Which place is cheaper, Hanoi or Chennai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Chennai or Hanoi?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Chennai or Hanoi? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Chennai or Hanoi?
Chennai
Formerly known as Madras from its colonial history, Chennai today is one of India's largest cities and capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the Bay of Bengal in southeastern India with an extensive stretch of sandy beaches, plenty of dining and shopping, a number of historic temples, monuments, and churches, plus amusement parks and more.
Hanoi
Hanoi is the chaotic capital of Vietnam, and it serves as a great introduction to the country for many travelers. It's the second largest city in the country after Saigon and is an interesting combination of East meets West. There's traditional Vietnamese culture with subtle influences brought by the French. The city continues to grow and change rapidly and it's easy to get lost amidst the chaos.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to India, The Best Sightseeing Tours in India, The Best Tours for Seniors to Vietnam, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Vietnam.
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Chennai Prices
India PricesHanoi Prices
Vietnam Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChennai $32Hanoi $57
The average daily cost (per person) in Chennai is $32, while the average daily cost in Hanoi is $57. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Chennai and Hanoi in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChennai $15Hanoi $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChennai $30Hanoi $50
Compare Hotels in Chennai and Hanoi
Looking for a hotel in Chennai or Hanoi? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Chennai Hotel Prices and Hanoi Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chennai $2.47Hanoi $6.54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chennai
Also for Chennai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Affordable Chennai Airport Transfer: $24
- Bangalore - private departure transfer from Hotel to Airport : $35
- Chennai - Private Arrival Transfer - From Airport to Hotel: $20
- Chennai - Private Departure Transfer from Hotel to Airport : $19
- Chennai Airport (MAA) Private Transfer to Chennai City/Hotels: $22
- Chennai Airport to Hotel Transfer: $13
- Chennai International Airport to Hotel-Private Arrival transfer: $30
- 12-Day Guided Tour to Kochi with Transfers: $1,167
- Departure Transfer from Chennai Hotels to Chennai airport: $20
- Departure transfer: Chennai hotels to Chennai International Airport: $19
- Full Day Tour to Kanchipuram and UNESCO's Mahabalipuram with Private Transfer: $234
- Private Arrival Transfer: Chennai Airport (MAA) to Pondicherry Hotels: $108
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Hanoi
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Hanoi:
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Taxi to Bus Station$1.14
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Shuttle Bus From Airport (for Two)$3.03
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Local Bus Ride (for Two)$0.38
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Short Taxi Ride$1.29
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Short Motorbike Ride (10 Minutes)$0.76
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hanoi
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hanoi:
- Hanoi Private Transfer from Hanoi (HAN) Airport to Cao Bang: $290
- Top-Rated Luxury Halong Bay 2-Day Cruise Including Hanoi Transfer: $285
- Hanoi Private Transfer from Hanoi (HAN) Airport to Vinh City: $281
- 25 Minutes Scenic Halong Seaplane from Hanoi Transfer Expressway: $280
- Halong Bay Cruise 3D2N - Kayaking Explorer & Round-trip transfer from Hanoi: $280
- Private Transfer by Dcar Limousine Ha Noi from to Sapa : $269
- Aspira Luxury Cruise Halong Bay & Lan Ha Bay – 2D1N with Transfer: $269
- Private Sapa tour 3 days transfer from Hanoi by limousine overnight 3 star hotel: $264
- Luxury 2D1N Ha Long and Lan Ha Bay Cruise with 2-Way Transfer : $259
- Halong Bay Seaplane Tour with Transfer from Hanoi by expressway: $255
- Halong Bay 2 Days - 1 Night with 5 Star Cruise included transfer & pick up: $254
- Halong Bay Sightseeing With Seaplane Tour Transfer From Hanoi: $250
Is it cheaper to fly into Chennai or Hanoi?
