Moving to Vietnam from China
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from China to Vietnam — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from China to Vietnam, you would find that Vietnam is 13.1% cheaper than China overall. A CN¥508,312 salary in China would need to be roughly ₫2,084,528,644 in Vietnam to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Vietnamese. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Hanoi averages 82°F vs 64°F in Beijing, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from China to Vietnam.
What does your salary buy?
CN¥508,312 → ₫2,084,528,644
To maintain the same standard of living in Vietnam
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 9.5% less
Groceries
pay 1.6% more
Transportation
pay 7.4% more
Housing
pay 0.2% less
Childcare
pay 34.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 42.7% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from China to Vietnam, based on official data.
Who's moving to Vietnam?
Top countries of origin for Vietnam's foreign-born residents.
- 12,192
- 11,796
- 8,325
- 8,288
- 7,334
- 3,335
- · · ·
-
7.3,167
China
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from China to Vietnam.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
China performs better than Vietnam across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Vietnam generally does better on health & wellbeing, though China leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Vietnam performs significantly better than China across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
China generally does better on infrastructure, though Vietnam leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
China generally does better on employment & economy, though Vietnam leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
China generally does better on family life, though Vietnam leads in education spending.
Data: State Administration of Taxation, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Beijing | Hanoi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) |
View all months
| Month | Beijing | Hanoi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) | 68°/58°F (20.0°/14.6°C) |
| Feb | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) | 70°/61°F (21.3°/16.2°C) |
| Mar | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) | 74°/66°F (23.5°/18.7°C) |
| Apr | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) | 82°/71°F (27.7°/21.9°C) |
| May | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) | 89°/76°F (31.7°/24.5°C) |
| Jun | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) | 93°/79°F (33.8°/26.3°C) |
| Jul | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) | 92°/80°F (33.3°/26.5°C) |
| Aug | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.8°C) |
| Sep | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) | 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.7°C) |
| Oct | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) | 85°/72°F (29.6°/22.4°C) |
| Nov | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) | 79°/67°F (26.3°/19.2°C) |
| Dec | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) | 72°/60°F (22.1°/15.4°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China 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.
China passport holder visiting Vietnam
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Vietnam passport holder visiting China
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 China?
No — Vietnam is on average about 6% more expensive than China. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Vietnam?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₫521,132,161 in Vietnam on a CN¥508,312 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Vietnam?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Vietnam has 21.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Vietnam safe for expats?
China performs better than Vietnam across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Vietnam is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in China.
How is healthcare in Vietnam compared to China?
Vietnam generally does better on health & wellbeing, though China leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 8.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Vietnam, compared to 25.2 in China. Vietnam scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in Vietnam compared to China?
The average high temperature in Hanoi is 82°F, compared to 64°F in Beijing. Hanoi receives around 64.1 in of rainfall per year, while Beijing gets 22.8 in.
What language do they speak in Vietnam?
The official language in Vietnam is Vietnamese. In China, the official language is Chinese.
