Vietnam

South-eastern Asia

Asia

A low-cost Asian country with a 5-year citizenship path, a startup visa and low university tuition, but a weaker passport.

Overall score

Moderate · 95% data coverage

Language

Vietnamese

Currency

VND

Citizenship

5 years

Personal tax

Progressive, up to 35%

Cost of living

$850 / mo (single)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown

Access

17%

40Residence12%

38Citizenship and passport5%

Earning power

25%

67Salary and work12%

74Buying power13%

Business and wealth

20%

66Taxes7%

59Business8%

54Investment5%

Daily life

25%

65Quality of life18%

61Education7%

Rights and institutions

13%

20Freedom6%

50Rule of law7%

Pros

A 5-year citizenship path
A startup visa
Low university tuition

Cons

A weaker passport

Best for

FoundersStudents

Score profile

Access

Residence

Citizenship

Passport

Earning power

Salary & work

Buying power

Cost of living

Economy

Business and wealth

Taxes

Personal tax

Corporate tax

Business

Investment

Wealth building

Daily life

Safety

Healthcare

Environment

Infrastructure

Education

HDI

Rights and institutions

Freedom

Rule of law

How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence

Openness to residents

Limited

Migrant stock0.3% of population (2024)

Regulatory quality-0.27 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways

EmploymentStudyFamily reunificationBusiness or investment where eligible

Student	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Self-employed	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Permanent	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Citizenship

Citizenship accessibility

Limited

Years required	5 years
Dual allowed	Depends on route and existing nationality
Language	Check the current naturalisation rules for the selected route
Residence	Typical headline route: 5 years; qualifying residence and absence rules apply
Notes	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Passport

Passport power

Low

55 / 198

Mobility

#86

Global rank

Yes

Biometric

Visa-free21
On arrival30
eTA4
Visa required143

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work

Labour-market strength

Good

Output per worker$26,091 PPP (2024)

Unemployment1.5% (2025)

Participation72.8% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Mean monthly earnings of employees

Overall$331 · $1,117 PPP (2024)

Tech (IT & comms)$497 · $1,676 PPP (2024)

Source: ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)

Freelance	Market access depends on language, sector, and work authorisation
Job market	Use current local vacancy and salary data for role-specific decisions.

Buying power

Purchasing power score

Good

GNI / person$17,580 PPP (2025)

Consumption / person$8,525 PPP (2024)

Price level29 (US = 100) (2025)

Income inequality36.1 Gini (2022)

Inflation3.3% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living

Affordability

Excellent

Price level29 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Rent	Varies substantially by city and neighbourhood
Monthly	$850 / mo (single)
Cities	Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang

Economy

Economic strength

Good

Output & income

GDP$514.7B (2025)

GDP / person$5,066 (2025)

GNI / person$17,580 PPP (2025)

GDP growth7.1% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour

Inflation3.3% / yr (2025)

Unemployment1.5% (2025)

Output per worker$26,091 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition

Agriculture11.6% of GDP (2025)

Industry37.6% of GDP (2025)

Services42.7% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries

Electronics manufacturingTextiles & footwearAgricultureMachineryFurniture

Top exports

Electronics & phonesTextiles & garmentsFootwearCoffee & rice

Type	Lower-middle-income, manufacturing-export-led
Key sectors	Electronics assembly (a fast-rising hub), Textiles & footwear, Agriculture
Summary	A fast-growing manufacturing-export economy, a favoured destination for supply-chain diversification out of China.
Currency	Vietnamese dong

Business and wealth

Taxes

Tax friendliness

Good

Personal	Progressive, up to 35%
Corporate	20% standard
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Personal tax

Limited

Personal	Progressive, up to 35%
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence

Corporate tax

Limited

Corporate	20% standard
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Business

Business friendliness

Moderate

Regulation & bureaucracy

Regulatory quality-0.27 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Government effectiveness-0.09 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules

Foreign company	Generally possible, subject to sector, registration, tax, and substance rules
Local company	Available company forms and capital requirements vary
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply

Investment

Investing environment

Moderate

Market cap61% of GDP (2025)

Private credit125% of GDP (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, residence, holding period, and treaty position
Dividends	Data not available yet
ETFs & funds	Data not available yet
Wealth tax	Check current national and subnational rules
Brokers	Local and international availability varies by residency and compliance checks
Foreign access	Data not available yet
Tax-advantaged	Data not available yet

Wealth building

Wealth accumulation

Good

Salary & work

Good

Business

Moderate

Investment

Moderate

Tax friendliness

Good

Cost of living

Excellent

Daily life

Safety

Safety & stability

Good

Personal safety

Homicide rate1.5 per 100,000 (2011)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability

Control of corruption-0.25 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Political stability0.01 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare

Healthcare score

Moderate

Outcomes

Life expectancy74.7 years (2024)

Under-5 mortality17.3 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing

Physicians1.11 per 1,000 (2021)

Hospital beds2.52 per 1,000 (2017)

Health spending$690 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs

System	Public/private mix varies by eligibility and residence status
Insurance	Check residence-permit and local coverage requirements
Average cost	Depends on eligibility, income, insurer, and chosen coverage

Environment

Environment score

Good

Environmental pressure

PM2.5 exposure24.8 μg/m³ annually (2023)

Water stress18.1% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure

Infrastructure score

Good

Digital infrastructure

Internet use84.2% (2024)

Internet resilience59 / 100 (2026)

Fixed speed93 / 100 download index (2026)

Mobile speed81 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities

Electricity access99.8% (2023)

Grid losses6.6% of output (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport

Transport quality3.20 / 5 (2022)

Rail density10.1 km / 1,000 km² (2021)

Air connectivity3,266 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education

Education score

Moderate

Attainment

Expected schooling15.5 years (2023)

Mean schooling9.0 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment

Tertiary enrolment38% gross (2024)

Education spending2.9% of GDP (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tuition	$2,000-10,000 / yr
Public university	Varies by institution, programme, and student nationality
Languages	Vietnamese
Student work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

HDI

Human development score

Good

HDI0.766 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life

Life expectancy74.6 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge

Expected schooling15.5 years (2023)

Mean schooling9.0 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025