Moving to Vietnam from Minnesota

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Minnesota to Vietnam? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Minnesota to Vietnam, you would find that Vietnam is 65.1% cheaper than Minnesota. A $75,000 salary in Minnesota would need to be roughly ₫677,000,000 in Vietnam to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Vietnamese. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ho Chi Minh City averages 91°F vs 55°F in Minneapolis, making it significantly warmer.

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Is Vietnam cheaper than Minnesota?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 82.4% less

Groceries

pay 52.5% less

Transportation

pay 52.8% less

Housing

pay 71.6% less

Childcare

pay 56.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 75.9% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 25843.13 VND (October 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.

What salary do you need in Vietnam?

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 → ₫677,000,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Vietnam

Calculate with your salary →

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Vietnam cost about 47% less than cities in Minnesota.

Minnesota

Mankato 62%
Rochester 60%
Duluth 50%

Vietnam

Hanoi ★ 32%
Hai Phong 29%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Minnesota to Vietnam.

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

The numbers behind daily life in Vietnam compared to Minnesota.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2024

share of adults with obesity

MN
33.9%
VN
2.4%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2024

share of households with internet

MN
91.0%
VN
84.2%

Minnesota 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

MN
4.3%
VN
1.5%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

MN
$68,478
VN
$5,066

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2024

average years of life at birth

MN
79.1 yrs
VN
74.7 yrs

Minnesota performs better than Vietnam across all family life metrics.

Weather in Vietnam vs Minnesota

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Minneapolis Rain: 30.6 in/yr (778 mm)
55° / 37°F

Avg. annual high / low

Ho Chi Minh City Rain: 65.1 in/yr (1653 mm)
91° / 77°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Minneapolis Ho Chi Minh City
Jan–Mar 31°/15°F (0°/-10°C) 91°/75°F (33°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 69°/48°F (20°/9°C) 94°/79°F (34°/26°C)
Jul–Sep 78°/59°F (26°/15°C) 91°/77°F (33°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 42°/26°F (6°/-3°C) 90°/76°F (32°/25°C)
View all months
Month Minneapolis Ho Chi Minh City
Jan 24°/8°F (-4.6°/-13.6°C) 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.4°C)
Feb 29°/13°F (-1.7°/-10.7°C) 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.1°C)
Mar 41°/24°F (5.2°/-4.3°C) 92°/77°F (33.6°/24.9°C)
Apr 58°/37°F (14.3°/2.9°C) 94°/80°F (34.5°/26.4°C)
May 69°/49°F (20.8°/9.4°C) 95°/80°F (34.9°/26.4°C)
Jun 79°/59°F (26.0°/14.9°C) 92°/78°F (33.5°/25.5°C)
Jul 83°/64°F (28.6°/17.8°C) 91°/77°F (33.0°/25.2°C)
Aug 80°/62°F (26.9°/16.6°C) 91°/77°F (32.9°/25.1°C)
Sep 72°/52°F (22.1°/11.3°C) 91°/77°F (32.6°/25.0°C)
Oct 58°/40°F (14.4°/4.3°C) 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.0°C)
Nov 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) 90°/77°F (32.4°/24.9°C)
Dec 27°/12°F (-2.7°/-10.9°C) 89°/75°F (31.6°/23.9°C)

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

Can you move from Minnesota to Vietnam?

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 Minnesota?

On average Vietnam is about 65% less expensive than Minnesota, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Vietnam?

Budget about ₫169,250,000 for 3 months in Vietnam (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Vietnam?

From major Vietnam cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Minnesota and Vietnam are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Vietnam compared to Minnesota?

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

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

The average high temperature in Ho Chi Minh City is 91°F, compared to 55°F in Minneapolis. Ho Chi Minh City receives around 65.1 in of rainfall per year, while Minneapolis gets 30.6 in.

What language do they speak in Vietnam?

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

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At a Glance

VN
Population 5,830,405 101,598,527
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