Hanoi vs Siem Reap

Real cost of living, rent, internet, safety and visa terms for both cities, side by side — then open the interactive tool to weight them against your own priorities.

Hanoi, Vietnam
🇻🇳Vietnam

Hanoi

57Freedom Score#88Global rank$700Per month

Vietnam's ancient capital — more authentic and culturally rich than Ho Chi Minh City, with a distinct four-season climate and a rapidly growing Tay Ho nomad district.

Siem Reap, Cambodia
🇰🇭Cambodia

Siem Reap

64Freedom Score#71Global rank$885Per month

Gateway to Angkor Wat — sunrise over the world's largest religious monument, a laid-back café scene, and a long-stay visa built for nomads.

The short answer

Compare these two in the full toolBoth cities pre-loaded — add your income and priorities to get a personal match score

Cost of living

Monthly figures for one person. Rent, meals and coworking are measured values, not shares of the total budget.

ExpenseHanoiSiem Reap
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$700✓$885
Rent, 1BR city centre$255✓$334
Meal, mid-range$10$5✓
Coworking deskper month$49n.a.
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper22.8✓32.0

Quality of life

Scored 0–100 on the same attributes the match engine weights, so these agree with the interactive tool.

MeasureHanoiSiem Reap
Safety
80
68
Healthcare
50
40
Walkability
50
58
English spoken
50
42
Food & dining
90
68
Nightlife
70
55
Outdoors
62
36
Nomad community
70
55
Climate quality
72
68
Public transit
50
25

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureHanoiSiem Reap
Freedom Score57/10064/100✓
Global rankof 100 cities#88#71✓
Internet52 Mbps55 Mbps✓
Average temperature75°F82°F
Air quality95/100✓45/100
Airport connectivity80/100✓58/100
Nomad visa45 daysLong-stay visa
Headline tax rateon local income0%10%

Which should you choose?

Choose Hanoi if runs $185/mo cheaper, rent is $79/mo lower, it scores higher on safety (80 vs 68) and English is more widely spoken.

Choose Siem Reap if internet is faster at 55 Mbps and it is more walkable.

What each city is known for

Hanoi

  • Tay Ho (West Lake) district: booming nomad & expat hub
  • Cheapest quality-of-life city in Southeast Asia
  • Ha Long Bay day trip from Hanoi — one of the world's wonders
  • Bun cha, egg coffee, and pho — unbeatable food culture

Siem Reap

  • Angkor Wat: the largest religious monument on earth
  • 6–12 month long-stay visa
  • Tiny expat town, easy community
  • Temples, rice paddies, low costs

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Hanoi or Siem Reap?
Siem Reap scores higher on the Freedom Score (64/100 against 57/100), which makes it the stronger all-round base. That is an average, though — if cost, climate or community is what actually decides it for you, the tables above will point the other way as often as not.
Which is cheaper: Hanoi or Siem Reap?
Hanoi is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $700 against $885, a difference of $185 a month or about $2,220 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $255/mo in Hanoi versus $334/mo in Siem Reap.
Which is safer: Hanoi or Siem Reap?
Hanoi scores higher on safety, 80/100 against 68/100. Safety scores blend crime levels, political stability and healthcare access, and they describe a city as a whole — individual neighbourhoods vary far more than the headline number suggests.
How fast is the internet in Hanoi and Siem Reap?
Hanoi averages 52 Mbps and Siem Reap averages 55 Mbps, so Siem Reap has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Hanoi or Siem Reap?
Hanoi sits in Vietnam (45 days) and Siem Reap in Cambodia (Long-stay visa). Requirements, income floors and processing times change often, so check the visa and residency guide before you commit to either.
Open the interactive comparison

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Cost, connectivity and quality-of-life figures come from the YourLifeMatch city dataset. Where a value is not confirmed it reads n.a. rather than an estimate. Figures are for planning, not professional advice.