Hanoi: food, transport and prices — a 2026 overview

• Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su (Phở 10 Lý Quốc Sư): Pho bo — Michelin Bib Gourmand — 45,000–70,000 VND (~$1.80–2.80) a bowl
• Bun Cha Dac Kim (Bún Chả Đắc Kim): Legendary bun cha since 1965 — 35,000–60,000 VND (~$1.40–2.40) a plate
• Cafe Giang (Cà Phê Giảng): Home of egg coffee since 1946 — ~35,000 VND (~$1.40) a cup
• Bia Hoi Corner (Tạ Hiện / Lương Ngọc Quyến): Some of the cheapest beer on earth — 5,000–10,000 VND (~$0.20–0.40) a glass
• Cha Ca La Vong (Chả Cá Lã Vọng): Hanoi-style grilled fish since 1871 — ~250,000 VND (~$10) a head
• Dong Xuan Market (Chợ Đồng Xuân): Biggest covered market, since 1889 — Food, clothes, souvenirs

At a glance: what a day costs

Hanoi is a cheap city. A street lunch is about $2, a motorbike-taxi hop across the centre runs $1–1.80, and a glass of local beer costs $0.20–0.40. Here is the whole thing in a minute:

Food: what to eat in a couple of days

Northern cooking is more restrained than the south: less sugar, fewer spices, a cleaner taste. The best of it comes off a kerbside stall, not out of a restaurant. If you're short on time, start with three:

• Pho bo (phở bò) — Hanoi is held to be the soup's birthplace. Clear broth, rice noodles, beef. ~$2 on the street. The go-to is Phở 10 Lý Quốc Sư (a Michelin Bib Gourmand).
• Bun cha (bún chả) — charcoal-grilled pork patties with vermicelli and a sweet-sour dipping broth. A lunch-only dish, ~$2.
• Egg coffee (cà phê trứng) — invented in Hanoi in 1946: whipped yolk and condensed milk over an espresso. ~$1.40 at Café Giảng.

Also worth it: cha ca (turmeric fish fried with dill at your table, ~$10) and an evening of draught bia hoi at $0.20–0.40 a glass on the Tạ Hiện corner. The full breakdown — which dishes, which addresses, where it's cheaper and what vegetarians can eat — is in the dedicated Hanoi food guide.

Getting around

Six million motorbikes and next to no respect for crosswalks. For the first half-day you'll hesitate at the kerb; by day three you'll walk straight into the flow. The good news: you don't have to learn any routes — one app covers most of it.

• GrabBike / Be — a motorbike taxi and your default. A short hop across the centre is $1–1.80; the driver hands you a helmet.
• GrabCar — a car, from ~$1.60. Pricier and slower in traffic, but worth it in the rain, with luggage or with kids.
• Metro — two lines (2A since 2021, Line 3 since 2024), ~$0.30–0.60 a ride. Handy if your hotel sits on the route.
• Buses— ~$0.30, but announcements are Vietnamese-only, so you'll lean on Google Maps.
• Motorbike rental— from ~$4/day. Skip it unless you've ridden in Asian traffic and hold an IDP plus your home licence.

From Noi Bai airport (~30 km) into town, the cheapest option is bus 86 at ~$1.70; faster is a Grab or a Xanh SM e-taxi for $8–12. Every fare, the metro station by station, how to dodge unlicensed cabs, plus day trips to Halong and Sapa are in the dedicated Hanoi transport guide.

Prices in Hanoi and a daily budget

Hanoi is cheaper than Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur and a touch pricier than Nha Trang. The Old Quarter carries a tourist markup; out in Cau Giay the same dishes cost 20–30% less. Vietnam is cash-heavy: keep small VND notes on you, and note that ATMs cap withdrawals (often 2–3 million VND) and charge a fee, so pull larger amounts at once.

Budget per day

One more budget line: markets and souvenirs. Dong Xuan (the biggest covered market, running since 1889), the Hàng Đào night market on weekends and the silk row on Hàng Gai all expect a haggle — open at about half the first price.

💬 "Grab was the easiest thing about Hanoi — a bike across the centre came to about 30,000 VND. First ride felt sketchy, but the driver gave me a helmet and got me there in 12 minutes flat while cars were still stuck." — traveller report, r/VietnamTravel, 2025

For when to go, the weather month by month, safety and SIM cards, see the Hanoi tips and FAQ. To plan the whole trip, start with the complete Hanoi guide.