Which place is cheaper, Hanoi or Varanasi?
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 Varanasi or Hanoi?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Varanasi and Hanoi can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Varanasi or Hanoi?
Varanasi
Known to be one of India's holiest cities, many come to Varanasi on a spiritual pilgrimage looking to bathe in the sacred waters of the Ganges River. Dating back to the 11th Century BC, it is also one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Centuries old temples make up the backdrop, as many come and come again to perform their holy rights at the edge of the historic river.
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 Bicycle Tours in India, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in India, The Best Tours for Seniors to Vietnam, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Vietnam.
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Varanasi Prices
India PricesHanoi Prices
Vietnam Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayVaranasi $33Hanoi $57
The average daily cost (per person) in Varanasi is $33, 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 Varanasi and Hanoi in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personVaranasi $15Hanoi $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomVaranasi $30Hanoi $50
Compare Hotels in Varanasi and Hanoi
Looking for a hotel in Varanasi 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: Varanasi Hotel Prices and Hanoi Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Varanasi $4.69Hanoi $6.54
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Varanasi
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Varanasi:
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Tuk Tuk Through Town$0.91
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Rickshaw Ride$0.57
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Varanasi
Also for Varanasi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 3-hours Temple hopping with transfers: $35
- Delhi Private Arrival Transfer From New Delhi Airport To Hotel In Delhi: $34
- From Agra: Budget One Way Transfer Agra to Varanasi: $160
- From Agra: One-Way Private Transfer to Varanasi: $166
- Private Car Airport Transfer from Hotel in Delhi, Noida, Gurugram: $55
- Private Departure Transfer from Varanasi Hotel to Airport: $28
- Private Transfer from Lal Bahadur Shastri (VNS) Airport to Varanasi: $45
- Private Transfer: Varanasi Airport to Varanasi Hotel: $12
- Varanasi - Arrival transfer from airport to hotel: $24
- Varanasi Airport Transfer: $14
- Varanasi Airport to Varanasi Hotels drop: Private Transfers: $23
- Varanasi Hotels to Varanasi Airport drop: Private Transfers: $23
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:
- Wonder Bay Cruise 1 Day Trip Transfer from Hanoi by Expressway: $80
- VIP LUXURY Sapa 2D1N -TRANSFER BY LUX LIMOUSINE CAR (Stay at 5* hotel): $189
- V.I.P Halong/Lan Ha Bay Full Day With Luxury Transfer From Hanoi: $120
- Transfer Hanoi to Halong Super Limousine Morning Bus: $33
- The most Luxury Day Cruise with transfer from Ha Noi & Drink : $101
- The Best Sapa Tour 2D1N At 3 Star Hotel by sleeping BUS TRANSFER : $116
- Symphony Cruise- Luxury Day Trip From Hanoi With Express Transfer: $105
- Shuttle Bus Transfer from Hanoi to Halong Bay : $17
- Sapa Trekking 2 Days 1 Night Transfer By Sleeper Bus: $150
- Sapa Trek Tours -2D1N Stay At 3*** -TRANSFER BY SLEEPING BUS: $139
- Sapa Tours 2D1N stay At 4 stars hotel nice Sleeping Bus TRANSFER : $138
- SAPA 2 Days Trekking Tour Transfer from HANOI (Hotel Overnight): $135
Is it cheaper to fly into Varanasi or Hanoi?
Prices for flights to both Hanoi and Varanasi 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 dayVaranasi $12Hanoi $23
Typical Food Prices in Varanasi
For Varanasi, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner In Town$3.92
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Varanasi
For Varanasi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Tests of Best Varanasi Local Food Tour With Tourist Guide: $17
- 3-hour street food tour: $33
- Cooking Class with Sona: $42
- Private Food Tour with Ganga Aarti Ceremony: $42
- Ultimate 2 Days in Varanasi - Fully Guided Tour - Rooftop Dinner on Ganges: $121
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.
- Hanoi Cooking Class: Pho/Bun Cha/Banh Xeo...+Free Egg/Salt Coffee: $19
- Hanoi local street food tour: $20
- Hanoi food tour-Local street food tour (food&guide included): $22
- Hanoi Street Food Tour with Train Street Visit: $22
- Hanoi Street Food Tour: $23
- 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
- Best Seller Hanoi Street Food Tour with Train Street Visit: $25
- Hanoi Street Food Tour - Best Price: $25
- Ninh Binh Cooking Class at Buffalo Cave: $25
- Half Day Street Food Tours in Hanoi: $25
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Varanasi $9.96Hanoi $8.07
Typical Entertainment Prices in Varanasi
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Varanasi's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Boat Ride$0.79
Tours and Activities in Varanasi
For Varanasi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- From Delhi: Taj Mahal & Agra Tour by Gatimaan Express Train: $2.82
- From Delhi: Taj Mahal Sunrise, Baby Taj & Agra Fort Day Tour: $3.95
- Agra: Taj Mahal Tour with Professional photographer & Guide: $5.64
- Spiritual Tour in Varanasi with a local- Experience true essence of spirituality: $12
- Spiritual and Heritage Walking Tour in Varanasi: $12
- Cultural & Spiritual Trails of Old Town Varanasi Guided Walking Tour: $12
- Temple Walk Tour Varanasi: $12
- Sunrise in Banaras with Ganga Aarti (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $14
- Mysticism of Varanasi Tour with a local including free Guided Boat Ride: $18
- Sunrise in Varanasi Tour with a local with free Ganga Aarti and Boat Ride: $18
- Marigold Boat Tour in Varanasi: $19
- Same Day Taj Mahal, Agra Fort & Baby Taj Tour from Delhi by Cab: $20
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:
- 1 Day Dia Tang Phi Lai, Cay Thi Pagoda and Trang An Complex Tour: $122
- 2 Day Private Guided Tour in Pu Luong Nature Hanoi: $169
- 2 Day Victory Cruise to Explore Halong Bay from Hanoi: $170
- 2 Days Hanoi City Bus Tour Experience: $239
- 2 Days and 1 Night Lan Ha Bay Adventure from Hanoi: $245
- 2 days 1 Night Sapa Trekking Group Tour: $126
- 2 days 1 night Sapa trekking group tour at homestay: $160
- 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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayVaranasi $7.45Hanoi $7.30
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Varanasi and Hanoi, we can see that Hanoi is more expensive. And not only is Varanasi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Varanasi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Varanasi 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 Varanasi.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Varanasi Expensive? and Is Hanoi Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Varanasi or Hanoi?
Hanoi has a larger population, and is about 23% larger than the population of Varanasi. When comparing the sizes of Varanasi 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.