Average price range for renting a small flat/studio in Hanoi....

One of the few things Ha Noi has going for it is cheaper rental prices than HCNC. You should post an advertisement here as Real Estate rental agents troll these boards looking for business. Also try Craigs List VietNam.

Ha Noi has floods, serious ones that drown people in their ground floor apartments, so always check on floods. Presently Ha Noi government has a list of about 240,000 eople they need to move.

Another drawback about Ha Noi is the water. Ha Noi water has extremely high ARSENIC content that occurs naturally so you have to buy bottle water for consumption. Teeth cleaning in tap water is OK.

China housing is often cheaper than VietNam, but for $300 you should get something decent.

As usual you'll need 2 months rent deposit PLUS first months to move in. See other post about renting an apartment in HCMC to learn about landlord tricks.

Have the landlord register you with te police. Although it appears simple, they always want documents you don't have and when you get them they don't even look at them!!

I reckon flooding problem in Hanoi is much less severe than in HCMC, regardless of season
@cooklc: For $300 range, it's very easy to find proper accommodation in Hanoi. Students from other provinces studying in Hanoi renting rooms that cost from $70 to $200 a month. So if you only need a reasonably clean, basic furnished bedroom in Hanoi, you can expect for less than $300. It's also better to have a trustworthy local friend assist you instead of going to agent which costs a lot more (but will be easier to find rooms obviously).