As an indicative guide, a comfortable retirement in Vietnam costs roughly £1,700 ($2,159) a month for a couple — about £20,400 ($25,908) a year, or ≈ ₫56,100,000/month locally. A modest budget is nearer £1,100 ($1,397); a premium one nearer £2,900 ($3,683).
Against the same comfortable standard at home — roughly £3,000/month for a couple in the UK, or $4,191/month in the US — Vietnam works out about 43% less than the UK and about 48% less than the US. Those home-country anchors are indicative too: what matters is the gap, not the decimal places, and the gap is what decides whether a pension that feels tight at home stretches comfortably abroad.
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Roughly where a comfortable £1,700/month goes:
Indicative estimates for a couple, general guidance only — real costs vary by location, lifestyle and exchange rates.
One of the cheapest places to live well in Asia, with fantastic food and fast-modernising cities like Da Nang and Hoi An drawing a growing expat crowd.
Foreigners can own apartments (with ownership-term limits); land itself remains state-owned. As a general guide only — always confirm the current rules with a qualified local lawyer. Our free ownership checker and the Overseas Property Playbook walk through how ownership works step by step.
Longer-stay options are more limited than elsewhere in Asia — check current routes carefully. Visa rules change often, so treat this as a starting point and verify the latest requirements before you plan.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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