A comfortable retirement works out cheaper in Vietnam — around £1,700/month for a couple, versus £2,100 in Mauritius (about 19% more).
Cost of living, side by side
| Mauritius | Vietnam | |
|---|---|---|
| Modest (couple/mo) | £1,400 | £1,100 |
| Comfortable (couple/mo) | £2,100 | £1,700 |
| Premium (couple/mo) | £3,300 | £2,900 |
Indicative monthly estimates for a couple — real costs vary by location, lifestyle and exchange rates.
Mauritius: Non-citizens buy mainly through government-approved schemes such as the Property Development Scheme (PDS), IRS and RES, or in ground-plus-two apartment developments, where they can own freehold. A qualifying purchase above set price thresholds can also confer residence. Buying ordinary land outside these schemes generally requires special approval.
Vietnam: Foreigners can own apartments (with ownership-term limits); land itself remains state-owned.
Mauritius: Those aged 50+ can apply for a Retired Non-Citizen residence permit by undertaking to transfer around USD 2,000 a month into a local account; buying a qualifying scheme property can also grant residence for as long as it is held.
Vietnam: Longer-stay options are more limited than elsewhere in Asia — check current routes carefully.
Mauritius: Free public hospitals exist but expats use private clinics, chiefly the C-Care group (with branches at Grand Baie, Tamarin and Wellkin in Moka) plus others, offering good care in English and French, with anything highly specialised sometimes handled abroad. Private insurance is widely used and relatively affordable.
Vietnam: Major cities have good international hospitals (FV Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, the Vinmec network) with English-speaking, often Western-trained staff at a fraction of Western prices; many expats keep international insurance (roughly £70-450 a month by age and cover) and may travel abroad for complex care.
Mauritius: Mauritius has a flat 15% income tax and no capital-gains or inheritance tax, and a resident is taxed on foreign income only if it is remitted to Mauritius; the over-50s retirement permit needs about USD 24,000 a year of income. Take advice on remittance timing.
Vietnam: Vietnamese tax residents (183+ days or a permanent home) are taxed on worldwide income on a progressive scale up to 35%, with relief under the UK-Vietnam double-tax treaty; there is no dedicated retirement visa, so residency and pension taxation both need professional advice.
Mauritius: Warm and tropical all year, with hot humid summers from December to March and pleasantly mild drier winters from June to September; cyclone season runs January to March. Winter is the most comfortable time. Very easy for British retirees, as English is an official language and driving is on the left as in the UK; the island is safe, stable and welcoming with a large established expat community.
Vietnam: Tropical but varied by region: the south is warm year-round with a wet season (May-October), the centre around Da Nang is driest and best from February to August, and the north has a cooler winter. Vietnam is very safe with low crime and welcoming to foreigners, though English is less widely spoken outside cities; traffic is intense and driving is on the right, so many retirees avoid driving themselves.
Mauritius: Foreign buyers purchase through approved schemes such as the PDS from a USD 375,000 minimum, and expect registration duty of around 5%, though from mid-2026 this is rising toward 10% for scheme purchases, so check the current rate; completion takes weeks to a few months.
Vietnam: Foreigners cannot own land, only apartments in approved buildings on a renewable 50-year leasehold (capped at 30% of a block); expect around 10% VAT (usually in the price), a 0.5% registration fee, a maintenance or sinking fund near 2%, and legal costs, with independent legal checks essential.
Mauritius: Grand Baie and the north for a lively expat hub, Tamarin and Black River on the west coast for a laid-back beach lifestyle, and Flic en Flac for lagoons and amenities.
Vietnam: Da Nang for an affordable, laid-back beach city popular with retirees, Ho Chi Minh City (Districts 2/Thu Duc and 7) for the best hospitals and amenities, historic Hoi An nearby, and Hanoi for northern culture.
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