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Hanoi vs Ulsan 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 Ulsan
At a glance
- Where Ulsan is clearly cheaper: Half-day tour (85%โ), Entry ticket (46%โ)
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Laundry (83%โ), Beer (74%โ), Massage (74%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Ulsan is easier to travel (1.8 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Hanoi 4 vs Ulsan 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Ulsan | 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 25,000$18.1 | Hanoi โ41% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | โฉ 4,800$3.48 | Hanoi โ51% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | โฉ 5,000$3.62 | Hanoi โ74% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | โฉ 12,000$8.7 | Hanoi โ48% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | โฉ 1,100$0.8 | Hanoi โ62% |
| 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 7,500$5.43 | Hanoi โ48% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | โฉ 4,500$3.26 | Hanoi โ71% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | โฉ 1,500$1.09 | Hanoi โ72% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | โฉ 15,000$10.9 | Hanoi โ48% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | โฉ 70,000$50.7 | Hanoi โ40% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | โฉ 550,000$399 | Hanoi โ9% |
| 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 15,000$10.9 | Hanoi โ72% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | โฉ 60,000$43.5 | Hanoi โ74% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | โฉ 5,000$3.62 | Ulsan โ85% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | โฉ 2,000$1.45 | Ulsan โ46% |
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 Ulsan?
Hanoi is 40% cheaper than Ulsan. Daily budget $61.4 vs $113; a month $1,277 vs $1,942.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Ulsan?
Ulsan is easier: Ulsan 1.8/5 vs Hanoi 3.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Hanoi and Ulsan?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Ulsan about $1,942 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.