Moving to Vietnam from Zambia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Zambia to Vietnam? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Zambia to Vietnam, you would find that Vietnam is 11.8% cheaper than Zambia overall. A ZMW1,500,000 salary in Zambia would need to be roughly ₫1,720,000,000 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. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ho Chi Minh City averages 91°F vs 80°F in Lusaka, making it significantly warmer.
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How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 44.6% less
Groceries
pay 31.1% less
Transportation
pay 28.1% less
Housing
pay 20.3% more
Childcare
pay 42.9% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 48.4% 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?
ZMW1,500,000 → ₫1,720,000,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Vietnam
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Vietnam compared to Zambia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Zambia generally does better on safety, though Vietnam leads in homicide rate.
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 Zambia 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
Zambia 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
Vietnam generally does better on infrastructure, though Zambia 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 Zambia leads in top income tax 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
Vietnam generally does better on family life, though Zambia leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2011–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Zambia Revenue Authority (2016), General Department Of Taxation - Ministry Of Finance (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Vietnam vs Zambia
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Lusaka | Ho Chi Minh City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 94°/79°F (34°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 91°/77°F (33°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) | 90°/76°F (32°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lusaka | Ho Chi Minh City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.4°C) |
| Feb | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.1°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) | 92°/77°F (33.6°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) | 94°/80°F (34.5°/26.4°C) |
| May | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) | 95°/80°F (34.9°/26.4°C) |
| Jun | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) | 92°/78°F (33.5°/25.5°C) |
| Jul | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) | 91°/77°F (33.0°/25.2°C) |
| Aug | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) | 91°/77°F (32.9°/25.1°C) |
| Sep | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) | 91°/77°F (32.6°/25.0°C) |
| Oct | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) | 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.0°C) |
| Nov | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) | 90°/77°F (32.4°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) | 89°/75°F (31.6°/23.9°C) |
Data:
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD),
Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration
Can you move from Zambia to Vietnam?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zambia 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.
Zambia passport holder visiting Vietnam
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Vietnam passport holder visiting Zambia
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 Vietnam than Zambia?
On average Vietnam is about 12% less expensive than Zambia, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Vietnam?
Budget about ₫430,000,000 for 3 months in Vietnam (based on a ZMW1,500,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Vietnam?
Connectivity is usually fine (Vietnam: 23.7 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Vietnam offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Vietnam safe for expats?
Zambia generally does better on safety, though Vietnam leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Vietnam is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.2 in Zambia.
How is healthcare in Vietnam compared to Zambia?
Vietnam generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zambia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 11.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Vietnam, compared to 3.2 in Zambia. Vietnam scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zambia: 56).
What's the weather like in Vietnam compared to Zambia?
The average high temperature in Ho Chi Minh City is 91°F, compared to 80°F in Lusaka. Ho Chi Minh City receives around 65.1 in of rainfall per year, while Lusaka gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Vietnam?
The official language in Vietnam is Vietnamese. In Zambia, the official language is English.
