Hanoi records the highest cost of living nationwide in 2025 according to SCOLI

Hanoi recorded the highest cost of living in Vietnam in 2025, while Vinh Long had the most affordable living costs, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO). The GSO’s Spatial Cost of Living Index (SCOLI) is expressed as a percentage and reflects differences in prices of daily consumer goods and services across localities.

Hanoi leads with highest SCOLI in 2025

In 2025, Hanoi was set as the benchmark with SCOLI=100. It also topped the country for the highest price levels. The next localities were Quang Ninh and Hai Phong, with SCOLI values of 98.56% and 98.43% respectively relative to Hanoi. Ho Chi Minh City ranked fourth with a 2025 SCOLI of 97.96%.

The GSO said Ho Chi Minh City’s price level is lower than Hanoi despite being a major economic hub, citing high urbanization, a large population, and diverse consumer demand. It attributed the lower average price level in Ho Chi Minh City to a modern distribution system, abundant goods supply, and strong competition. The GSO highlighted lower SCOLI figures in several categories, including:

• Household equipment and appliances: 93.66%
• Clothing, hats and footwear: 94.33%
• Housing, electricity, water, fuels and building materials: 97.23%

Da Nang ranked fifth nationwide with a 2025 SCOLI of 97.89%. The GSO said the city benefits from its geographic location and transport infrastructure, which supports goods flow and helps keep living costs below Hanoi.

Lower-end localities and the most affordable provinces

SCOLI 2025 rankings also included several lower-end localities such as Vinh Long (91.47), Gia Lai (92.62), Cà Mau (92.97), Quang Tri (92.99), and Tay Ninh (93.51).

Among the most affordable localities, the GSO listed Vinh Long, Gia Lai, Cà Mau, Quang Tri, and Tay Ninh. Vinh Long recorded the lowest SCOLI in 2025 at 91.47% of Hanoi. The GSO said the province benefits from agricultural and fisheries production, which helps ensure ample supply of foodstuffs. It also noted that commercial and service activities are moderately developed and consumer demand is not high, supporting stable price levels—an attribute common to regions with lower living costs.

Regional comparison shows modest gaps

Across 34 provinces and cities, the GSO said living-cost differences are not large, supported by developed distribution and logistics. It added that e-commerce has improved transparency and competition while shortening price gaps.

Regionally, using the Red River Delta as the baseline (SCOLI=100), the Red River Delta also had the highest living costs nationwide. The GSO cited stable economic development, high population density, and rapid urbanization. It said household consumption in the region places emphasis on housing rents, healthcare, education, and dining out. It also pointed to rising housing prices in Hanoi and other cities due to limited land supply and strong demand, which increases rents and overall living costs. The GSO further noted that higher availability of quality education and healthcare can raise SCOLI, while input costs such as rents, labor costs, and service costs in large cities increase production, business, and supply costs, affecting consumer prices.

In the regional ranking, the Southeast region came second with SCOLI at 98.88%. Next were the Central Highlands and Northern Midlands; Central Coastal and Central Highlands; and North Central Coast. The Mekong Delta region ranked lowest at 95.11%.

As a result, the gap between the highest and lowest regional prices was 4.89 percentage points, indicating only modest disparity, according to the GSO.