Moving to Vietnam from Norway
What to Expect
Considering a move from Norway to Vietnam? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Norway to Vietnam, you would find that Vietnam is 56.6% cheaper than Norway overall. A NOK723,540 salary in Norway would need to be roughly ₫897,607,152 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 49°F in Oslo, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Norway and Vietnam.
What does your salary buy?
NOK723,540 → ₫897,607,152
To maintain the same standard of living in Vietnam
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 83.9% less
Groceries
pay 53.3% less
Transportation
pay 57.4% less
Housing
pay 76.8% less
Childcare
pay 2.6% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 78.0% 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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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Vietnam compared to Norway.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Norway 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 Norway 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
Norway generally does better on environment, though Vietnam leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
Norway 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
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Vietnam generally does better on employment & economy, though Norway leads in gdp per capita.
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
Norway performs better than Vietnam across all family life metrics.
Data: Norwegian Tax Administration, 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 | Oslo | Hanoi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C) | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/43°F (15°/6°C) | 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/51°F (19°/10°C) | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C) | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) |
View all months
| Month | Oslo | Hanoi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C) | 68°/58°F (20.0°/14.6°C) |
| Feb | 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C) | 70°/61°F (21.3°/16.2°C) |
| Mar | 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C) | 74°/66°F (23.5°/18.7°C) |
| Apr | 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C) | 82°/71°F (27.7°/21.9°C) |
| May | 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C) | 89°/76°F (31.7°/24.5°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C) | 93°/79°F (33.8°/26.3°C) |
| Jul | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C) | 92°/80°F (33.3°/26.5°C) |
| Aug | 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C) | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.8°C) |
| Sep | 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C) | 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.7°C) |
| Oct | 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C) | 85°/72°F (29.6°/22.4°C) |
| Nov | 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C) | 79°/67°F (26.3°/19.2°C) |
| Dec | 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C) | 72°/60°F (22.1°/15.4°C) |
Data:
Norwegian Meteorological Institute,
Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Norway 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.
Norway passport holder visiting Vietnam
Visa Free
Vietnam passport holder visiting Norway
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 Norway?
On average Vietnam is about 54% less expensive than Norway, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Vietnam?
Budget about ₫224,401,788 for 3 months in Vietnam (based on a NOK723,540 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Vietnam?
Connectivity is usually fine (Vietnam: 21.7 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Vietnam offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Vietnam safe for expats?
Norway performs better than Vietnam across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Vietnam is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Norway.
How is healthcare in Vietnam compared to Norway?
Vietnam generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Norway leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 8.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Vietnam, compared to 51.7 in Norway. Vietnam scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Norway: 87).
What's the weather like in Vietnam compared to Norway?
The average high temperature in Hanoi is 82°F, compared to 49°F in Oslo. Hanoi receives around 64.1 in of rainfall per year, while Oslo gets 30.0 in.
What language do they speak in Vietnam?
The official language in Vietnam is Vietnamese. In Norway, the official languages are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami.
