Vietnam is a magical country with plenty to offer expats. With a rich history and over 100 million people living in Vietnam, you’ll find culture bursting from every seam.
Many expats come for the incredible landscapes and top-quality local food, then stay for the warm climate and low cost of living in Vietnam. And that’s exactly what we’re here to find out – how much does it cost to live in Vietnam as an expat?
The cost of living in Vietnam
Vietnam is well-known for offering a high standard of living at a low price. According to 2022 data, the cost of living in Vietnam is around 42.8% lower than in the United Kingdom and 63.5% lower than in the United States. This is based on the total cost of living, taking into account a wide range of living expenses in Vietnam per month and the average apartment cost in Vietnam.
The bottom line is that Vietnam is a very cheap place to live, compared to Western countries. Better still, as an expat in Vietnam, you can expect to earn a high salary if you work in the country’s emerging technology and services scene. The average expat salary in Vietnam is around US$78,000/£55,000. Coupled with the low cost of living, most expats enjoy a high standard of living in Vietnam.
Vietnam is a rapidly modernising country with two economic centres: Hanoi in the north and Ho Chi Minh City (also called Saigon) in the south. These two cities attract enormous amounts of foreign investment. Vietnam’s economy has grown almost every year since 1990, putting it within the top 50 countries worldwide by GDP. Consultants PWC predict that, by 2050, Vietnam will be in the top 10 economies worldwide.
That means now is a great time to move to Vietnam, giving expats the opportunity to enjoy high growth, high wages and a low cost of living.
To help you visualise the cost of living in Vietnam, here is how much you can expect to pay for everyday essentials:
