Popular cities
Hanoi vs Vientiane cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Hanoi
๐ฑ๐ฆ Vientiane
At a glance
- Where Vientiane is clearly cheaper: Massage (60%โ), SIM card (57%โ), Entry ticket (49%โ)
- Where Hanoi is clearly cheaper: Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (48%โ), Transit (33%โ), Convenience store (33%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Vientiane is easier to travel (3.0 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Hanoi 4 vs Vientiane 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hanoi | Vientiane | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 70,000$2.66 | โญ 60,000$2.73 | similar |
| Street food1 item | โซ 50,000$1.9 | โญ 30,000$1.36 | Vientiane โ28% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 280,000$10.6 | โญ 200,000$9.09 | Vientiane โ15% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | โญ 40,000$1.82 | Hanoi โ6% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | โญ 30,000$1.36 | Hanoi โ30% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | โญ 70,000$3.18 | Vientiane โ30% |
| Bottled water | โซ 8,000$0.3 | โญ 5,000$0.23 | Vientiane โ25% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | โญ 15,000$0.68 | Hanoi โ33% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 75,000$2.85 | โญ 60,000$2.73 | similar |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | โญ 40,000$1.82 | Hanoi โ48% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | โญ 10,000$0.45 | Hanoi โ33% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | โญ 100,000$4.55 | Vientiane โ20% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | โญ 700,000$31.8 | similar |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,500,000$361 | โญ 11,000,000$500 | Hanoi โ28% |
| Laundry | โซ 30,000$1.14 | โญ 15,000$0.68 | Vientiane โ40% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 220,000$8.37 | โญ 80,000$3.64 | Vientiane โ57% |
| Haircutcut | โซ 80,000$3.04 | โญ 40,000$1.82 | Vientiane โ40% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | โญ 100,000$4.55 | Vientiane โ60% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 650,000$24.7 | โญ 300,000$13.6 | Vientiane โ45% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | โญ 30,000$1.36 | Vientiane โ49% |
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 Vientiane?
Hanoi is 10% cheaper than Vientiane. Daily budget $61.4 vs $60.9; a month $1,277 vs $1,561.
Which is easier to travel, Hanoi or Vientiane?
Vientiane is easier: Vientiane 3.0/5 vs Hanoi 3.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Hanoi and Vientiane?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hanoi is about $1,277 and Vientiane about $1,561 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.