Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Vietnam instead of Bolivia, you would:

Health

live 6.0 years longer

In Bolivia, the average life expectancy is 69 years (66 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2024. In Vietnam, that number is 75 years (70 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 91.9% less likely to be obese

In Bolivia, 29.7% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Vietnam, that number is 2.4% of people as of 2024.

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have 13.8% fewer doctors per person

Bolivia has 12.8 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2021. Vietnam has 11.1 as of 2021.

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be 73.8% more likely to die by suicide

Bolivia has a suicide rate of 4.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Vietnam, it is 7.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 48.8% less likely to be unemployed

In Bolivia, 3.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Vietnam, that number is 1.5% as of 2025.

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be 90.6% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Bolivia, 44.7% live below the poverty line as of 2025. In Vietnam, however, that number is 4.2% as of 2022.

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Life

be 67.1% less likely to die during childbirth

In Bolivia, approximately 146.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Vietnam, 48.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 15.5% less likely to die during infancy

In Bolivia, approximately 14.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Vietnam, on the other hand, 12.0 children do as of 2024.

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have 36.2% fewer children

In Bolivia, there are approximately 21.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Vietnam, there are 13.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 61.7% less on education

Bolivia spends 7.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Vietnam spends 2.9% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 34.1% less on healthcare

Bolivia spends 6.9% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Vietnam, that number is 4.6% of GDP as of 2023.

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Infrastructure

find 96.4% more home broadband

Bolivia has 12.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Vietnam has 23.7 as of 2024.

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use 2.9 times more electricity

Bolivia uses 890 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Vietnam uses 2,585 kWh as of 2023.

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live with 90.7 times more strain on fresh water

Bolivia withdraws 0% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Vietnam withdraws 18% as of 2022.

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Environment

emit 86.5% more CO2

Bolivia emits 2.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Vietnam emits 4.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Compare further: Bolivia vs. Vietnam

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Vietnam is 28.6% more expensive than Bolivia overall
→
Size Comparison · See true size
Bolivia is about 3.3 times bigger than Vietnam.
→
Moving from Bolivia to Vietnam · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
→

Vietnam: At a glance

Vietnam (sometimes abbreviated SRV) is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 310,070 sq km. The conquest of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and was completed by 1884. It became part of French Indochina in 1887. Vietnam declared independence after World War II, but France continued to rule until its 1954 defeat by communist forces under Ho Chi MINH. Under the Geneva Accords of 1954, Vietnam was divided into the communist North and anti-communist South. US economic and military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, North Vietnamese forces overran the South reuniting the country under communist rule. Despite the return of peace, for over a decade the country experienced little economic growth because of conservative leadership policies, the persecution and mass exodus of individuals - many of them successful South Vietnamese merchants - and growing international isolation. However, since the enactment of Vietnam's "doi moi" (renovation) policy in 1986, Vietnamese authorities have committed to increased economic liberalization and enacted structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive, export-driven industries. The communist leaders, however, maintain control on political expression and have resisted outside calls to improve human rights. The country continues to experience small-scale protests from various groups - the vast majority connected to land-use issues, calls for increased political space, and the lack of equitable mechanisms for resolving disputes. Various ethnic minorities, such as the Montagnards of the Central Highlands and the Khmer Krom in the southern delta region, have also held protests.
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How big is Vietnam compared to Bolivia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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