Moving to Vietnam from Singapore

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Singapore to Vietnam? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Singapore to Vietnam, you would find that Vietnam is 75.6% cheaper than Singapore overall. A SGD96,000 salary in Singapore would need to be roughly ₫474,000,000 in Vietnam to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Vietnamese. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Singapore and Vietnam.

What does your salary buy?

SGD96,000 → ₫474,000,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Vietnam

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 73.9% less

Groceries

pay 55.9% less

Transportation

pay 78.8% less

Housing

pay 84.5% less

Childcare

pay 66.4% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 80.9% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 SGD = 20241.27 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Singapore to Vietnam.

Living there in 2020
1,845 ↑ 5% vs 2015

people born in Singapore 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

The numbers behind daily life in Vietnam compared to Singapore.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

SG
0.1
VN
1.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SG
1.9
VN
17.7

Singapore performs better than Vietnam across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SG
$6,551
VN
$690
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SG
28.3
VN
11.1

Vietnam generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Singapore leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SG
23.0
VN
52.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SG
9.8t
VN
4.3t

Singapore generally does better on environment, though Vietnam leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SG
27.8
VN
23.7
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SG
33.3%
VN
18.1%

Singapore generally does better on infrastructure, though Vietnam leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

SG
2.8%
VN
1.5%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

SG
$98,814
VN
$5,066

Singapore generally does better on employment & economy, though Vietnam leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

SG
83.3 yrs
VN
74.7 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SG
2.2
VN
12.0

Singapore generally does better on family life, though Vietnam leads in education spending.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2011–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (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.

Singapore Rain: 83.2 in/yr (2113 mm)
89° / 77°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Singapore Hanoi
Jan–Mar 89°/76°F (31°/25°C) 71°/62°F (22°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) 88°/75°F (31°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/78°F (31°/25°C) 90°/78°F (32°/26°C)
Oct–Dec 88°/76°F (31°/25°C) 79°/66°F (26°/19°C)
View all months
Month Singapore Hanoi
Jan 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.3°C) 68°/58°F (20.0°/14.6°C)
Feb 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.6°C) 70°/61°F (21.3°/16.2°C)
Mar 90°/77°F (32.2°/24.9°C) 74°/66°F (23.5°/18.7°C)
Apr 90°/78°F (32.4°/25.3°C) 82°/71°F (27.7°/21.9°C)
May 90°/78°F (32.3°/25.7°C) 89°/76°F (31.7°/24.5°C)
Jun 89°/78°F (31.9°/25.7°C) 93°/79°F (33.8°/26.3°C)
Jul 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.4°C) 92°/80°F (33.3°/26.5°C)
Aug 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.3°C) 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.8°C)
Sep 89°/77°F (31.6°/25.2°C) 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.7°C)
Oct 89°/77°F (31.8°/25.0°C) 85°/72°F (29.6°/22.4°C)
Nov 88°/76°F (31.2°/24.6°C) 79°/67°F (26.3°/19.2°C)
Dec 87°/76°F (30.5°/24.3°C) 72°/60°F (22.1°/15.4°C)

Data: Meteorological Service Singapore Meteorological Service Singapore, Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Singapore 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.

Singapore passport

Singapore passport holder visiting Vietnam

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

Vietnam passport holder visiting Singapore

Visa Free
Vietnam passport holders can enter Singapore 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 Singapore?

On average Vietnam is about 76% less expensive than Singapore, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Vietnam?

Budget about ₫118,500,000 for 3 months in Vietnam (based on a SGD96,000 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?

Singapore performs better than Vietnam across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Vietnam is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.1 in Singapore.

How is healthcare in Vietnam compared to Singapore?

Vietnam generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Singapore leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 11.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Vietnam, compared to 28.3 in Singapore. Vietnam scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Singapore: 89).

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

The average high temperature in Hanoi is 82°F, compared to 89°F in Singapore. Hanoi receives around 64.1 in of rainfall per year, while Singapore gets 83.2 in.

What language do they speak in Vietnam?

The official language in Vietnam is Vietnamese. In Singapore, the official languages are Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil.

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At a Glance

SG VN
Population 6,111,175 101,598,527
Currency Singapore Dollar (SGD) Vietnamese Dong (₫)
Languages Chinese, English, Malay, Tamil Vietnamese
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +65 +84
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 113