LIFESTYLE

Hanoi named world's most affordable city for travellers

Relaxnews Published Tuesday, July 19, 2016 11:06AM EDT

Hanoi Citadel is a must-see for visitors to the Vietnamese capital. (Marcus Lindstrom/Istock.com)

Text:

Considering the cost of accommodation, food and tourist activities, the Vietnamese capital has been named the most affordable city for travellers, topping a list of 20 global destinations compiled by TripAdvisor's TripIndex. The cost of a three-night stay for two people in the city totals just US$497.

From Hanoi to New York, Berlin, Paris and Sydney, TripAdvisor has compiled price data for a host of the world's must-visit cities, each with its own diverse options when it comes to accommodation, activities and food. The study compared the cost of a three-night stay in a four-star hotel, three visits or activities, one lunch or dinner out per day and a return taxi fare to the restaurant.

The Vietnamese capital topped the list as the most affordable destination thanks to its low accommodation costs, at just US$237. It's no surprise to see other Asian destinations make the list of top cities for travellers on a shoestring, with Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in fourth place (total coming in at $627) and Thailand's capital Bangkok in fifth ($645).

Travellers looking for European destinations should consider Moscow, Russia (sixth), with a budget of $656; Madrid, Spain (eighth) at $733; Berlin, Germany (ninth) at $883; and Vienna, Austria (10th) at $978.

New York is the most expensive destination

At the other end of the scale, the Big Apple (the only US city included in the international survey) was named the most expensive destination for world travellers, with a wallet-busting budget of US$1826. Accommodation notably pushes up the cost of trips to the American city, accounting for $1107 of the total cost. Tokyo, Japan, comes in second place at $1519 with the UK capital London in third ($1411).

In the survey of US destinations, New Orleans came in as least expensive at $1148 while Las Vegas offers the least expensive accommodation, with hotel rates at around $190 per night. Meanwhile, in the US survey, Orlando came in at most expensive with a three-day stay costing $2217.

World's most affordable cities for travellers

1. Hanoi (Vietnam)

2. Bombay (India)

3. Cape Town (South Africa)

4. Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

5. Bangkok (Thailand)

6. Moscow (Russia)

7. Bali (Indonesia)

8. Madrid (Spain)

9. Berlin (Germany)

10. Vienna (Austria)

World's most expensive cities for travellers