Moving to United Arab Emirates from Vietnam
What to Expect
Considering a move from Vietnam to United Arab Emirates? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Vietnam to United Arab Emirates, you would find that United Arab Emirates is 2.3 times more expensive than Vietnam overall. A ₫1,900,000,000 salary in Vietnam would need to be roughly AED626,000 in United Arab Emirates to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is United Arab Emirates cheaper than Vietnam?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.8 times more
Groceries
pay 20.8% more
Transportation
pay 72.3% more
Housing
pay 3.9 times more
Childcare
pay 8.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 4.7 times 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.
What salary do you need in United Arab Emirates?
What does your salary buy?
₫1,900,000,000 → AED626,000
To maintain the same standard of living in United Arab Emirates
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 United Arab Emirates cost about 52% more than cities in Vietnam.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to United Arab Emirates
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in United Arab Emirates compared to Vietnam.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Arab Emirates 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
United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Vietnam leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Vietnam performs better than United Arab Emirates 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
United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates 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
United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Vietnam across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2011–2021), World Health Organization (2024), General Department Of Taxation - Ministry Of Finance (2016), Ministry of Finance (2016), The World Factbook (2003). How we calculate this
Weather in United Arab Emirates vs Vietnam
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Ho Chi Minh City | Dubai |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) | 78°/59°F (26°/15°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 94°/79°F (34°/26°C) | 97°/74°F (36°/23°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 91°/77°F (33°/25°C) | 104°/83°F (40°/28°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 90°/76°F (32°/25°C) | 87°/66°F (31°/19°C) |
View all months
| Month | Ho Chi Minh City | Dubai |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.4°C) | 75°/57°F (24.0°/13.7°C) |
| Feb | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.1°C) | 76°/58°F (24.6°/14.5°C) |
| Mar | 92°/77°F (33.6°/24.9°C) | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) |
| Apr | 94°/80°F (34.5°/26.4°C) | 90°/68°F (32.4°/20.1°C) |
| May | 95°/80°F (34.9°/26.4°C) | 98°/74°F (36.8°/23.5°C) |
| Jun | 92°/78°F (33.5°/25.5°C) | 102°/79°F (38.8°/26.1°C) |
| Jul | 91°/77°F (33.0°/25.2°C) | 105°/84°F (40.6°/28.9°C) |
| Aug | 91°/77°F (32.9°/25.1°C) | 105°/85°F (40.4°/29.3°C) |
| Sep | 91°/77°F (32.6°/25.0°C) | 102°/79°F (38.7°/26.3°C) |
| Oct | 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.0°C) | 95°/73°F (35.1°/22.7°C) |
| Nov | 90°/77°F (32.4°/24.9°C) | 87°/65°F (30.5°/18.3°C) |
| Dec | 89°/75°F (31.6°/23.9°C) | 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.4°C) |
Data:
Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration
Can you move from Vietnam to United Arab Emirates?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Vietnam and United Arab Emirates. To live, work, or study long-term in United Arab Emirates, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United Arab Emirates's immigration authority.
Vietnam passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates
Visa Online (e-Visa)
United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates than Vietnam?
On average United Arab Emirates is around 132% pricier than Vietnam, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to United Arab Emirates?
Budget about AED156,500 for 3 months in United Arab Emirates (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 United Arab Emirates?
Connectivity is usually fine (United Arab Emirates: 40.8 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does United Arab Emirates offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is United Arab Emirates safe for expats?
United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Vietnam across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United Arab Emirates is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in Vietnam.
How is healthcare in United Arab Emirates compared to Vietnam?
United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Vietnam leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 29.9 doctors per 10,000 people in United Arab Emirates, compared to 11.1 in Vietnam. United Arab Emirates scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Vietnam: 68).
What's the weather like in United Arab Emirates compared to Vietnam?
The average high temperature in Dubai is 91°F, compared to 91°F in Ho Chi Minh City. Dubai receives around 3.7 in of rainfall per year, while Ho Chi Minh City gets 65.1 in.
What language do they speak in United Arab Emirates?
The official language in United Arab Emirates is Arabic. In Vietnam, the official language is Vietnamese.
