Moving to Vietnam from North Carolina

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from North Carolina to Vietnam — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from North Carolina to Vietnam, you would find that Vietnam is 60.0% cheaper than North Carolina. A $75,000 salary in North Carolina would need to be roughly ₫996,556,000 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 67°F in Asheville, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from North Carolina to Vietnam.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 ₫996,556,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Vietnam

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 77.7% less

Groceries

pay 52.6% less

Transportation

pay 38.3% less

Housing

pay 79.2% less

Childcare

pay 67.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 73.1% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 26312.4 VND (June 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from North Carolina to Vietnam, and how the trend has changed.

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

How North Carolina and Vietnam stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

NC
33.6%
VN
2.1%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

NC
88.7%
VN
74.0%

North Carolina 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

NC
3.4%
VN
1.6%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

NC
$59,308
VN
$13,700

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

NC
76.1 yrs
VN
75.5 yrs

North Carolina 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.

Asheville Rain: 37.0 in/yr (940 mm)
67° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Hanoi Rain: 64.1 in/yr (1628 mm)
82° / 70°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Asheville Hanoi
Jan–Mar 52°/32°F (11°/0°C) 71°/62°F (22°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/53°F (24°/12°C) 88°/75°F (31°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) 90°/78°F (32°/26°C)
Oct–Dec 58°/38°F (15°/3°C) 79°/66°F (26°/19°C)
View all months
Month Asheville Hanoi
Jan 47°/28°F (8.1°/-2.4°C) 68°/58°F (20.0°/14.6°C)
Feb 50°/31°F (10.2°/-0.6°C) 70°/61°F (21.3°/16.2°C)
Mar 58°/37°F (14.4°/2.9°C) 74°/66°F (23.5°/18.7°C)
Apr 67°/45°F (19.7°/7.3°C) 82°/71°F (27.7°/21.9°C)
May 75°/53°F (23.9°/11.7°C) 89°/76°F (31.7°/24.5°C)
Jun 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C) 93°/79°F (33.8°/26.3°C)
Jul 85°/65°F (29.3°/18.1°C) 92°/80°F (33.3°/26.5°C)
Aug 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.7°C) 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.8°C)
Sep 77°/57°F (25.1°/13.8°C) 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.7°C)
Oct 68°/46°F (19.9°/7.9°C) 85°/72°F (29.6°/22.4°C)
Nov 58°/38°F (14.7°/3.1°C) 79°/67°F (26.3°/19.2°C)
Dec 49°/30°F (9.4°/-0.9°C) 72°/60°F (22.1°/15.4°C)

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

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 North Carolina?

Generally yes: Vietnam runs about 50% cheaper than North Carolina 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 ₫249,139,000 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 North Carolina and Vietnam.

How is healthcare in Vietnam compared to North Carolina?

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

What's the weather like in Vietnam compared to North Carolina?

The average high temperature in Hanoi is 82°F, compared to 67°F in Asheville. Hanoi receives around 64.1 in of rainfall per year, while Asheville gets 37.0 in.

What language do they speak in Vietnam?

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

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At a Glance

VN
Population 9,535,483 103,808,319
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