Moving to Vietnam from Philippines

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Philippines to Vietnam — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Philippines to Vietnam, you would find that Vietnam is 0.3% cheaper than Philippines overall. A ₱4,700,000 salary in Philippines would need to be roughly ₫1,930,000,000 in Vietnam to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Vietnamese.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Philippines to Vietnam.

What does your salary buy?

₱4,700,000 → ₫1,930,000,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Vietnam

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 23.9% less

Groceries

pay 19.1% less

Transportation

pay 4.6% less

Housing

pay 19.8% more

Childcare

pay 2.0 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 33.8% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 PHP = 412.73 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.

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 13% more than cities in Philippines.

Philippines

Pasig 30%
Angeles 28%
Batangas 25%

Vietnam

Hanoi ★ 32%
Hai Phong 29%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Philippines to Vietnam, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
118 ↑ 4% vs 2015

people born in Philippines 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Philippines to Vietnam.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

PH
4.3
VN
1.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

PH
9.7
VN
17.7

Philippines generally does better on safety, though Vietnam leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

PH
$560
VN
$690
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

PH
7.9
VN
11.1

Vietnam generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Philippines leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

PH
92.0
VN
52.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PH
1.5t
VN
4.3t

Philippines generally does better on environment, though Vietnam leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

PH
7.1
VN
23.7
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PH
27.8%
VN
18.1%

Vietnam performs significantly better than Philippines across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

PH
2.2%
VN
1.5%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

PH
$4,171
VN
$5,066

Vietnam generally does better on employment & economy, though Philippines leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

PH
70.0 yrs
VN
74.7 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PH
21.7
VN
12.0

Philippines generally does better on family life, though Vietnam leads in life expectancy.

Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2011–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Internal Revenue (2016), General Department Of Taxation - Ministry Of Finance (2016). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Manila Rain: 86.7 in/yr (2201 mm)
88° / 77°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Manila Hanoi
Jan–Mar 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) 71°/62°F (22°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 91°/79°F (33°/26°C) 88°/75°F (31°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 88°/78°F (31°/26°C) 90°/78°F (32°/26°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/77°F (30°/25°C) 79°/66°F (26°/19°C)
View all months
Month Manila Hanoi
Jan 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C) 68°/58°F (20.0°/14.6°C)
Feb 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) 70°/61°F (21.3°/16.2°C)
Mar 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C) 74°/66°F (23.5°/18.7°C)
Apr 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C) 82°/71°F (27.7°/21.9°C)
May 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C) 89°/76°F (31.7°/24.5°C)
Jun 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C) 93°/79°F (33.8°/26.3°C)
Jul 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C) 92°/80°F (33.3°/26.5°C)
Aug 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C) 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.8°C)
Sep 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.7°C)
Oct 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) 85°/72°F (29.6°/22.4°C)
Nov 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C) 79°/67°F (26.3°/19.2°C)
Dec 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C) 72°/60°F (22.1°/15.4°C)

Data: Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Philippines 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.

Philippines passport

Philippines passport holder visiting Vietnam

Visa Free
Philippines passport holders can enter Vietnam without a visa.
Vietnam passport

Vietnam passport holder visiting Philippines

Visa Free
Vietnam passport holders can enter Philippines without a visa.

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 Philippines?

Costs in Vietnam and Philippines are broadly similar overall, though categories like rent and dining differ between cities.

How much money do I need to move to Vietnam?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₫482,500,000 in Vietnam on a ₱4,700,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Vietnam?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Vietnam has 23.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Vietnam safe for expats?

Philippines generally does better on safety, though Vietnam leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Vietnam is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.3 in Philippines.

How is healthcare in Vietnam compared to Philippines?

Vietnam generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Philippines leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 11.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Vietnam, compared to 7.9 in Philippines. Vietnam scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Philippines: 58).

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

The average high temperature in Hanoi is 82°F, compared to 88°F in Manila. Hanoi receives around 64.1 in of rainfall per year, while Manila gets 86.7 in.

What language do they speak in Vietnam?

The official language in Vietnam is Vietnamese. In Philippines, the official languages are English and Filipino.

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At a Glance

PH VN
Population 116,786,962 101,598,527
Currency Philippine Peso (₱) Vietnamese Dong (₫)
Languages English, Filipino Vietnamese
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +63 +84
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 113