Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and Vietnam Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and Vietnam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,360 in United Kingdom versus $696 in Vietnam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,471 in United Kingdom versus $1,098 in Vietnam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,581 in United Kingdom versus $1,499 in Vietnam.

Living in United Kingdom is roughly 239% more expensive than Vietnam on average.

United Kingdom (76% above) and Vietnam (48% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United Kingdom: monthly costs span $1,688 to $4,005, compared to $489$839 in Vietnam. City choice carries more weight in United Kingdom.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
United Kingdom
Vietnam
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.50 £15.17
$1.87 ₫49.1K
996.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.6 £66.3
$20.99 ₫551.3K
326.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.05 £7.44
$4.47 ₫117.4K
124.83%
Cappuccino
$4.53 £3.35
$1.63 ₫42.7K
177.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 £1.83
$0.50 ₫13.1K
394.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 £1.25
$0.27 ₫7,082
529.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.61 £4.89
$0.94 ₫24.7K
603.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.48 £4.80
$1.49 ₫39.0K
334.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
United Kingdom
Vietnam
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 £1.21
$1.38 ₫36.1K
18.84%
White Bread (500g)
$1.70 £1.26
$0.88 ₫23.1K
93.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 £1.63
$0.91 ₫23.8K
141.76%
Eggs
$3.98 £2.94
$1.45 ₫38.1K
174.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.62 £7.12
$11.50 ₫302.0K
-16.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.02 £6.67
$3.57 ₫93.8K
152.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.00 £10.36
$9.95 ₫261.2K
40.70%
Apples (1kg)
$3.07 £2.27
$2.77 ₫72.8K
10.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 £1.19
$1.05 ₫27.5K
53.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.82 £2.09
$1.32 ₫34.6K
113.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.58 £2.65
$1.12 ₫29.3K
219.64%
Potato (1kg)
$1.61 £1.19
$1.13 ₫29.8K
42.48%
Onion (1kg)
$1.52 £1.13
$1.18 ₫31.0K
28.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.16 £0.86
$0.68 ₫17.8K
70.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 £1.11
$0.48 ₫12.6K
212.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.28 £15.01
$1.35 ₫35.5K
1402.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.76 £7.96
$10.55 ₫277.1K
1.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 £2.14
$0.80 ₫20.9K
262.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27 £2.42
$1.41 ₫37.0K
131.91%
🚌 Getting Around
United Kingdom
Vietnam
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.25 £2.40
$0.30 ₫7,878
983.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$96.6 £71.5
$7.68 ₫201.8K
1157.42%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 £4.00
$0.74 ₫19.5K
631.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.55 £1.14
$0.62 ₫16.2K
150.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.40 £20.28
$3.79 ₫99.6K
622.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.00 £1.48
$0.86 ₫22.7K
132.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.6K £28.6K
$36.1K ₫947.5M
7.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.1K £29.7K
$33.4K ₫875.9M
20.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
United Kingdom
Vietnam
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$324 £239
$69.7 ₫1.8M
363.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.16 £12.70
$5.55 ₫145.6K
209.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.46 £31.42
$8.89 ₫233.4K
377.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
United Kingdom
Vietnam
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.45 £34.38
$21.69 ₫569.7K
114.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.23 £12.01
$8.04 ₫211.2K
101.87%
Cinema Ticket
$13.44 £9.94
$3.94 ₫103.4K
241.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
United Kingdom
Vietnam
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,720 £1,273
$244 ₫6.4M
604.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.1K £15.6K
$12.4K ₫325.0M
70.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
United Kingdom
Vietnam
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.6 £66.3
$36.27 ₫952.5K
147.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.89 £32.48
$24.69 ₫648.4K
77.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 £74.6
$87.6 ₫2.3M
15.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 £78.1
$79.5 ₫2.1M
32.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
United Kingdom
Vietnam
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,396 £1,033
$366 ₫9.6M
281.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,126 £833
$247 ₫6.5M
355.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,346 £1,736
$795 ₫20.9M
194.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,877 £1,389
$520 ₫13.6M
261.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,923 £4,383
$3,563 ₫93.6M
66.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,613 £3,413
$1,827 ₫48.0M
152.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
United Kingdom
Vietnam
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,374 £2,497
$415 ₫10.9M
713.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.75
9.37
-38.63%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for United Kingdom: April 28, 2026

Last update for Vietnam: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,267 in United Kingdom, $336 in Vietnam. Capital cities: $3,034 in London vs $331 in Hanoi.

National salary averages: $3,209 in United Kingdom, $340 in Vietnam. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 277% higher in United Kingdom.

Dining out costs 320% more in United Kingdom.

Public transport is 1229% more expensive in United Kingdom.

Salaries are 844% higher in United Kingdom, giving United Kingdom stronger purchasing power.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
United Kingdom vs Vietnam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between United Kingdom and Vietnam?
At $2,847 per month in United Kingdom and $664 in Vietnam, there's a 329% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Vietnam is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in United Kingdom beats Vietnam across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget in United Kingdom or Vietnam?
In Vietnam, $1,200 covers most cities easily. In United Kingdom, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to United Kingdom or Vietnam?
It depends on what you're after. Vietnam wins on affordability; United Kingdom may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

United Kingdom vs other spots: cost of living compared

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