Moving to Vietnam from California
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from California to Vietnam — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from California to Vietnam, you would find that Vietnam is 65.4% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly ₫823,525,630 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 California to Vietnam.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → ₫823,525,630
To maintain the same standard of living in Vietnam
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 81.5% less
Groceries
pay 56.3% less
Transportation
pay 46.4% less
Housing
pay 84.5% less
Childcare
pay 73.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 79.1% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Get free moving quotes to Vietnam
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from California to Vietnam, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from California to Vietnam.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Vietnam performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
California performs better than Vietnam across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Vietnam generally does better on employment & economy, though California leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
California performs better than Vietnam 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sacramento | Hanoi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) | 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sacramento | Hanoi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) | 68°/58°F (20.0°/14.6°C) |
| Feb | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) | 70°/61°F (21.3°/16.2°C) |
| Mar | 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) | 74°/66°F (23.5°/18.7°C) |
| Apr | 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) | 82°/71°F (27.7°/21.9°C) |
| May | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) | 89°/76°F (31.7°/24.5°C) |
| Jun | 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) | 93°/79°F (33.8°/26.3°C) |
| Jul | 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) | 92°/80°F (33.3°/26.5°C) |
| Aug | 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.8°C) |
| Sep | 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) | 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.7°C) |
| Oct | 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) | 85°/72°F (29.6°/22.4°C) |
| Nov | 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) | 79°/67°F (26.3°/19.2°C) |
| Dec | 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) | 72°/60°F (22.1°/15.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
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 holder visiting Vietnam
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Vietnam passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: 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 California?
Yes — Vietnam is on average about 58% cheaper than California. 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 ₫205,881,408 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 California?
Vietnam performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Vietnam compared to California?
The average high temperature in Hanoi is 82°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Hanoi receives around 64.1 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in.
What language do they speak in Vietnam?
The official language in Vietnam is Vietnamese. In California, the official language is English.
