Moving to Vietnam from Tennessee

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Tennessee to Vietnam — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Tennessee to Vietnam, you would find that Vietnam is 66.2% cheaper than Tennessee. A $75,000 salary in Tennessee would need to be roughly ₫654,000,000 in Vietnam to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Vietnamese. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ho Chi Minh City averages 91°F vs 70°F in Nashville, making it significantly warmer.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Vietnam cheaper than Tennessee?

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 82.0% less

Groceries

pay 53.1% less

Transportation

pay 45.3% less

Housing

pay 76.0% less

Childcare

pay 55.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 73.5% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 25803.12 VND (November 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.

What salary do you need in Vietnam?

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 → ₫654,000,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Vietnam

Calculate with your salary →

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 44% less than cities in Tennessee.

Tennessee

Vietnam

Hanoi ★ 32%
Hai Phong 29%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Tennessee to Vietnam, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
3,335 ↑ 5% vs 2015

people born in United States 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

How Tennessee and Vietnam stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2024

share of adults with obesity

TN
37.9%
VN
2.4%

Vietnam performs significantly better than Tennessee across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2024

share of households with internet

TN
87.6%
VN
84.2%

Tennessee performs better than Vietnam across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

TN
3.4%
VN
1.5%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

TN
$60,177
VN
$5,066

Vietnam generally does better on employment & economy, though Tennessee leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2024

average years of life at birth

TN
73.8 yrs
VN
74.7 yrs

Vietnam performs significantly better than Tennessee across all family life metrics.

Weather in Vietnam vs Tennessee

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Nashville Rain: 47.2 in/yr (1200 mm)
70° / 49°F

Avg. annual high / low

Ho Chi Minh City Rain: 65.1 in/yr (1653 mm)
91° / 77°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Nashville Ho Chi Minh City
Jan–Mar 53°/33°F (12°/1°C) 91°/75°F (33°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) 94°/79°F (34°/26°C)
Jul–Sep 87°/66°F (30°/19°C) 91°/77°F (33°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 60°/40°F (16°/4°C) 90°/76°F (32°/25°C)
View all months
Month Nashville Ho Chi Minh City
Jan 47°/28°F (8.3°/-2.0°C) 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.4°C)
Feb 52°/32°F (11.0°/-0.2°C) 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.1°C)
Mar 61°/39°F (16.1°/3.9°C) 92°/77°F (33.6°/24.9°C)
Apr 71°/47°F (21.4°/8.6°C) 94°/80°F (34.5°/26.4°C)
May 78°/57°F (25.7°/13.8°C) 95°/80°F (34.9°/26.4°C)
Jun 86°/65°F (30.0°/18.6°C) 92°/78°F (33.5°/25.5°C)
Jul 89°/69°F (31.8°/20.8°C) 91°/77°F (33.0°/25.2°C)
Aug 89°/68°F (31.7°/20.2°C) 91°/77°F (32.9°/25.1°C)
Sep 82°/61°F (28.0°/15.9°C) 91°/77°F (32.6°/25.0°C)
Oct 72°/49°F (22.1°/9.4°C) 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.0°C)
Nov 60°/39°F (15.7°/4.1°C) 90°/77°F (32.4°/24.9°C)
Dec 49°/31°F (9.7°/-0.4°C) 89°/75°F (31.6°/23.9°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration

Can you move from Tennessee to Vietnam?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.

United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Vietnam

Visa Online (e-Visa)
United States passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Vietnam.
Vietnam passport

Vietnam passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Vietnam passport holders need a visa to enter United States.

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 Tennessee?

Generally yes: Vietnam runs about 66% cheaper than Tennessee on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Vietnam?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around ₫163,500,000 in Vietnam for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Vietnam?

Working remotely from Vietnam's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Tennessee and Vietnam.

How is healthcare in Vietnam compared to Tennessee?

Vietnam performs significantly better than Tennessee across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Ho Chi Minh City is 91°F, compared to 70°F in Nashville. Ho Chi Minh City receives around 65.1 in of rainfall per year, while Nashville gets 47.2 in.

What language do they speak in Vietnam?

The official language in Vietnam is Vietnamese. In Tennessee, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

VN
Population 7,315,076 101,598,527
Currency United States Dollar ($) Vietnamese Dong (₫)
Languages English Vietnamese
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +84
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911 113