Moving to
Vietnam
Moving to Vietnam: one person needs about $900/month in Ho Chi Minh City (a family about $2,000), the top personal income-tax rate is 35% — roughly $39,140 take-home on a $60,000 salary — and there is no dedicated digital-nomad visa. Permanent residency takes about 3 years, and citizenship about 5.
Ho Chi Minh City is fast, loud, and dirt-cheap, with world-class food, legendary coffee culture, and a young booming economy humming on a million motorbikes. Nomads love the cost-to-lifestyle ratio — you live very well on very little. The weak point is the visa situation: there's no nomad visa, so long stays run on tourist e-visas and business or TRC workarounds.
Last updated August 2026 · How we calculate this
Vietnam by the numbers
Relative scores across cost, safety, healthcare, quality of life and connectivity (higher is better).
Why move to Vietnam
- Extremely cheap, great food and coffee
- Fast internet, buzzing energy
- Booming economy, young population
The catch
- No nomad visa, visa hassles
- Chaotic traffic, pollution, noise
- Heat, humidity, and language barrier
Take-home pay
Net salary in Vietnam on a $60k gross, after income tax and social security:
Progressive PIT 5–35% + ~10.5% social. Approximate.
Cost of living · Ho Chi Minh City
Average all-in monthly cost in USD — estimates for guidance.
Compare cities →Visa & residency
No dedicated nomad visa; remote workers use the 90-day multi-entry e-visa (open to all nationalities since Aug 2023) or tourist stays.
No nomad visa; you stack 90-day e-visas or get a business/investor visa (DT) or company-sponsored work permit (LD), which converts to a Temporary Residence Card — up to two years on a work permit, up to ten for larger investors. Marriage/family (TT) is another route, but there's no easy citizenship path.
How can I move here? → Where can my passport go? →Economy & everyday life
GDP-per-capita PPP is ~$18,100, so local costs are low and a foreign income stretches far — rent and food in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi feel cheap. Inflation is a steady, managed ~3.3%, so prices creep rather than jump. Life expectancy is 74.7; public hospitals are crowded and basic, so expats rely on private and international clinics in the big cities and should carry private insurance.
Healthcare
World Bank data, most recent available — shows how well the system is resourced, not what you'll personally pay.
Safety
US State Department advisory level, country-wide — general guidance, not neighbourhood-specific. Full advisory →
Education
World Bank data, most recent available — learning score reflects harmonised international test performance.
Connectivity
World Bank data, most recent available.
Getting a passport
Compare all countries →5 yrs residence + Vietnamese proficiency; dual nationality only in special cases with Presidential approval. Naturalisation rare/discretionary.
By residence — confirm with the official authority.
Best time to go
Full climate →Average daily temperature by month · 2023 (Open-Meteo).
Where expats live in Vietnam
Cost of living by city
All cities →All-in monthly cost for one person — tap a city for the full breakdown. Figures are averages, for guidance.
Living in Vietnam
Healthcare
Good international hospitals in HCMC and Hanoi (FV Hospital, Vinmec) but limited depth; expats carry international insurance and use Bangkok or Singapore for anything serious.
Money & banking
Local bank accounts require a work permit or TRC, so most nomads run on Wise, cards, and cash; QR/mobile pay (Momo) is widespread but usually needs a local account.
Internet
Fast, cheap fiber (100-500Mbps) and excellent mobile, plus a huge cafe-work culture and coworking in HCMC and Da Nang.
Etiquette & culture
Greetings, tipping and the taboos to dodge — fit in fast. Open the guide →
On arrival
Full essentials →Getting there
Flight distances →Fly via SGN (Ho Chi Minh City) or HAN (Hanoi), two solid hubs with heavy intra-Asia traffic and a growing set of long-haul routes.
Generally safe — usual traveller caution applies.
Dial 113 · ambulance 115 for police, ambulance or fire.
Best for budget nomads who want high energy, incredible food, and cost efficiency over visa stability.
Your move to Vietnam — roadmap
Key terms
- Effective tax rate
- The share of your gross income actually lost to income tax and social contributions combined — almost always lower than the headline top tax bracket.
- Take-home pay
- What actually reaches your account after income tax and employee social contributions are taken off your gross salary.
- Tax residency
- The country entitled to tax your worldwide income — usually where you spend 183 days or more in a year, though the exact test varies by country.
- Permanent residency
- The right to live and work in a country indefinitely — the stage before citizenship, and those years usually count toward naturalization.
- Cost of living
- The all-in monthly spend for one person — rent, food, transport and bills — in the country's main relocation city.
Moving to Vietnam — FAQ
Is there income tax in Vietnam?
Yes. Vietnam taxes income on progressive brackets. On a $60,000 salary the effective rate is about 34.8%, leaving roughly $39,140.
Can digital nomads get a visa for Vietnam?
Vietnam has no dedicated digital-nomad visa. No dedicated nomad visa; remote workers use the 90-day multi-entry e-visa (open to all nationalities since Aug 2023) or tourist stays.
How do you get residency in Vietnam?
No nomad visa; you stack 90-day e-visas or get a business/investor visa (DT) or company-sponsored work permit (LD), which converts to a Temporary Residence Card — up to two years on a work permit, up to ten for larger investors. Marriage/family (TT) is another route, but there's no easy citizenship path.
How much does it cost to live in Ho Chi Minh City?
A single person needs roughly $900/month in Ho Chi Minh City, and a family around $2,000/month, all-in.
Is tap water safe to drink in Vietnam?
No — stick to bottled or filtered water in Vietnam.