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Bangkok or Hanoi? An honest comparison
The short answer
Pick Bangkok for a bigger, more modern city with grand temples, malls, rooftop bars and easy transport. Pick Hanoi for a lower-cost trip built around the Old Quarter, noodle soups, coffee and day trips to Ha Long Bay and Ninh Binh. Hanoi is clearly cheaper on our numbers: about €65 a day mid-range, against 4,000 baht (roughly €100) in Bangkok.
Bangkok: suits first-timers, friends and solo travellers who want temples, street food, shopping and nightlife with good public transport.
Hanoi: suits solo travellers, backpackers, friends and first-timers who want a walkable old quarter, cheap food and nearby landscapes.
Side by side
| Bangkok | Hanoi | |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-range day* | €106 baht4,000 local | €65 VND1,900,000 local |
| Budget day* | €46 | €27 |
| Value for money | ●●●●●About 4,000 baht a day, roughly €100 | ●●●●●About €65 a day mid-range; excellent value |
| Crowds (5 = calm) | ●●●●●Grand Palace packed, but the city absorbs visitors well | ●●●●●Old Quarter streets busy, scooters everywhere, but few huge queues |
| Food | ●●●●●Huge street-food scene, from Yaowarat to market halls | ●●●●●Pho, bun cha and banh cuon at tiny, cheap street stalls |
| Nightlife | ●●●●●Rooftop bars, Sukhumvit, Khao San and late clubs | ●●●●●Beer corner on Ta Hien; most places close relatively early |
| Family-friendly | ●●●●●Malls, aquariums and parks help with heat and traffic | ●●●●●Hoan Kiem Lake and water puppets; crossing streets is stressful |
| Getting around | ●●●●●BTS Skytrain, MRT and river boats; Grab fills gaps | ●●●●●Walkable Old Quarter; elsewhere Grab, since metro coverage is limited |
| Best months | year-round, see below | Jan, Nov, Dec |
| Warmest / coolest | Mar 33°C / Jan 31°C | Jun 33°C / Jan 21°C |
| Known for | Grand Palace, Wat Arun, Chatuchak Market, Lumpini Park | Hoan Kiem Lake, Temple of Literature, Old Quarter, Train Street |
* Per person per day with two sharing a room: bed, food, sights and local transport, from our Bangkok and Hanoi day-cost tables (approximate 2026 prices; other currencies converted at recent rates). Ratings are our editorial judgement.
Which one should you pick?
Pick Bangkok if…
- you want grand temples like Wat Pho and Wat Arun
- Rooftop bars and nightlife matter
- you want easy public transport and big malls
- you plan to continue to Thai islands
Pick Hanoi if…
- Budget matters
- Noodle soups, coffee and street stalls are your idea of a holiday
- you want Ha Long Bay or Ninh Binh as day or overnight trips
- you are travelling November to January
Weather month by month
| Month | Bangkok high / rainy days | Hanoi high / rainy days |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°C · 3 | 21°C · 8 |
| Feb | 32°C · 8 | 22°C · 10 |
| Mar | 33°C · 9 | 26°C · 12 |
| Apr | 33°C · 16 | 29°C · 14 |
| May | 33°C · 21 | 32°C · 16 |
| Jun | 33°C · 23 | 33°C · 18 |
| Jul | 32°C · 27 | 33°C · 20 |
| Aug | 32°C · 29 | 32°C · 23 |
| Sep | 31°C · 28 | 31°C · 22 |
| Oct | 31°C · 22 | 28°C · 13 |
| Nov | 31°C · 15 | 27°C · 8 |
| Dec | 31°C · 4 | 21°C · 4 |
Average daily high and number of rainy days. Copernicus ERA5, 2021–2023.
What you will eat
Bangkok
Stir-fried rice noodles · Green papaya salad · Boat noodles · Peppery rolled-noodle soup · Hainanese chicken rice · Crispy oyster or mussel omelette
Where: Yaowarat (Chinatown), Or Tor Kor Market, Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bang Rak and Charoen Krung
Hanoi
Beef noodle soup · Grilled pork with noodles · Steamed rice rolls · Turmeric fish with dill · Fried tofu with fermented shrimp paste · Baguette sandwich
Where: Dong Xuan Market, Weekend Night Market (Hang Dao to Dong Xuan), Old Quarter (Hoan Kiem), Ta Hien and the beer corner
Doing both in one trip
8 days: 4 in Bangkok + 4 in Hanoi
Either order; ending in Hanoi works well if you then continue south through Vietnam, otherwise pick whichever has the better flight home.
Getting between them: Direct flights take about 1 h 50 to 2 h, plus airport time. Overland is not practical. Check current schedules. Distance about 987 km as the crow flies. Check current timetables.
- Day 1–2: Bangkok — Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Yaowarat at night
- Day 3: Chatuchak (weekend) or Or Tor Kor, Lumpini Park, rooftop bar
- Day 4: Ayutthaya day trip, then fly to Hanoi in the evening
- Day 5: Hanoi — Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, Temple of Literature
- Day 6: Ninh Binh day trip, roughly 2 h each way by road
- Day 7–8: Ha Long Bay overnight cruise, or a day trip of about 2 h 30 each way
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Common questions
Is Bangkok or Hanoi cheaper?
Hanoi is clearly cheaper on our numbers: about €65 per person per day at mid-range, compared with about 4,000 baht in Bangkok, roughly €100. Street food is cheap in both, but hotels, drinks and taxis cost noticeably less in Hanoi. Bangkok gives more for the money at the top end, with many good-value international hotels.
How do I get from Bangkok to Hanoi?
Fly. Direct flights take about 1 h 50 to 2 h, with several daily departures from both Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports. Overland routes through Laos exist but take days and only make sense on a long backpacking trip. Check visa rules for Vietnam before you book, as entry requirements depend on your passport.
When is the best time to visit Bangkok and Hanoi?
Hanoi has real seasons: November to January is the most pleasant, with January highs around 21°C, while June reaches about 33°C with heavy rain. Bangkok is hot all year, about 31–33°C, with its driest, most comfortable spell from about November to February. That makes November to January the best time to combine both.
How many days do I need in each?
Three days covers Bangkok's main temples, a market and a day trip to Ayutthaya; add a fourth for shopping and nightlife. Hanoi's centre takes two days, but the real reason to stay longer is the surroundings: give a day to Ninh Binh and one or two to Ha Long Bay. Four days in each is a balanced split.