Prices for flights to both Hanoi and Chennai change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayChennai $11Hanoi $23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chennai
For Chennai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Ayurvedic or South Indian Cooking Class in Chennai with an Author: $30
- South Indian Cooking Class in Chennai with a Passionate Baker: $48
- South Indian Vegetarian Cooking Class in Chennai with Meena: $54
- South Indian Vegetarian Cooking Class Near the Chennai airport: $62
- Private Authentic Indian Cooking Class in Chennai with a Local: $76
- Traditional Indian Art, Craft and Cooking Tour: $76
- Traditional Cooking Class in Chennai in a Local Home with Sundari: $78
- Private tour to learn Traditional Indian Art, craft & Cooking: $80
- Private Chennai Market Tour and Cooking Class with a Fun Local: $89
- Authentic South Indian Cooking Class and Vegetarian Meal with a Local in Chennai: $122
- Private Market Tour and South Indian Cooking Class in Chennai: $152
- Food Trail In Sowcarpet With Transport And Dinner - Chennai: $200
Typical Food Prices in Hanoi
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Hanoi:
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High End Dinner (for Two)$11
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$4.17
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Bowl of Pho$0.76
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Italian Dinner (for Food)$5.88
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hanoi
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Hanoi.
- (Group/Individual) HANOI STREET FOOD TOUR : $5.13
- Hanoi Old Quarter Cooking Class Tour With Local Market Shopping : $9.71
- Hanoi Walking Street Food Tour with Train-Street Visit: $18
- Hanoi Cooking Class: Pho/Bun Cha/Banh Xeo...+Free Egg/Salt Coffee: $19
- Hanoi local street food tour: $20
- Hanoi Street Food Tour with Train Street Visit: $22
- Hanoi food tour-Local street food tour (food&guide included): $22
- Hanoi Street Food Tour: $23
- Hanoi Street Food Tour with Experience Guide & Real Foodie: $24
- Hanoi Street Food Tour with Local Delicacies (3 Hours): $24
- Best Hanoi Day Street Food Tour with Real Foodie Tastings: $24
- Hanoi Food Tours: $24
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chennai $2.63Hanoi $8.07
Tours and Activities in Chennai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Chennai.
- Agra: Taj Mahal Skip-the-Line & Guided Private 3 Hours Tour: $4.51
- Taj Mahal & Agra Fort Tour from Delhi by Car – Fast Entry: $4.51
- Private Night Walking Tour Chennai: $12
- Walk and Explore Chennai City: Guided Tour by Foot: $13
- Explore Chennai City in Nightlights: Guided Tour by Foot: $13
- Spiritual Stories of Guided Tour through Holy Sites: $13
- Exploring Chennai Bustling Markets: Guided Tour by Foot: $13
- Chennai Heritage & Cultural Walk (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $14
- Chennai Walking Tour ( 2 hours guided tour): $14
- Night Walking Tour of Chennai: $18
- Magical Markets Guided Walking Tour: $19
- Chennai Walk of Divinity (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $19
Typical Entertainment Prices in Hanoi
Here are a few typical costs in Hanoi for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Puppet Theater$1.52
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The Hanoi Hilton Entrance$1.52
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National History Museum$1.52
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Puppet Theater Ticket$2.65
Tours and Activities in Hanoi
Here are a few actual costs in Hanoi for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Day Private Guided Tour in Pu Luong Nature Hanoi: $169
- 2 Days Hanoi City Bus Tour Experience: $239
- 2-Day Ta Chi Nhu Mountain Hiking Experience: $228
- 2-day Explore Halong Bay in Caravella Cruise: $268
- 3D2N Cao Bang Ba Be Lake Experience: $190
- 3D2N Sapa Bac Ha Shared Tour: $245
- 4 Days 3 Nights Ha Giang Loop Tour from Hanoi by Sleeper Bus: $235
- 5 Days Motorbike Tour in Ha Giang Loop From Hanoi: $265
- All-Inclusive 2D/1N 5star Cruises: Meals-Kayak-Cave-Accommodation : $175
- Ambassador Day Cruise: Discover The Beauty of Halong Bay: $101
- Bai Dinh Pagoda Trang An and Eco Hang Mua Cave Heritage Day Tour: $53
- Beautiful Female Riders Vespa Red River Countryside Tour 5 Hours: $59
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChennai $2.92Hanoi $7.30
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chennai and Hanoi, we can see that Hanoi is more expensive. And not only is Chennai much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Chennai would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Chennai and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Hanoi would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hanoi than you might in Chennai.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Chennai Expensive? and Is Hanoi Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Chennai or Hanoi?
Chennai has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Hanoi. When comparing the sizes of Chennai and Hanoi, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.