Which place is cheaper, Hanoi or Johannesburg?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Johannesburg 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 Johannesburg 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: Johannesburg or Hanoi?
Johannesburg
Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa with a population of over 3 million people. Most of the population is made up of South Africa's black residents, who predominately reside in the Soweto area. There are approximately half a million white residents and 300,000 residents of other descent. Half of the population live in the Soweto area as well as the nearby suburbs.
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 South Africa, The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, The Best Adventure Tours to Vietnam, and The Best Eco Tours in Vietnam.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayJohannesburg $95Hanoi $48
The average daily cost (per person) in Johannesburg is $95, while the average daily cost in Hanoi is $48. 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 Johannesburg and Hanoi in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personJohannesburg $55Hanoi $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomJohannesburg $110Hanoi $50
Compare Hotels in Johannesburg and Hanoi
Looking for a hotel in Johannesburg 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: Johannesburg Hotel Prices and Hanoi Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Johannesburg $16Hanoi $6.79
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Johannesburg
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Johannesburg:
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Taxi Ride$3.24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Johannesburg
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Johannesburg:
- 1-3 Passenger Private Johannesburg - Airport Transfer: $35
- Airport To Suncity Transfer And Return: $405
- Apartheid Museum Private Transfers: $44
- Arrival Private Transfer: Tambo Airport JNB to Johannesburg in Business Car: $61
- Departure Private Transfer: Johannesburg to Tambo Airport JNB in Luxury Van: $72
- Executive Airport Transfers - OR Tambo to Sandton : $179
- From Johannesburg Airport: 1-Way Transfer with Pretoria Tour: $109
- Johannesburg Airport (JNB): Transfer to Johannesburg hotels: $195
- Johannesburg Airport (JNB): Transfer to Pretoria hotels: $279
- Johannesburg Airport JNB to Johannesburg Hotels Arrival Transfer: $35
- Johannesburg Airport Private Transfers: Departures (Hotel Pickup): $45
- Johannesburg Airport Transfers: $55
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$1.18
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Shuttle Bus From Airport (for Two)$3.15
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Local Bus Ride (for Two)$0.39
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Short Taxi Ride$1.34
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Short Motorbike Ride (10 Minutes)$0.79
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hanoi
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hanoi:
- Amazing Hanoi Private TransferTaxi-Cheap Vietnam SimCard Internet: $6.90
- Hanoi Private Car Airport Transfer To Hotel: $7.16
- Noi Bai Airport transfer to Hanoi Center and more: $8.00
- Noi Bai International Airport Private Transfer: $8.18
- Hanoi City Center to Noi Bai Airport - Private Transfer: $8.43
- Hanoi Airport Departure Shared Transfer: $10
- Bus Transfer Hanoi to Halong Bay and Vice Versa : $11
- Private Noi Bai International Airport Transfer: $11
- Private Car Ha Noi Airport Transfer : $12
- Hanoi Airport Transfer: $13
- Noi Bai airport to Ha Noi city transfer by private car: $13
- Private Airport Transfer in Hanoi: $13
Is it cheaper to fly into Johannesburg or Hanoi?
Prices for flights to both Hanoi and Johannesburg 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 dayJohannesburg $17Hanoi $13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Johannesburg
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Johannesburg.
- Maboneng Street Art and Street Food Tour: $41
- JOBURG DINNERS : MABONENG CITY DINNER: $97
- Johannesburg Culture and food tour: $99
- Pan-African Cooking & Dinning Experience: $216
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)$4.33
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Bowl of Pho$0.79
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Italian Dinner (for Food)$6.10
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hanoi
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Hanoi.
- Hanoi free food tour - Old Quarter food walking tour: $5.00
- Street Food Tour (Group/Individual): $5.11
- Hanoi Street Food Tour Visit Train Street Add Old Quarter: $19
- Hanoi Walking Street Food Tour: $20
- Walking Street Food Tour Small Group with Local Guide: $22
- Hanoi Street Food Tour: $22
- Hanoi street food tour small group tour: $22
- Hanoi Street Food Tour: $23
- Ngon ngon & Authentic Hanoi Food Tour: $23
- Hanoi food tour-Local street food tour (food&guide included): $23
- Guided Street Food Tour with Train Street Experience: $23
- Vietnamese Street Food Tour with a Local Guide: $23
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Johannesburg $21Hanoi $8.38
Tours and Activities in Johannesburg
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Johannesburg are as follows:
- Johannesburg Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Hop-On Hop-Off Bus with Optional Soweto Tour: $16
- Jo'burg Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with Apartheid Museum & Soweto: $16
- Architectural Walking Tour: $19
- Soweto: Hector Pieterson Memorial, to Orlando Towers Tour: $24
- Maboneng Street Art & Culture Tour: $27
- Braamfontein Street Art Tour: $27
- Soweto: Bike Tour with a Local Tour Guide: $30
- Colours of A Graffiti & Street Art Tour: $30
- Johannesburg Street Art & Museum Walking or E-scooter Tour : $30
- (Meet the Artist)Art Gallery & Street Art tour with lunch: $30
- A Day Of Soweto Food & Beer Tour: $32
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$1.57
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The Hanoi Hilton Entrance$1.57
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National History Museum$1.57
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Puppet Theater Ticket$2.75
Tours and Activities in Hanoi
Here are a few actual costs in Hanoi for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Bus Ticket Cat Ba - Hanoi ( Bus+ Ferry ) - Best Selling: $0.02
- Hanoi Old Quarter Free walking tour: $5.00
- Private Hanoi Street Food Walking Tour: $5.00
- Half Day Hanoi Old Quarter Private Walking Tour : $5.00
- Hanoi Street Food Experience: $5.00
- (Evening) HANOI CUSTOMIZED Walking Tour: $5.00
- Half-day Private Walking Tour of Hanoi's Old Quarter: $5.00
- Sightseeing Walking Tour in Hanoi: $5.00
- Private Walking Tour of Hanoi City: $5.00
- Street Food Walking Tour in Hanoi: $5.00
- Half Day Hanoi Old Quarter Private Walking Tour: $5.00
- Hanoi Old Quarter Half-day Private Walking Tour : $5.00
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayJohannesburg $4.73Hanoi $7.58
Sample the Local Flavors in Johannesburg
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Johannesburg:
- Wine Tasting Experience in Johannesburg: $8.28
Sample the Local Flavors in Hanoi
Also in Hanoi, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Half-Day Guided Tour Australian Beef with Wine Tasting & Rickshaw in Hanoi: $107
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Johannesburg and Hanoi, we can see that Johannesburg is more expensive. And not only is Hanoi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Johannesburg is in Africa and Hanoi is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Hanoi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Hanoi 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 Johannesburg would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Johannesburg than you might in Hanoi.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Johannesburg Expensive? and Is Hanoi Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Johannesburg or Hanoi?
Johannesburg has a larger population, and is about 42% larger than the population of Hanoi. When comparing the sizes of Johannesburg 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.