9 | Hanoi โ66% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | NT$ 7,000$222 | Tainan โ38% |
| Laundry | โซ 30,000$1.14 | NT$ 120$3.81 | Hanoi โ70% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 220,000$8.37 | NT$ 500$15.9 | Hanoi โ47% |
| Haircutcut | โซ 80,000$3.04 | NT$ 300$9.52 | Hanoi โ68% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | NT$ 700$22.2 | Hanoi โ49% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | NT$ 1,200$38.1 | Hanoi โ35% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | NT$ 70$2.22 | Tainan โ17% |
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 Tainan?
Hanoi is 40% cheaper than Tainan. Daily budget $61.4 vs $138; a month $1,277 vs $1,372.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Tainan?
Tainan is easier: Tainan 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 Tainan?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Tainan about $1,372 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.