Moving to Vietnam

Living in Vietnam as an expat

Living in Vietnam as an expat puts you in for an adventure on many levels. This Southeast Asian country offers excellent earning potential and a high quality of life, with thousands of miles of beautiful beaches on its eastern border, stunning islands, and vast hilly and mountainous inland areas.

The northern city of Hanoi serves as Vietnam’s capital – a fast-changing metropolis filled with new developments, beautiful lakes, bustling streets, and tens of thousands of motorbikes. In the south, Ho Chi Minh City (previously Saigon) is Vietnam’s most important economic hub. If you’re relocating to Ho Chi Minh City, you can expect skyscrapers, shopping malls and modern restaurants alongside old French colonial architecture.

Vietnam manages to offer both bustling city energy and laid-back countryside charm. The country will tantalise your senses – possibly overloading them at times, although an island escape is always just a short plane hop or ferry ride away. 

Vietnam’s economy is the fastest-growing in the region, and the country boasts a thriving art scene, stunning landscapes, and exceptional cuisine that continues gaining international recognition. Numerous Western restaurants, lively nightlife spots and an active art scene ensure that work becomes merely something that takes place between a multitude of social arrangements.

Hanoi City Guide
Ho Chi Minh City Guide

Working in Vietnam

Working in Vietnam offers excellent opportunities in a rapidly growing economy. Vietnam’s workforce reached 53 million people in 2024, with the economy targeting over 8 percent growth in 2025. The job market spans manufacturing, services, and agriculture, with particularly strong demand in the technology, finance, and engineering sectors.

The tech sector stands out for international professionals. You’ll need a work permit for employment longer than three months, which takes approximately 20 days to process. Work permits remain valid for up to two years and must be obtained before starting employment.

Working in Vietnam 
Visas for Vietnam 
Work Permits for Vietnam

Vietnamese culture

Vietnamese culture centres on respect, hierarchy, and strong community bonds that shape both social and business interactions. Understanding these cultural norms will help you build relationships and succeed professionally in Vietnam. Vietnamese society places enormous value on family connections, respect for elders, and maintaining harmony in group settings.

Business culture in Vietnam emphasises relationship-building over immediate transactions. Communication tends to be indirect and high-context, meaning much goes unsaid and non-verbal cues carry significant weight. Hierarchy matters tremendously – always greet older individuals first, show deference to senior colleagues, and avoid public confrontation or causing anyone to lose face.

Key etiquette to remember includes removing shoes when entering homes or temples, dressing modestly (covering shoulders and knees), and using both hands when giving or receiving items.

Local Culture in Vietnam 
Doing Business in Vietnam

Finding accommodation in Vietnam

Finding accommodation in Vietnam means choosing between diverse options, from serviced apartments to traditional rentals. Serviced apartments remain the most popular choice for expats, providing furnished units with cleaning services, utilities, and Wi-Fi all included in the rental price.

Popular expat neighbourhoods include District 2 (Thao Dien) and District 7 (Phu My Hung) in Ho Chi Minh City, which is known for international schools and expat amenities. In Hanoi, the districts of Ba Dinh, Tay Ho, and Tu Liem attract international residents.

Da Nang has emerged as an attractive alternative. The My An and My Khe beach areas also offer modern serviced apartments. Most rental agreements include electricity as the only additional cost beyond the base rent.

Accommodation in Vietnam

Cost of living in Vietnam

The cost of living in Vietnam ranks as one of the country’s biggest drawcards, and the country is considered one of the most affordable for expats. Everything from accommodation, transport and groceries is relatively affordable, although this depends on the lifestyle you choose to live. In a recent survey, an impressive 86 percent of expats rated Vietnam’s cost of living positively – more than double the global average – with 65 percent reporting overall financial satisfaction.

Luxury housing and Western food will set you back considerably more than standard accommodation and local cuisine. One of the biggest costs you’ll need to budget for is health insurance, and if you have children, international school tuition fees will also require significant financial planning.

Cost of Living in Vietnam 
Transport and Driving in Vietnam

Living in Vietnam with children

Living in Vietnam with children means you’ll need to consider healthcare and education carefully. The healthcare system has improved significantly, with about 95 percent of the population covered by health insurance. Since public healthcare facilities generally don’t match standards found in most Western countries, expats and their families typically invest in extensive international health insurance that covers treatment at private hospitals.

