Moving to Vietnam from Thailand
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Thailand to Vietnam — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Thailand to Vietnam, you would find that Vietnam is 24.6% cheaper than Thailand overall. A THB2,500,000 salary in Thailand would need to be roughly ₫1,450,000,000 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.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Vietnam cheaper than Thailand?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 35.0% less
Groceries
pay 20.1% less
Transportation
pay 43.6% less
Housing
pay 9.9% less
Childcare
pay 11.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 50.6% 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.
What salary do you need in Vietnam?
What does your salary buy?
THB2,500,000 → ₫1,450,000,000
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 15% less than cities in Thailand.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Thailand to Vietnam, based on official data.
Who's moving to Vietnam?
Top countries of origin for Vietnam's foreign-born residents.
-
1.12,192
Thailand
- 11,796
- 8,325
- 8,288
- 7,334
- 3,335
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Thailand to Vietnam.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Vietnam performs significantly better than Thailand 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 Thailand leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Thailand 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
Thailand generally does better on infrastructure, though Vietnam leads in broadband per 100 people.
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
Thailand generally does better on employment & economy, though Vietnam leads in poverty 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
Thailand 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), The Revenue Department, Government of Thailand (2016), General Department Of Taxation - Ministry Of Finance (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Vietnam vs Thailand
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Bangkok | Ho Chi Minh City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/74°F (33°/23°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 93°/78°F (34°/26°C) | 94°/79°F (34°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) | 91°/77°F (33°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/73°F (32°/23°C) | 90°/76°F (32°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bangkok | Ho Chi Minh City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/70°F (32.0°/21.0°C) | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.4°C) |
| Feb | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.3°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.1°C) |
| Mar | 93°/77°F (33.7°/24.9°C) | 92°/77°F (33.6°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 95°/79°F (34.9°/26.1°C) | 94°/80°F (34.5°/26.4°C) |
| May | 93°/78°F (34.0°/25.6°C) | 95°/80°F (34.9°/26.4°C) |
| Jun | 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.4°C) | 92°/78°F (33.5°/25.5°C) |
| Jul | 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.0°C) | 91°/77°F (33.0°/25.2°C) |
| Aug | 90°/77°F (32.5°/24.9°C) | 91°/77°F (32.9°/25.1°C) |
| Sep | 90°/76°F (32.3°/24.6°C) | 91°/77°F (32.6°/25.0°C) |
| Oct | 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.3°C) | 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.0°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.1°C) | 90°/77°F (32.4°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 88°/69°F (31.3°/20.8°C) | 89°/75°F (31.6°/23.9°C) |
Data:
Thai Meteorological Department,
Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration
Can you move from Thailand to Vietnam?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Thailand 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.
Thailand passport holder visiting Vietnam
Visa Free
Vietnam passport holder visiting Thailand
Visa FreeData: 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 Thailand?
Yes — Vietnam is on average about 25% cheaper than Thailand. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Vietnam?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₫362,500,000 in Vietnam on a THB2,500,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Vietnam?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Vietnam has 23.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Vietnam safe for expats?
Vietnam performs significantly better than Thailand across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Vietnam is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.8 in Thailand.
How is healthcare in Vietnam compared to Thailand?
Vietnam generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Thailand leads in health coverage index. There are 11.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Vietnam, compared to 5.4 in Thailand. Vietnam scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Thailand: 82).
What's the weather like in Vietnam compared to Thailand?
The average high temperature in Ho Chi Minh City is 91°F, compared to 91°F in Bangkok. Ho Chi Minh City receives around 65.1 in of rainfall per year, while Bangkok gets 59.0 in.
What language do they speak in Vietnam?
The official language in Vietnam is Vietnamese. In Thailand, the official language is Thai.
