The streets of Hanoi have returned to its usual bustling state with COVID-19 outbreak under control.

The SCOLI is calculated based on a range of prices covering everything from food and beverage, tobacco and clothing through to electricity, medicine and entertainment.

The second place in the index went to Quang Ninh province in the north, while the third place belonged to the country's biggest metropolis Ho Chi Minh City. The central coastal city of Da Nang, frequently hailed as the most liveable in Vietnam, came fourth in term of cost of living.

Compared to 2020, the rankings of the most expensive localities in 2021 have not changed much. However, the provinces in the northern midlands and mountains have lower prices than in the past due to increasingly convenient transport.

Provinces and cities under the direct management of the Government are more expensive than mountainous provinces, mainly in terms of housing rental, services and tourism entertainment.

Tra Vinh province is the locality with the lowest cost of living index in the country, equal to 87.61 percent of Hanoi.

The average price of Tra Vinh province’s commodity groups compared to Hanoi’s ranges from 76.58 percent to 99.63 percent of Hanoi. The second lowest-priced locality in the country is Hau Giang.

Other affordable localities are Soc Trang (88.16 percent), Quang Tri (88.53 percent), Nam Dinh (88.92 percent), Gia Lai (89.04 percent), Tay Ninh (89 percent), Phu Tho (90.1 percent) and Vinh Long (90.41 percent)./.