Vietnam is widely considered very safe for families with children, and you’ll have plenty to see and do with your little ones during weekend breaks – from Mekong Delta canoe tours and island hopping to discovering the country’s rich historical sites.

Healthcare in Vietnam
Safety in Vietnam

Finding a school in Vietnam

Finding a school in Vietnam is straightforward if you know where to look. If you’re moving to Vietnam with children, you’ll be pleased to discover numerous international schools throughout the country that cater specifically for expat children’s needs. These schools generally offer excellent teaching standards and allow students to participate in various extracurricular activities.

Education and Schools in Vietnam

Getting around in Vietnam

Getting around in Vietnam has become increasingly convenient with modern transport infrastructure and technology-based solutions. Major cities now feature metro systems, with Ho Chi Minh City’s Line 1 launching in 2024, connecting Ben Thanh Market to the Eastern Bus Terminal. Hanoi operates two metro lines, providing efficient public transport across the capital.

Ride-sharing apps like Grab and Gojek dominate urban transport in Vietnam, offering both car and motorbike options with fixed pricing that prevents tourist scams. Motorbike taxis, known locally as xe om, provide the most economical (and sometimes terrifying) city transport.

For longer distances, Vietnam provides excellent train connections, particularly the popular overnight routes from Hanoi to Sapa and the north-south railway linking Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. Buses cover nearly every destination at budget-friendly prices, and domestic flights connect major cities quickly. Most expats use ride-sharing apps for daily transport and switch to trains or flights for longer journeys.

Public Transport and Driving in Vietnam

Climate and weather in Vietnam

The weather in Vietnam is warm and tropical year-round, although regional variations and seasonal patterns significantly affect different areas. Vietnam experiences two main monsoon seasons: the southwest monsoon from May to October brings wet conditions, and the northeast monsoon from November to April makes for drier weather. However, climate patterns vary considerably from north to south across the country’s 16 degrees of latitude.

Northern Vietnam around Hanoi sees the most seasonal variation, with cooler winters ranging from 59°F to 72°F (15°C to 22°C) and hot, humid summers from 82°F to 95°F (28°C to 35°C). Central Vietnam, including Da Nang, maintains more consistent year-round temperatures of about 68°F to 91°F (20°C to 33°C) but experiences distinct wet and dry periods. Southern Vietnam around Ho Chi Minh City stays consistently warm at about 77°F to 91°F (25°C to 33°C) with less temperature variation, although it still has clear wet and dry seasons.

Humidity regularly reaches 80 percent during wet seasons, which can feel overwhelming initially, but it will become more manageable as you acclimate.

Weather and Climate Charts for Vietnam

Fast facts

Population: More than 101 million

Capital city: Hanoi

Neighbouring countries: Vietnam is bordered by China to the north and Cambodia and Laos to the west.

Geography: Vietnam is a long, narrow, S-shaped country on the eastern Indochina Peninsula. Most of its landscape is mountainous and densely forested.

Political system: Single-party socialist republic

Major religions: Vietnamese folk religion and Buddhism

Main languages: Vietnamese (official), Chinese, some English and French

Time: GMT +7

Electricity: 220V, 50 Hz. Vietnam uses three plug types: Type A (American-style with two flat parallel pins), Type C (European-style with two round pins), and Type D (Indian-style with three round pins). Type C is most commonly used in modern buildings.

Money: The Vietnamese Dong (VND) is the official currency. The US Dollar (USD) is often used for large amounts. Although credit cards are accepted in major centres, Vietnam remains a largely cash-based society.

International dialling code: +84

Internet domain: .vn

Transport and driving: Cars drive on the right-hand side. Motorbikes and bicycles are two of the most popular modes of transport among the locals. Expats often find driving to be risky in Vietnam and avoid driving their own vehicle, especially in the bigger cities, where it’s possible to get around quite easily with public transport.

Emergency numbers: 113 (police), 115 (ambulance), 114 (fire). Emergency services are extremely limited in rural areas.