Moving to Vietnam from Malaysia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Malaysia to Vietnam — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Malaysia to Vietnam, you would find that Vietnam is 10.1% cheaper than Malaysia overall. A MYR305,250 salary in Malaysia would need to be roughly ₫1,689,624,493 in Vietnam to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Vietnamese. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Malaysia to Vietnam.
What does your salary buy?
MYR305,250 → ₫1,689,624,493
To maintain the same standard of living in Vietnam
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 25.7% less
Groceries
pay 24.9% less
Transportation
pay 0.3% less
Housing
pay 15.8% less
Childcare
pay 56.8% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 51.7% 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?
Real numbers on people moving from Malaysia to Vietnam, and how the trend has changed.
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
- · · ·
-
19.133
Malaysia
Key Indicator Comparison
How Malaysia and Vietnam stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Malaysia 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
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Vietnam leads in healthcare spending per person.
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 Malaysia 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
Malaysia generally does better on infrastructure, though Vietnam leads in broadband per 100 people.
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
Malaysia 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
Malaysia generally does better on family life, though Vietnam leads in education spending.
Data: Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia, 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 | Kuala Lumpur | Hanoi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) | 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kuala Lumpur | Hanoi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) | 68°/58°F (20.0°/14.6°C) |
| Feb | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) | 70°/61°F (21.3°/16.2°C) |
| Mar | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) | 74°/66°F (23.5°/18.7°C) |
| Apr | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) | 82°/71°F (27.7°/21.9°C) |
| May | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) | 89°/76°F (31.7°/24.5°C) |
| Jun | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) | 93°/79°F (33.8°/26.3°C) |
| Jul | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) | 92°/80°F (33.3°/26.5°C) |
| Aug | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.8°C) |
| Sep | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.7°C) |
| Oct | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 85°/72°F (29.6°/22.4°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) | 79°/67°F (26.3°/19.2°C) |
| Dec | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) | 72°/60°F (22.1°/15.4°C) |
Data:
Malaysian Meteorological Department,
Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malaysia 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.
Malaysia passport holder visiting Vietnam
Visa Free
Vietnam passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa FreeData: 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 Malaysia?
Generally yes: Vietnam runs about 14% cheaper than Malaysia 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 MYR305,250 comparable salary, that's around ₫422,406,123 in Vietnam for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Vietnam?
With 21.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Vietnam can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Malaysia and Vietnam.
Is Vietnam safe for expats?
Malaysia performs better than Vietnam across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Vietnam is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Malaysia.
How is healthcare in Vietnam compared to Malaysia?
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Vietnam leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 8.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Vietnam, compared to 23.2 in Malaysia. Vietnam scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malaysia: 76).
What's the weather like in Vietnam compared to Malaysia?
The average high temperature in Hanoi is 82°F, compared to 90°F in Kuala Lumpur. Hanoi receives around 64.1 in of rainfall per year, while Kuala Lumpur gets 95.6 in.
What language do they speak in Vietnam?
The official language in Vietnam is Vietnamese. In Malaysia, the official languages are English and Malay.
