Moving to China from Vietnam
What to Expect
Considering a move from Vietnam to China? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Vietnam to China, you would find that China is 8.7% more expensive than Vietnam overall. A ₫1,900,000,000 salary in Vietnam would need to be roughly CN¥534,000 in China to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Beijing averages 64°F vs 82°F in Hanoi, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Vietnam and China.
What does your salary buy?
₫1,900,000,000 → CN¥534,000
To maintain the same standard of living in China
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 32.9% more
Groceries
pay 0.1% less
Transportation
pay 23.7% more
Housing
pay 13.4% less
Childcare
pay 41.9% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 82.8% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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 China cost about 5% less than cities in Vietnam.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Vietnam to China.
Who's moving to China?
Top countries of origin for China's foreign-born residents.
-
1.303,095
Vietnam
- 209,555
- 144,831
- 57,602
- 56,657
- 30,811
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in China compared to Vietnam.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
China performs significantly 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 China 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
Vietnam performs better than China 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
China 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
share of people below the poverty line
Vietnam generally does better on employment & economy, though China 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
China performs significantly better than Vietnam across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2011–2021), World Health Organization (2024), General Department Of Taxation - Ministry Of Finance (2016), State Administration of Taxation (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Hanoi | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Hanoi | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/58°F (20.0°/14.6°C) | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) |
| Feb | 70°/61°F (21.3°/16.2°C) | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) |
| Mar | 74°/66°F (23.5°/18.7°C) | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) |
| Apr | 82°/71°F (27.7°/21.9°C) | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) |
| May | 89°/76°F (31.7°/24.5°C) | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) |
| Jun | 93°/79°F (33.8°/26.3°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 92°/80°F (33.3°/26.5°C) | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) |
| Aug | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.8°C) | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) |
| Sep | 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.7°C) | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) |
| Oct | 85°/72°F (29.6°/22.4°C) | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) |
| Nov | 79°/67°F (26.3°/19.2°C) | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) |
| Dec | 72°/60°F (22.1°/15.4°C) | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) |
Data:
Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration,
China Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Vietnam and China. To live, work, or study long-term in China, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check China's immigration authority.
Vietnam passport holder visiting China
Visa Required
China passport holder visiting Vietnam
Visa Online (e-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 China than Vietnam?
On average China is around 9% pricier than Vietnam, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to China?
Budget about CN¥133,500 for 3 months in China (based on a ₫1,900,000,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from China?
Connectivity is usually fine (China: 47.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does China offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is China safe for expats?
China performs significantly better than Vietnam across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in China is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in Vietnam.
How is healthcare in China compared to Vietnam?
Vietnam generally does better on health & wellbeing, though China leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 31.1 doctors per 10,000 people in China, compared to 11.1 in Vietnam. China scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Vietnam: 68).
What's the weather like in China compared to Vietnam?
The average high temperature in Beijing is 64°F, compared to 82°F in Hanoi. Beijing receives around 22.8 in of rainfall per year, while Hanoi gets 64.1 in.
What language do they speak in China?
The official language in China is Chinese. In Vietnam, the official language is Vietnamese.
