Hanoi's cost of living is currently the highest in Vietnam.

VnExpress reports that the General Statistics Office (GSO) has determined that Hanoi was the most expensive city in Vietnam in 2020.

The GSO's Spatial Cost of Living Index found the capital to be 0.95% more pricey than Saigon, the second-most expensive city nationwide. On the scale, Hanoi was indexed at 100%, while Saigon stood at 99.05%. Tuoi Tre adds that Saigon was the most expensive city in the GSO's previous cost of living index.

In terms of specific sectors, tuition for private and vocational schools in Saigon was 5.43% higher than in Hanoi, but food and beverages, medicine, transportation, and entertainment were all more affordable in the southern megacity than in the capital.

Hai Phong was the third most expensive location, followed by Da Nang, while the Mekong Delta's Hau Giang Province was the cheapest, coming in 10.32% points lower than Hanoi. The other provinces in the country's cheapest places to live are Soc Trang, Tra Vinh, Ha Nam and Dong Thap.

The study compared prices of 11 commodity groups: food and catering services; beverages and tobacco; apparel and footwear; housing, electricity, water, fuel and construction materials; household appliances; medicine and medical services; traffic; post and telecommunications; education; entertainment and tourism; and other goods and services.

Hanoi and Saigon were even in the costs of apparel, housing and utilities.

Overall, compared to 2019, in 2020 the cost of living decreased in 29 cities and provinces, while it increased in 28 and was unchanged in six.