Moving to Vietnam from Portugal
What to Expect
Considering a move from Portugal to Vietnam? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Portugal to Vietnam, you would find that Vietnam is 53.8% cheaper than Portugal overall. A €67,000 salary in Portugal would need to be roughly ₫898,000,000 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 69°F in Lisbon, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Portugal and Vietnam.
What does your salary buy?
€67,000 → ₫898,000,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Vietnam
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 76.5% less
Groceries
pay 28.1% less
Transportation
pay 56.1% less
Housing
pay 62.2% less
Childcare
pay 4.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 57.3% 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.
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 37% less than cities in Portugal.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Vietnam
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Vietnam compared to Portugal.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Portugal 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 Portugal 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
Portugal performs better than Vietnam 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
Portugal 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 Portugal 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Portugal generally does better on family life, though Vietnam leads in literacy rate.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2011–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira (2016), General Department Of Taxation - Ministry Of Finance (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Lisbon | Hanoi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lisbon | Hanoi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) | 68°/58°F (20.0°/14.6°C) |
| Feb | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) | 70°/61°F (21.3°/16.2°C) |
| Mar | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) | 74°/66°F (23.5°/18.7°C) |
| Apr | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) | 82°/71°F (27.7°/21.9°C) |
| May | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) | 89°/76°F (31.7°/24.5°C) |
| Jun | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) | 93°/79°F (33.8°/26.3°C) |
| Jul | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) | 92°/80°F (33.3°/26.5°C) |
| Aug | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.8°C) |
| Sep | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) | 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.7°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) | 85°/72°F (29.6°/22.4°C) |
| Nov | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) | 79°/67°F (26.3°/19.2°C) |
| Dec | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) | 72°/60°F (22.1°/15.4°C) |
Data:
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera,
Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Portugal 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.
Portugal passport holder visiting Vietnam
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Vietnam passport holder visiting Portugal
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 Portugal?
On average Vietnam is about 54% less expensive than Portugal, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Vietnam?
Budget about ₫224,500,000 for 3 months in Vietnam (based on a €67,000 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: 23.7 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?
Portugal 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 Portugal.
How is healthcare in Vietnam compared to Portugal?
Vietnam generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Portugal leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 11.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Vietnam, compared to 58.5 in Portugal. Vietnam scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Portugal: 88).
What's the weather like in Vietnam compared to Portugal?
The average high temperature in Hanoi is 82°F, compared to 69°F in Lisbon. Hanoi receives around 64.1 in of rainfall per year, while Lisbon gets 29.6 in.
What language do they speak in Vietnam?
The official language in Vietnam is Vietnamese. In Portugal, the official language is Portuguese.
