Moving to Colombia from Vietnam

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Vietnam to Colombia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Vietnam to Colombia, you would find that Colombia is 88.5% more expensive than Vietnam overall. A ₫1,900,000,000 salary in Vietnam would need to be roughly COP439,000,000 in Colombia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bogota averages 61°F vs 91°F in Ho Chi Minh City, making it significantly cooler.

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Is Colombia cheaper than Vietnam?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 3.1 times more

Groceries

pay 41.0% more

Transportation

pay 2.0 times more

Housing

pay 96.7% more

Childcare

pay 0.9% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.2 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 VND = 0.1226 COP (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.

What salary do you need in Colombia?

What does your salary buy?

₫1,900,000,000 → COP439,000,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Colombia

Calculate with your salary →

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Vietnam to Colombia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

VN
1.5
CO
24.9
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

VN
17.7
CO
16.2

Vietnam generally does better on safety, though Colombia leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

VN
$690
CO
$1,758
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

VN
11.1
CO
25.4

Colombia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Vietnam leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

VN
52.0
CO
24.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

VN
4.3t
CO
1.8t

Colombia performs significantly better than Vietnam across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

VN
23.7
CO
17.2
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

VN
18.1%
CO
3.6%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

VN
1.5%
CO
8.3%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

VN
$5,066
CO
$8,562

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

VN
74.7 yrs
CO
77.9 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

VN
12.0
CO
10.5

Colombia generally does better on family life, though Vietnam leads in literacy rate.

Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2011–2021), World Health Organization (2024), General Department Of Taxation - Ministry Of Finance (2016), Directorate of National Taxes and Customs (DIAN) (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Colombia vs Vietnam

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Bogota Rain: 31.5 in/yr (799 mm)
61° / 45°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ho Chi Minh City Bogota
Jan–Mar 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) 62°/44°F (17°/7°C)
Apr–Jun 94°/79°F (34°/26°C) 61°/47°F (16°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 91°/77°F (33°/25°C) 60°/45°F (15°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 90°/76°F (32°/25°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
View all months
Month Ho Chi Minh City Bogota
Jan 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.4°C) 62°/42°F (16.4°/5.6°C)
Feb 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.1°C) 62°/44°F (16.7°/6.5°C)
Mar 92°/77°F (33.6°/24.9°C) 62°/46°F (16.7°/7.6°C)
Apr 94°/80°F (34.5°/26.4°C) 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.6°C)
May 95°/80°F (34.9°/26.4°C) 61°/48°F (16.2°/8.7°C)
Jun 92°/78°F (33.5°/25.5°C) 60°/47°F (15.7°/8.3°C)
Jul 91°/77°F (33.0°/25.2°C) 59°/46°F (14.9°/7.7°C)
Aug 91°/77°F (32.9°/25.1°C) 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.3°C)
Sep 91°/77°F (32.6°/25.0°C) 60°/45°F (15.8°/7.1°C)
Oct 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.0°C) 61°/46°F (15.9°/7.7°C)
Nov 90°/77°F (32.4°/24.9°C) 61°/46°F (16.0°/7.9°C)
Dec 89°/75°F (31.6°/23.9°C) 61°/43°F (16.1°/6.3°C)

Data: Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration, Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies

Can you move from Vietnam to Colombia?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Vietnam and Colombia. To live, work, or study long-term in Colombia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Colombia's immigration authority.

Vietnam passport

Vietnam passport holder visiting Colombia

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

Colombia passport holder visiting Vietnam

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

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 Colombia than Vietnam?

No — Colombia is on average about 89% more expensive than Vietnam. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Colombia?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly COP109,750,000 in Colombia on a ₫1,900,000,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Colombia?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Colombia has 17.2 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 Colombia safe for expats?

Vietnam generally does better on safety, though Colombia leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Colombia is 24.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in Vietnam.

How is healthcare in Colombia compared to Vietnam?

Colombia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Vietnam leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Colombia, compared to 11.1 in Vietnam. Colombia scores 80 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Vietnam: 68).

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

The average high temperature in Bogota is 61°F, compared to 91°F in Ho Chi Minh City. Bogota receives around 31.5 in of rainfall per year, while Ho Chi Minh City gets 65.1 in.

What language do they speak in Colombia?

The official language in Colombia is Spanish. In Vietnam, the official language is Vietnamese.

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At a Glance

VN CO
Population 101,598,527 53,425,635
Currency Vietnamese Dong (₫) Colombian Peso (COP)
Languages Vietnamese Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +84 +57
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 113 123