How Much Does It Cost to Live In Hanoi?
Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, and also its second largest city, is an amazing mix of East and West and one of the favorite destinations of young people all around the world.
As for the cost of living here, you can see many students living in Hanoi with under 200$, so with 1300$ per month per person, you can have a good condition to live in Vietnam.
This gorgeous city is consistently ranked among the world’s top 10 destinations by TripAdvisor, so it’s no wonder that Hanoi and its surrounding region get more tourists every day.
Vietnam : Cost of Living by City
RESTAURANTS
Hanoi is the perfect city for a quick bite. There are thousands of street stalls in small kiosks on sidewalks, with plastic tables and chairs on the pavement. Grabbing a bite here is a great way to experience the local food and culture. A bowl of noodle soup goes for as little as 1.29$. Generally, a normal dish in Hanoi costs about 2-3$.
MARKETS
Your average monthly budget spent on food will be more or less the same if you cook at home. If you eat outside and are a fan of street food or fine dining restaurants, Hanoi will cost around 15% more. The best place to go grocery shopping is a large supermarket east of Hoan Kiem Lake.
TRANSPORTATION
Taxis are the best way to travel long distances in Hanoi, but the cyclos, or pedicabs, are a cheap way to make shorter trips. Taxi fares are not always consistent, and since the rates for each taxi company have not been standardized, you can get ridiculously overpriced. For lone travelers, rides on the back of motorbikes are also popular. Uber no longer operates in Hanoi but Grab taxis are available via the app.
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
When it comes to monthly prices of utilities, the cheapest one is definitely the price of one minute of mobile phone services, though the internet isn’t expensive either. Monthly price of basic utilities, including electricity, heating, cooling and water for a normal-sized apartment, of about 85m2, amounts to around 66$.
SPORTS & LEISURE
It’s fitness time! You won’t need to cash out huge amounts of money to spend quality leisure time (or fitness time) in Hanoi. You can go to a movie for a fairly low price, and if you’re into sports – pay a monthly fee for a fitness club, which is just a bit more than 25$. Of course, an hour of renting a tennis court remains a bit expensive, yet cheaper than in other cities of Vietnam.
CLOTHING & SHOES
Please bear in mind that when shopping you should really take your time. Never rush into buying anything because sellers often give a very high price that you can bargain down to half of the original price. You can also find a bunch of shopping malls in Hanoi. There, you can buy a pair of quality jeans for about 35$, and other types of light clothing in known chain stores like Zara or H&M for less than this.
RENT PER MONTH
This varies from the place you live, and it has a very wide range. But, as in most cities, the standard rules apply – the closer to the city center, the more expensive it is. Accommodation will cost you anything from 150$ per month for a small room, to 400$ for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center. It really depends on what you prefer and what you want to spend your money on.
Cost of Living Averages Table for Hanoi
*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $2.14 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $0.86 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $0.32 | Average Market Prices |
| Milk (1 Liter) | $1.33 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $0.66 |
| Eggs (12) | $1.44 | Average Transport Prices |
| One Way Ticket | $0.30 |
| Monthly Pass | $8.58 |
| Gasoline | $0.84 | Average Utilities Prices |
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $66.63 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.07 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $11.55 | Average Leisure Prices |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $26.48 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $6.81 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $3.43 | Average Clothing Prices |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $36.46 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $29.12 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $82.22 | Average Rent Prices |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $403.37 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $239.24 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $792.91 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Hanoi?
The biggest bulk of money in Hanoi is spent by its citizens in markets and supermarkets – where people spend on food for a living.
The second place in the pie chart of money spending in Hanoi goes to expenses of rent – because you’ve gotta live somewhere, right?
Though people of Vietnam use transportation virtually for everything, it is still surprising that transportation is such an important part of their everyday life, so these expenses are third, followed by restaurants and basic utilities because – like it or not, bills have to be paid.
As in other Vietnam cities, more money is spent on sports and leisure than on shopping for clothes.
Average Costs Breakdown
Hanoi: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
With a relatively low minimum wage, yet higher than in most Vietnam cities, of just above 180$, all the necessary costs for a normal life in Hanoi can hardly be covered.
Even though the average salary is a bit higher, it is still hard to make ends meet for citizens of Hanoi.
If you’re planning on visiting Hanoi for a longer amount of time, count on cashing out at least 500$ a month so that you could live in normal conditions.
The average salary in Hanoi is about 300$ more than the minimum wage, but it is still not enough to cover the rent expenses, bills, utilities, food and clothing.
Hanoi Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Hanoi Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: LOW
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: MEDIUM
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
- MUGGING RISK: LOW
- TERRORISM RISK: LOW
- SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Cost of Living by City in Hanoi
| City | Cost of Living Index |
|---|---|
| Ho Chi Minh City | 37.82 |
