Which place is cheaper, Hanoi or Kampala?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kampala or Hanoi?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Kampala 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: Kampala or Hanoi?
Kampala
Kampala is the capital of Uganda in the South part of the country near Lake Victoria. It is the largest city in Uganda, with a population of over two million people. This city is very safe and the locals are known to be very kind and approachable.
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 Camping Tours in Uganda, The Best Safaris in Uganda, The Best Adventure Tours to Vietnam, and The Best Eco Tours in Vietnam.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKampala $69Hanoi $48
The average daily cost (per person) in Kampala is $69, 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 Kampala and Hanoi in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKampala $59Hanoi $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKampala $118Hanoi $50
Compare Hotels in Kampala and Hanoi
Looking for a hotel in Kampala 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: Kampala Hotel Prices and Hanoi Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kampala $2.48Hanoi $6.79
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kampala
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Kampala are as follows:
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Taxi around town$3.98
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kampala
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kampala:
- Entebbe Airport Transfers: $80
- Entebbe Airport taxi. For a safe, affordable and reliable 24/7 airport transfer.: $45
- From 3-Day Murchison Falls Safari with Transfer: $2,200
- Full-Day Kampala Trip with Lunch and Hotel Transfers: $200
- Private Transfer from Entebbe Airport (EBB) Uganda to Kampala: $128
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:
- ( Deluxe & Small Group ) Bai Dinh Trang An Mua Cave Tour with Limousine Transfer: $54
- 1 Day Halong Cruise Tour with Transfer and early return to Hanoi: $24
- 1-Way Transfer between Hanoi and Ha Long via Limousine Bus: $22
- 2 Days 1 night Ba Be Lake BEST ADVENTURE: transfer,homestay,boat,kayak,swim,cave: $153
- 2 Days Halong Bay With Budget Cruise - Including Transfer From Hanoi: $148
- 2-Day Adenture Pu Luong Motorbike Tour with Transfer from HANOI : $125
- 2-Day Hanoi - Ninh Binh - Ha Long Bay With Transfer: $190
- 2-Day In Halong Bay Cruise With Transfer From Hanoi: $180
- 2-Day Ninh Binh & Halong Bay With Transfer: $210
- 2-day Ha Long Bay Cruise included Transfer, Kayking and Swimming: $180
- 25 Minutes Scenic Halong Seaplane from Hanoi Transfer Expressway: $280
- 3-Day Halong Bay Cruise with Round-trip Transfer From Hanoi: $285
Is it cheaper to fly into Kampala or Hanoi?
Prices for flights to both Hanoi and Kampala 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 dayKampala $8.36Hanoi $13
Typical Food Prices in Kampala
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Kampala:
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Lunch for 2$1.59
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kampala
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kampala.
- Like a local cooking Tours: $26
- Three-Hour Food Tour: $41
- Private Cooking Class with a Local Host: $47
- Momma Ida's Ugandan Cuisine Cooking Tour: $75
- Kampala City Walking Food Tour: $77
- Night-time Boda Boda Street Food Tour: $91
- Amazing Race - Food Tour: $103
- Half-day Kampala City Tour and Traditional Dance Show with Dinner (7-Hours): $147
- Kampala food tour: $205
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.
- Private Traditional Vietnamese Food Cooking Class in Hanoi : $5.00
- Hanoi free food tour - Old Quarter food walking tour: $5.00
- Street Food Tour (Group/Individual): $5.11
- (Group/Individual) HANOI STREET FOOD TOUR : $5.13
- Hanoi Street Food Tour Visit Train Street Add Old Quarter: $19
- Hanoi Walking Street Food Tour: $20
- Street Food Tour By Walking: $21
- 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
- Mad Monkey Hoi An Cooking Class & Bamboo Boats: $23
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kampala -Hanoi $8.38
Tours and Activities in Kampala
Here are a few actual costs in Kampala for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Uganda Community Tour: $15
- African Fabric Market Tour : $18
- 3-Hour Walking Tour with Optional Gaddafi Mosque: $24
- Kampala:Guided walking tour: $25
- Entebbe Walking Tour (3 Hours) with Zoo and Botanical Gardens Options: $25
- Tombs, King’s palace and Gaddafi mosque walk tours: $26
- Steve Kampala Walking tours: $27
- Safe Motorbike Tour in Kampala (Boda Boda Tour): $30
- Kampala Guided walking Tour: $30
- Free Female Guided Walking Tours Kampala (3 Hours): $30
- Inside Kampala walking tour (Female guided): $32
- Running City Tour of Kampala at Dawn (7 KMs | Sundays): $33
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 Half-day Private Walking Tour : $5.00
- Hanoi Old Quarter Free walking tour: $5.00
- Private Walking Tour of Hanoi City: $5.00
- Half Day Hanoi Old Quarter Private Walking Tour: $5.00
- Skip the line: Thang Long Water Puppet Theater Entrance Tickets: $5.00
- Street Food Walking Tour in Hanoi: $5.00
- Sightseeing Walking Tour in Hanoi: $5.00
- Half-day Private Walking Tour of Hanoi's Old Quarter: $5.00
- Hanoi Street Food Experience: $5.00
- Half Day Hanoi Old Quarter Private Walking Tour : $5.00
- Private Hanoi Street Food Walking Tour: $5.00
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKampala -Hanoi $7.58
Sample the Local Flavors in Kampala
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Kampala:
- Entebbe and club,pub and bar crawl experiences: $35
- Kampala Pub Crawl | Uganda | 4 hours: $65
Sample the Local Flavors in Hanoi
Also in Hanoi, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Hanoi Beer and Brewery Tour: $48
- Half-Day Guided Tour Australian Beef with Wine Tasting & Rickshaw in Hanoi: $106
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kampala and Hanoi, we can see that Kampala is more expensive. And not only is Hanoi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Kampala 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 Kampala would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kampala 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 Kampala Expensive? and Is Hanoi Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kampala or Hanoi?
Hanoi has a larger population, and is about 6% larger than the population of Kampala. When comparing the sizes of Kampala 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.