Asia · Vietnamese · updated 2026-10

Moving to Vietnam: visas, cost of living & citizenship

A single person needs about $900 a month to live in Ho Chi Minh City, and a family of four about $1,950, including rent. Vietnam has no standard route to permanent residence, with citizenship after 5 yrs, and dual citizenship is limited. Most work routes need a job offer or an investment.

Monthly budget

$900

Very low cost

Safety

Moderately safe

Stability

Moderate

Family

Good

Main city: Ho Chi Minh City
Language: Vietnamese
Permanent residence: No standard route
Citizenship: 5 yrs
Dual citizenship: Limited
Digital nomad visa: No

What can your passport do in Vietnam?Pick your nationality to see your exact access, visit rules and personal score.

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Cost of living in Vietnam, per month in US$

One person

$900

Family of four

$1,950

RentGroceriesTransportUtilities & internetEating out & leisureOther

1-bed flat, Ho Chi Minh City centre

$450

Estimate

3-bed family flat

$850

Estimate

Price level

US = 100

Income per person

$414

GNI ÷ 12, World Bank

Safety

Safety score

Moderately safe

Homicides per 100k

1.54

US 5.8 · UK 1.0 · Japan 0.2

Political stability & governance

Political stability

+0.12

Rule of law

−0.17

Control of corruption

−0.11

Government effectiveness

+0.18

−2.5 weak0strong +2.5

Worldwide Governance Indicators, World Bank. Moderate overall (46/100).

Family-friendliness

Family score

Good

Child outcomes (HCI)

0.69

Health & schooling, 0–1

Under-5 mortality

17.3

per 1,000 births

Life expectancy

74.7 yrs

at birth

Health spending

$197

per person / year

Education spending

2.9%

of GDP

Visa & residence routes

Job offer

Work permitWith a Vietnamese employer.

Investment

Investor visaTiered by investment size.

Who gets easier access to Vietnam

Vietnam is not part of a free-movement area in the index.

Visiting: 27 passports can visit visa-free, 0 with an electronic travel authorisation, 0 get a visa on arrival, 171 can apply for an eVisa and 0 need a visa in advance (Passport Index dataset).

Road to permanent residence & citizenship

ArriveCitizen024681012+ yrs

Permanent residence: No standard route; Rarely granted
Citizenship: 5 yrs
Dual citizenship: Limited

Last checked 2026-10.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to live in Vietnam?

About $900 a month for one person and $1,950 for a family of four in Ho Chi Minh City, including rent. A city-centre 1-bedroom flat costs around $450 a month and a 3-bedroom around $850. Prices are 30% of US levels. Vietnam is the 3rd cheapest of the 76 countries in the index.

Is Vietnam safe to live in?

Vietnam scores 60/100 for safety (moderately safe), ranking 49th of 76. The homicide rate is 1.54 per 100,000 people (US 5.8, UK 1.0, Japan 0.2).

Is Vietnam politically stable?

Vietnam scores 46/100 for stability (moderate), ranking 59th of 76, based on the World Bank's indicators for political stability, rule of law, control of corruption and government effectiveness.

Is Vietnam good for families?

Vietnam scores 50/100 for family-friendliness (good), ranking 55th of 76. Life expectancy is 74.7 years and under-5 mortality is 17.3 per 1,000 births.