A comfortable retirement works out cheaper in Vietnam — around £1,700/month for a couple, versus £1,800 in Montenegro (about 6% more).
Cost of living, side by side
| Montenegro | Vietnam | |
|---|---|---|
| Modest (couple/mo) | £1,300 | £1,100 |
| Comfortable (couple/mo) | £1,800 | £1,700 |
| Premium (couple/mo) | £2,750 | £2,900 |
Indicative monthly estimates for a couple — real costs vary by location, lifestyle and exchange rates.
Montenegro: Foreigners can own residential and commercial property freehold on the same terms as citizens; the principal exception is agricultural and forest land, which must be held through a locally registered company.
Vietnam: Foreigners can own apartments (with ownership-term limits); land itself remains state-owned.
Montenegro: A temporary residence permit can be based on property ownership (since 2026 the home generally needs a tax-assessed value of at least €150,000), employment or family ties; permits run for a year, are renewable, and require health insurance.
Vietnam: Longer-stay options are more limited than elsewhere in Asia — check current routes carefully.
Montenegro: Public healthcare is modest, so most expats use private clinics locally or travel to nearby Croatia or Serbia for bigger procedures; private insurance and treatment are relatively inexpensive. Facilities are best around Podgorica and the coast.
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.
Montenegro: Montenegro taxes residents' income, including foreign pensions, on a low progressive scale, nothing on roughly the first EUR 700 a month, then 9% and 15% above that, so a typical pension faces only a modest effective rate. It uses the euro despite being outside the EU.
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.
Montenegro: A warm Mediterranean coast with hot summers and mild winters, backed by mountains that are cold and snowy in winter. Late spring and early autumn are ideal on the coast. Montenegro is safe and laid-back; they drive on the right, English is widely spoken among younger people and in the tourist towns, and its small size makes it easy to get around.
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.
Montenegro: Buyers pay a 3% property transfer tax on resale homes (new-builds include 21% VAT instead), plus legal and agency fees of a few percent, and the process is fairly quick. Note that residence can be based on owning a home assessed at EUR 150,000 or more.
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.
Montenegro: Kotor and its dramatic bay for scenery and history; Tivat for the smart Porto Montenegro marina; Budva for beaches and buzz; and Herceg Novi for a sunny, greener setting near the Croatian border.
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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