Thailand or Vietnam?

If you’re over 50 and want somewhere to settle, Thailand is usually the better fit: it has a retirement visa and the stronger hospitals, and Vietnam has neither. Vietnam is about 15 to 20 percent cheaper and suits people who are happy to leave the country every 90 days for a new visa.

I lived in Saigon and I love Vietnam, so this isn’t a case against it. Both are good answers. They suit different people, and the visa rules settle it for a lot of them.

Thailand and Vietnam side by side

Which has the easier visas

Thailand, clearly. It has a mature system for people who want to stay. If you’re 50 or over there’s the retirement visa. If you work remotely there’s the Destination Thailand Visa, valid five years with 180-day stays. High earners and wealthy retirees can get the 10-year LTR.

Short stays did get harder in 2026. Since 15 September, Australians and most Western passport holders get 30 days on arrival instead of 60.

Vietnam has no retirement visa. Australians, Americans, Canadians and New Zealanders aren’t on its visa-exemption list (Britons and many Europeans get 45 days), so most people live on the e-visa. It lasts up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, and costs US$25 (about A$36) or US$50 (about A$72). You can’t count on extending it inside Vietnam, so every three months you leave (Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Phnom Penh are popular) and apply for another. A temporary residence card is possible if you have a work permit, invest, or marry a Vietnamese citizen.

Which is cheaper

Vietnam, by less than most people expect: roughly 15 to 20 percent for the same lifestyle. These are monthly figures for one person living comfortably:

The gap narrows once you want a modern apartment and imported groceries. The Thailand vs Vietnam cost of living guide breaks down Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang in detail.

Which has better hospitals

Thailand. Bangkok’s big private hospitals (Bumrungrad, Bangkok Hospital, Samitivej) are accredited by Joint Commission International and treat patients from all over the world.

Vietnam’s private hospitals have improved a lot, and FV Hospital and Vinmec in Ho Chi Minh City are good for most things. For complex surgery or cancer treatment, many Vietnam-based expats still fly to Bangkok or Singapore, so buy insurance that includes evacuation. More in the healthcare guide.

What daily life is like

Thailand is easier. The malls, transport, hospitals and expat services are well established, and you can get by in English in most places you’ll go. It suits people who want a stable base and a routine.

Vietnam is louder and faster, and to me more alive. The food is better value, the cities change month to month, and people are direct in a way many Westerners like. You’ll need more patience with paperwork and language.

Both are generally safe for foreigners, and in both the real danger is the roads. Smartraveller currently says not to travel within 50km of Thailand’s border with Cambodia because of armed conflict and landmines, and the land crossings there are closed. That doesn’t touch the places most expats live.

Which one I’d pick

• 50 or over, wanting a long-term home with good hospitals: Thailand.
• Under 50, working remotely, wanting a few years somewhere cheaper: Vietnam, as long as you’re fine leaving every 90 days. If you’re not, Thailand’s DTV is hard to beat.
• Undecided: spend two to four weeks in each before you commit. With Thailand’s shorter visa exemption, keep the Thai leg to 30 days or less.

If neither feels right, look at Cambodia and the Philippines too.