Which place is cheaper, Hanoi or Pai?
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 Pai or Hanoi?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Pai and Hanoi. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Pai or Hanoi?
Pai
As the lush green mountains adorn the blue horizon amidst its creamy clouds, Pai, in northern Thailand, works as one of the many hubs for some of the world's most exciting cultural adventures and natural wonders. Within this small town just north of the Mae Hong Son Province, near the Myanmar border, Pai lays on the Pai River and holds a population of no more than 2,500. Despite its geographical insignificance, this town attracts a wide array of tourists. From breathtaking waterfalls to relaxing hot springs, you will find yourself astonished at how much this little city holds within its borders.
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 G Adventures Tours to Thailand, The Best 3-Day Tours from Phuket, The Best Tours for Seniors to Vietnam, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Vietnam.
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Pai Prices
Thailand PricesHanoi Prices
Vietnam Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPai $91Hanoi $57
The average daily cost (per person) in Pai is $91, 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 Pai and Hanoi in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPai $16Hanoi $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPai $32Hanoi $50
Compare Hotels in Pai and Hanoi
Looking for a hotel in Pai 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: Pai Hotel Prices and Hanoi Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pai $42Hanoi $6.54
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:
- Vietnam Airport Transfer and Visa On Arrival: $55
- 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
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Ha Noi HTL-APT (HAN): $14
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Ha Noi APT-HTL (HAN): $14
- Transfer to or from Sapa in a Sleeper Bus from Hanoi: $30
- Transfer Hanoi to Halong Super Limousine Morning Bus: $33
- Top-Rated Luxury Halong Bay 2-Day Cruise Including Hanoi Transfer: $285
- The most Luxury Day Cruise with transfer from Ha Noi & Drink : $101
- The Best Sapa Tour 2D1N Stay At 3* Hotel -Transfer by Sleep BUS : $159
- Symphony Cruise- Luxury Day Trip From Hanoi With Express Transfer: $105
- Small Group Halong Islands, Cave, Kayak. Seafood Lunch. Transfers: $142
Is it cheaper to fly into Pai or Hanoi?
Prices for flights to both Hanoi and Pai 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 dayPai $42Hanoi $23
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.Pai $46Hanoi $8.07
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 dayPai $15Hanoi $7.30
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pai and Hanoi, we can see that Pai is more expensive. And not only is Hanoi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Pai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pai 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 Pai Expensive? and Is Hanoi Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Pai or Hanoi?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season. Although in the rainy season, it doesn't necessarily rain every day.
Should I visit Pai or Hanoi in the Summer?
Both Hanoi and Pai during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Pai because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Hanoi year-round.
May to September is the rainy season in Hanoi. Hanoi gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Pai. Pai usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Hanoi. Pai gets 211 mm (8.3 in) of rain, while Hanoi receives 210 mm (8.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
In the summer, Pai is around the same temperature as Hanoi. Typically, the summer temperatures in Pai in July average around 29°C (85°F), and Hanoi averages at about 29°C (84°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyPai 29°C (85°F)Hanoi 29°C (84°F)
Should I visit Pai or Hanoi in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Pai and Hanoi. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Pai year-round. Hanoi attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
November to April in Hanoi is the dry season. Hanoi receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Pai gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Pai usually receives more rain than Hanoi. Pai gets 115 mm (4.5 in) of rain, while Hanoi receives 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
In October, Pai is generally a little warmer than Hanoi. Daily temperatures in Pai average around 29°C (84°F), and Hanoi fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberPai 29°C (84°F)Hanoi 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Pai or Hanoi in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Pai as well as Hanoi. Pai attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Hanoi throughout the year.
Pai usually gets more rain in January than Hanoi. Pai gets 12 mm (0.5 in) of rain, while Hanoi receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
Pai is a little warmer than Hanoi in the winter. The daily temperature in Pai averages around 24°C (74°F) in January, and Hanoi fluctuates around 17°C (63°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryPai 24°C (74°F)Hanoi 17°C (63°F)
Should I visit Pai or Hanoi in the Spring?
Both Hanoi and Pai are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Pai throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Hanoi because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
The dry season in Hanoi is November to April. The rainy season in Hanoi is May to September. It rains a lot this time of the year in Hanoi. In April, Pai usually receives less rain than Hanoi. Pai gets 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Hanoi receives 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.
The heat can be very extreme in Pai. In the spring, Pai is a little warmer than Hanoi. Typically, the spring temperatures in Pai in April average around 32°C (89°F), and Hanoi averages at about 24°C (75°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilPai 32°C (89°F)Hanoi 24°C (75°F)
Typical Weather for Hanoi and Pai
| Pai | Hanoi | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 24°C (74°F) | 12 mm (0.5 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Feb | 25°C (77°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Mar | 29°C (83°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Apr | 32°C (89°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) |
| May | 31°C (88°F) | 176 mm (6.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) |
| Jun | 30°C (86°F) | 181 mm (7.1 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 190 mm (7.5 in) |
| Jul | 29°C (85°F) | 211 mm (8.3 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 210 mm (8.3 in) |
| Aug | 29°C (84°F) | 256 mm (10.1 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 200 mm (7.9 in) |
| Sep | 29°C (85°F) | 207 mm (8.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 160 mm (6.3 in) |
| Oct | 29°C (84°F) | 115 mm (4.5 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (80°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Dec | 24°C (76°F) | 12 mm (0.5 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
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.