Hanoi vs Manama Cost of Living Comparison
Takeaway for Hanoi vs Manama: everyday costs favor Hanoi (~67% CPI gap), housing index favors Hanoi, wage stretch favors Manama. Use category winners, not a single headline, when the binding constraint is rent or income.
Overall Cost Winner
Hanoi
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Transport (100% gap, Manama ahead); Utilities (100% gap, Manama ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $196 lower in Hanoi than in Manama (~31% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $196 (favoring Hanoi).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Hanoi | CPI 24.7 vs 41.2 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Hanoi | Rent index 16.5 vs 21.3 (lower is better) |
| Food | Hanoi | Groceries index 32.4 vs 39.4 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Manama | One-way ticket 3.5 vs 11122.66 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Manama | Utilities (85m²) 156.34 vs 838200 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Manama | Internet 151.31 vs 576072 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Hanoi | Restaurant index 20 vs 35 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Hanoi | Avg net salary 61732160 vs 15586.49 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Manama | PP index 68.5 vs 39.2 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Transport: Manama leads with a 100% gap.
One-way ticket 3.5 vs 11122.66 (lower is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Hanoi — Lower housing / rent index (29% gap).
- Families: Hanoi — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Hanoi; purchasing power favors Manama.
- Remote Workers: Hanoi — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Hanoi (~67% gap).
- Budget Living: Hanoi — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Hanoi is the overall cost winner on CPI (~67% lower everyday-cost index than Manama).
- Housing: Hanoi leads on rent index (29% gap).
- Food / groceries: Hanoi is lower (22% gap).
- Purchasing power: Manama scores higher (75% gap).
- Largest category gap: Transport (100%), favoring Manama.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$196 cheaper in Hanoi.
Analysis
Hanoi versus Manama is not a single number. With a 67% CPI spread, groceries and services tend to move with Hanoi, while housing follows Hanoi's rent index. Purchasing power (39.2 vs 68.5) decides whether local wages offset local prices.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-23
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Nearby
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Nearby.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.