Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Vietnam instead of Hong Kong, you would:

Health

live 10.7 years less

In Hong Kong, the average life expectancy is 85 years (83 years for men, 88 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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Economy

be 45.7% less likely to be unemployed

In Hong Kong, 2.8% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Vietnam, that number is 1.5% as of 2025.

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make 91.1% less money

Hong Kong has a GDP per capita of $56,983 as of 2025, while in Vietnam, the GDP per capita is $5,066 as of 2025.

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Life

have 2.7 times more children

In Hong Kong, there are approximately 4.9 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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be 4.7 times more likely to die during infancy

In Hong Kong, approximately 2.5 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Vietnam, on the other hand, 12.0 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 12.1% less likely to have internet access

In Hong Kong, approximately 95.8% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Vietnam, about 84.2% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 24.1% less on education

Hong Kong spends 3.8% 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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Geography

see 4.7 times more coastline

Hong Kong has a total of 733 km of coastline. In Vietnam, that number is 3,444 km.

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Infrastructure

find 41.1% less home broadband

Hong Kong has 40.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Vietnam has 23.7 as of 2024.

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use 59.3% less electricity

Hong Kong uses 6,359 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Vietnam uses 2,585 kWh as of 2023.

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Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), The World Factbook (2022). How we calculate this

Compare further: Hong Kong vs. Vietnam

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Vietnam is 72.2% cheaper than Hong Kong overall
→
Size Comparison · See true size
Hong Kong is about 299 times smaller than Vietnam.
→
Moving from Hong Kong 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 Hong Kong? See an in-depth size comparison.

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