Moving to Vietnam from Illinois
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Illinois to Vietnam — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Illinois to Vietnam, you would find that Vietnam is 60.9% cheaper than Illinois. A $75,000 salary in Illinois would need to be roughly ₫1,045,576,009 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 63°F in Springfield, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Illinois to Vietnam.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → ₫1,045,576,009
To maintain the same standard of living in Vietnam
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 78.4% less
Groceries
pay 47.0% less
Transportation
pay 38.8% less
Housing
pay 79.0% less
Childcare
pay 69.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 75.5% 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?
Real numbers on people moving from Illinois to Vietnam, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Illinois and Vietnam stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Vietnam performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Illinois 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 Illinois leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Illinois 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 | Springfield | Hanoi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/25°F (6°/-4°C) | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 74°/52°F (23°/11°C) | 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/61°F (29°/16°C) | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 52°/33°F (11°/1°C) | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) |
View all months
| Month | Springfield | Hanoi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/19°F (1.6°/-7.4°C) | 68°/58°F (20.0°/14.6°C) |
| Feb | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.2°C) | 70°/61°F (21.3°/16.2°C) |
| Mar | 52°/32°F (11.2°/0.1°C) | 74°/66°F (23.5°/18.7°C) |
| Apr | 65°/42°F (18.1°/5.8°C) | 82°/71°F (27.7°/21.9°C) |
| May | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.4°C) | 89°/76°F (31.7°/24.5°C) |
| Jun | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.6°C) | 93°/79°F (33.8°/26.3°C) |
| Jul | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.6°C) | 92°/80°F (33.3°/26.5°C) |
| Aug | 85°/64°F (29.4°/17.6°C) | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.8°C) |
| Sep | 79°/55°F (26.1°/12.6°C) | 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.7°C) |
| Oct | 66°/44°F (19.1°/6.6°C) | 85°/72°F (29.6°/22.4°C) |
| Nov | 52°/34°F (11.3°/1.1°C) | 79°/67°F (26.3°/19.2°C) |
| Dec | 38°/22°F (3.5°/-5.3°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 Illinois?
Generally yes: Vietnam runs about 47% cheaper than Illinois on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Vietnam?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around ₫261,394,002 in Vietnam for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Vietnam?
Working remotely from Vietnam's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Illinois and Vietnam.
How is healthcare in Vietnam compared to Illinois?
Vietnam performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Vietnam compared to Illinois?
The average high temperature in Hanoi is 82°F, compared to 63°F in Springfield. Hanoi receives around 64.1 in of rainfall per year, while Springfield gets 37.4 in.
What language do they speak in Vietnam?
The official language in Vietnam is Vietnamese. In Illinois, the official language is English.
