Moving to Vietnam from Alabama

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Alabama to Vietnam — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Alabama to Vietnam, you would find that Vietnam is 53.8% cheaper than Alabama. A $75,000 salary in Alabama would need to be roughly ₫1,195,977,712 in Vietnam to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Vietnamese.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Alabama to Vietnam.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 ₫1,195,977,712

To maintain the same standard of living in Vietnam

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 77.0% less

Groceries

pay 47.3% less

Transportation

pay 32.0% less

Housing

pay 75.0% less

Childcare

pay 50.9% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 71.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 26312.4 VND (June 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Alabama to Vietnam, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
3,335 ↑ 5% vs 2015

people born in United States live in Vietnam · UN DESA

Who's moving to Vietnam?

Top countries of origin for Vietnam's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Alabama to Vietnam.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

AL
39.6%
VN
2.1%

Vietnam performs significantly better than Alabama across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

AL
85.9%
VN
74.0%

Alabama performs better than Vietnam across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

AL
2.3%
VN
1.6%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

AL
$49,225
VN
$13,700

Vietnam generally does better on employment & economy, though Alabama leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

AL
73.2 yrs
VN
75.5 yrs

Vietnam performs significantly better than Alabama across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Montgomery Rain: 53.1 in/yr (1348 mm)
76° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Hanoi Rain: 64.1 in/yr (1628 mm)
82° / 70°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Montgomery Hanoi
Jan–Mar 63°/40°F (17°/4°C) 71°/62°F (22°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 84°/60°F (29°/16°C) 88°/75°F (31°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/69°F (32°/21°C) 90°/78°F (32°/26°C)
Oct–Dec 69°/45°F (21°/7°C) 79°/66°F (26°/19°C)
View all months
Month Montgomery Hanoi
Jan 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C) 68°/58°F (20.0°/14.6°C)
Feb 62°/39°F (16.6°/4.0°C) 70°/61°F (21.3°/16.2°C)
Mar 70°/45°F (20.9°/7.4°C) 74°/66°F (23.5°/18.7°C)
Apr 77°/52°F (24.8°/10.9°C) 82°/71°F (27.7°/21.9°C)
May 84°/61°F (28.9°/15.9°C) 89°/76°F (31.7°/24.5°C)
Jun 90°/68°F (32.1°/20.1°C) 93°/79°F (33.8°/26.3°C)
Jul 92°/71°F (33.4°/21.9°C) 92°/80°F (33.3°/26.5°C)
Aug 92°/71°F (33.3°/21.7°C) 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.8°C)
Sep 87°/65°F (30.7°/18.4°C) 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.7°C)
Oct 78°/53°F (25.7°/11.9°C) 85°/72°F (29.6°/22.4°C)
Nov 69°/44°F (20.6°/6.6°C) 79°/67°F (26.3°/19.2°C)
Dec 60°/37°F (15.3°/3.0°C) 72°/60°F (22.1°/15.4°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Vietnam. To live, work, or study long-term in Vietnam, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Vietnam's immigration authority.

United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Vietnam

Visa Online (e-Visa)
United States passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Vietnam.
Vietnam passport

Vietnam passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Vietnam passport holders need a visa to enter United States.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Vietnam than Alabama?

Yes — Vietnam is on average about 39% cheaper than Alabama. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Vietnam?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₫298,994,428 in Vietnam on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Vietnam?

Usually fine from major cities in Vietnam. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

How is healthcare in Vietnam compared to Alabama?

Vietnam performs significantly better than Alabama across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Vietnam compared to Alabama?

The average high temperature in Hanoi is 82°F, compared to 76°F in Montgomery. Hanoi receives around 64.1 in of rainfall per year, while Montgomery gets 53.1 in.

What language do they speak in Vietnam?

The official language in Vietnam is Vietnamese. In Alabama, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

VN
Population 4,779,736 103,808,319
Currency United States Dollar ($) Vietnamese Dong (₫)
Languages English Vietnamese
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +84
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911 113