Moving to Vietnam from Switzerland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Switzerland to Vietnam? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Switzerland to Vietnam, you would find that Vietnam is 75.4% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF60,626 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly ₫577,541,411 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 55°F in Bern, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Switzerland and Vietnam.
What does your salary buy?
CHF60,626 → ₫577,541,411
To maintain the same standard of living in Vietnam
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 89.0% less
Groceries
pay 62.9% less
Transportation
pay 65.4% less
Housing
pay 83.0% less
Childcare
pay 77.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 83.6% 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 Switzerland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Switzerland 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 Switzerland 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
Switzerland 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
Switzerland 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 Switzerland 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
Switzerland performs better than Vietnam across all family life metrics.
Data: Swiss Federal 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 | Bern | Hanoi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bern | Hanoi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) | 68°/58°F (20.0°/14.6°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) | 70°/61°F (21.3°/16.2°C) |
| Mar | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) | 74°/66°F (23.5°/18.7°C) |
| Apr | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) | 82°/71°F (27.7°/21.9°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) | 89°/76°F (31.7°/24.5°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) | 93°/79°F (33.8°/26.3°C) |
| Jul | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) | 92°/80°F (33.3°/26.5°C) |
| Aug | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.8°C) |
| Sep | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) | 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.7°C) |
| Oct | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) | 85°/72°F (29.6°/22.4°C) |
| Nov | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) | 79°/67°F (26.3°/19.2°C) |
| Dec | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) | 72°/60°F (22.1°/15.4°C) |
Data:
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology,
Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Switzerland 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.
Switzerland passport holder visiting Vietnam
Visa Free
Vietnam passport holder visiting Switzerland
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 Switzerland?
On average Vietnam is about 71% less expensive than Switzerland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Vietnam?
Budget about ₫144,385,353 for 3 months in Vietnam (based on a CHF60,626 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?
Switzerland performs better than Vietnam across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Vietnam is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in Switzerland.
How is healthcare in Vietnam compared to Switzerland?
Vietnam generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 8.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Vietnam, compared to 44.4 in Switzerland. Vietnam scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Switzerland: 86).
What's the weather like in Vietnam compared to Switzerland?
The average high temperature in Hanoi is 82°F, compared to 55°F in Bern. Hanoi receives around 64.1 in of rainfall per year, while Bern gets 42.8 in.
What language do they speak in Vietnam?
The official language in Vietnam is Vietnamese. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
