Vietnam
Vietnam is a vibrant Southeast Asian nation located on the eastern edge of the Indochinese peninsula, bordered by China, Laos, and Cambodia. Stretching approximately 1,650 kilometers along the eastern coastline, the country features a diverse landsca...
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With a safety index of 60/100, Vietnam offers good safety conditions for expats and their families.
Vietnam requires most international travelers to obtain a visa or eVisa prior to arrival, though citizens of 25 countries plus Kazakhstan enjoy visa-free entry for up to 45 days (extended from 15 days as of August 15, 2023). This includes popular nationalities like the UK, Japan, South Korea, and several ASEAN nations (e.g., Thailand, Singapore, Philippines), but US, Canada, and Australia citizens do not qualify for visa-free entry and must apply for an eVisa.[4][5] From August 15, 2023, Vietnam's eVisa...
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44% below EU avg
7% below EU avg
41% below EU avg
36% below EU avg
Baselines based on EU averages. Source: Numbeo indices.
Capital
Hanoi
Timezone
UTC+07:00
Area
331,212 km²
Population
97,338,583
Vietnam shows a purchasing power index of 45/100, indicating moderate economic conditions for expats.
GDP
$408.80B
HDI
0.7
Quality of Life
40/100
-3 vs NYC
Purchasing Power
19/100
-23 vs NYC
Understanding the economic landscape is essential for evaluating living costs and opportunities in Vietnam. This comprehensive overview covers key financial indicators including cost of living, housing markets, income levels, and fiscal policies that shape daily life and long-term financial planning.
Cost of Living Index
Very affordable (CPI: 26.5). Groceries (31.9), restaurants (15.9), and rent (9.3) are low compared to NYC=100 baseline, with urban areas slightly higher.
Housing Market
Property prices average 30.7 years of household income, making ownership very expensive. Rentals remain affordable with regional variations in Hanoi and HCMC.
Average Income Levels
Purchasing power index of 44.6 indicates below-average buying power. Average monthly income around US$319, growing but low by global standards.
Tax System
Progressive personal income tax 5-35%, corporate tax 20%, VAT 10% standard rate. Relatively simple and low rates with few regional variations enhance fairness.
Business Environment
Ranked 70th in World Bank's last Doing Business (2020), improving with strong FDI (US$25B in 2024) and startup growth in Hanoi/HCMC despite bureaucracy.
Social Security
Social insurance covers pensions, health, unemployment for formal workers (50% workforce); expanding non-contributory benefits but limited by informality.
Vietnam, spanning over 331,000 km², features diverse climates from subtropical in the north to tropical in the south, influenced by monsoons and its elongated north-south geography. Northern areas experience four seasons with cooler winters, while central and southern regions have wet and dry periods year-round.
4 distinct climate regions — see full guide for details
Read full guideLife Expectancy
76.3
Population
97,338,583
Religions
Currently under research
Ethnic Composition
Research in Progress
We're currently analyzing expat perspectives for Vietnam. Check back soon for insights from real experiences!
We're gradually rolling out this feature and continuously improving the insights. The data is based on real expat discussions and will become more comprehensive over time.
Vietnam is undergoing major administrative reforms, including central government streamlining to 14 ministries effective March 2025 and a two-tier local system with 34 provinces from July 2025. The Communist Party maintains absolute control as the sole ruling party, with the 14th National Congress in January 2026 set to elect new leadership for the next five years. These changes aim to enhance efficiency amid economic growth pressures.
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Population
97,338,583
Currency
VND
Timezone
UTC+07:00
Calling Code
+84
Week starts on
Monday
Gini Coefficient
35.7 (2018)
Traffic side
right side
Data Source: Safety, crime, and quality metrics are sourced from Numbeo, a crowd-sourced global database of reported data.
All scores are relative comparisons on a 0-100 scale, where 50 = global average. Higher scores mean better than average, lower scores mean worse than average.