Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Vietnam instead of New Caledonia, you would:

Health

live 4.2 years less

In New Caledonia, the average life expectancy is 79 years (76 years for men, 81 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 86.4% less likely to be unemployed

In New Caledonia, 11.2% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Vietnam, that number is 1.5% as of 2025.

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make 82.7% less money

New Caledonia has a GDP per capita of $29,213 as of 2024, while in Vietnam, the GDP per capita is $5,066 as of 2025.

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Geography

see 52.8% more coastline

New Caledonia has a total of 2,254 km of coastline. In Vietnam, that number is 3,444 km.

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Safety

be 51.6% less likely to be murdered

New Caledonia has a homicide rate of 3.1 per 100,000 people as of 2009. In Vietnam, that number is 1.5 per 100,000 as of 2011.

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Infrastructure

find 22.4% more home broadband

New Caledonia has 19.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Vietnam has 23.7 as of 2024.

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Environment

emit 75.0% less CO2

New Caledonia emits 17.1 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 (2022–2025), The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators (2009–2011). How we calculate this

Compare further: New Caledonia vs. Vietnam

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Vietnam is 64.2% cheaper than New Caledonia overall
→
Size Comparison · See true size
New Caledonia is about 18 times smaller than Vietnam.
→
Moving from New Caledonia 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 New Caledonia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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