Moving to Vietnam from Saudi Arabia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Saudi Arabia to Vietnam? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Saudi Arabia to Vietnam, you would find that Vietnam is 29.2% cheaper than Saudi Arabia overall. A SAR281,786 salary in Saudi Arabia would need to be roughly ₫1,426,636,866 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 92°F in Riyadh, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Saudi Arabia and Vietnam.
What does your salary buy?
SAR281,786 → ₫1,426,636,866
To maintain the same standard of living in Vietnam
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 35.2% less
Groceries
pay 19.4% less
Transportation
pay 20.8% less
Housing
pay 52.6% less
Childcare
pay 22.9% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 70.0% 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 Saudi Arabia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Saudi Arabia generally does better on safety, though Vietnam leads in road traffic deaths.
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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Vietnam leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Vietnam performs significantly better than Saudi Arabia 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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though Vietnam leads in water stress level.
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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on employment & economy, though Vietnam leads in unemployment rate.
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
Saudi Arabia performs better than Vietnam across all family life metrics.
Data: Department of Zakat and Income Tax, 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 | Riyadh | Hanoi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) | 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riyadh | Hanoi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) | 68°/58°F (20.0°/14.6°C) |
| Feb | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) | 70°/61°F (21.3°/16.2°C) |
| Mar | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) | 74°/66°F (23.5°/18.7°C) |
| Apr | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) | 82°/71°F (27.7°/21.9°C) |
| May | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) | 89°/76°F (31.7°/24.5°C) |
| Jun | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) | 93°/79°F (33.8°/26.3°C) |
| Jul | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) | 92°/80°F (33.3°/26.5°C) |
| Aug | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.8°C) |
| Sep | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) | 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.7°C) |
| Oct | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) | 85°/72°F (29.6°/22.4°C) |
| Nov | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) | 79°/67°F (26.3°/19.2°C) |
| Dec | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) | 72°/60°F (22.1°/15.4°C) |
Data:
National Center for Meteorology,
Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia 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.
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Vietnam
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Vietnam passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
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 Saudi Arabia?
On average Vietnam is about 28% less expensive than Saudi Arabia, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Vietnam?
Budget about ₫356,659,216 for 3 months in Vietnam (based on a SAR281,786 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?
Saudi Arabia generally does better on safety, though Vietnam leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Vietnam is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Saudi Arabia.
How is healthcare in Vietnam compared to Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Vietnam leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 8.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Vietnam, compared to 30.8 in Saudi Arabia. Vietnam scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).
What's the weather like in Vietnam compared to Saudi Arabia?
The average high temperature in Hanoi is 82°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. Hanoi receives around 64.1 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.
What language do they speak in Vietnam?
The official language in Vietnam is Vietnamese. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.
