Thailand vs Vietnam for retirement (2026)
Two budget-friendly, noodle-fuelled options - but very different products for retirees.
1) Snapshot - how they feel as retirement bases
Thailand - headline feel
- More polished expat product with well-established hubs (Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Phuket, Bangkok outskirts).
- Infrastructure and private healthcare a notch higher in most major locations.
- Retirement visas exist, but paperwork and thresholds have tightened.
- Still cheap vs the West, but not the old "beach on $500/month" story.
Vietnam - headline feel
- Cheaper and more "real" day-to-day, especially outside prime expat pockets.
- Less curated and more chaotic; Hanoi, HCMC, Da Nang are energetic and loud.
- No dedicated retirement visa; long stays rely on workarounds.
- Private healthcare is good in big cities, thinner elsewhere.
Blunt summary: Thailand = smooth, mature, expat-ready Southeast Asia at a moderate price. Vietnam = cheaper, punchier, more local, but with more admin risk and rough edges.
2) Cost of living & housing
Thailand: Mid-range city or resort life (Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin) often means rent around €400-€800 for a decent 1-2 bed. Total monthly budget typically €1,000-€1,800 depending on travel, drinking, and imported comforts. Beach hotspots like Phuket and Samui cost more.
Vietnam: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang often run €250-€600 for a good 1-2 bed. Total monthly budget €800-€1,500 is realistic for a comfortable foreigner lifestyle. Smaller cities can be much cheaper but need more scrutiny on air quality, hospitals, and amenities.
Housing specifics: Thailand has an active condo market and foreigners can own condos (not land). Rentals are deep and flexible. Vietnam has tighter property rules and more lease or developer-structure complexity; renting is the default for most foreigners.
Retire-Map angle: Same lifestyle spec usually favors Vietnam on price; hospital-adjacent, high-end condos narrow or flip the gap in Thailand's favor.
3) Residency & visas
Thailand: Clear retirement-oriented paths (O/O-A/O-X, LTR options) with age thresholds, income or deposits, and ongoing reporting. More structured, but increasingly bureaucratic.
Vietnam: No clean retirement category. Typical routes are rolling tourist/e-visas, spouse routes, or business/investment setups. Rules shift frequently and long-term certainty is weaker.
Practical takeaway: Thailand is structured but paperwork-heavy. Vietnam is less structured and more ambiguous - get current local advice before banking your retirement on it.
Retire-Map flags: Thailand = "retiree visas exist but rules move." Vietnam = "no formal retiree lane; moderate-to-high residency friction."
4) Healthcare & insurance
Thailand: Major strength. International-standard private hospitals in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya. True medical tourism destination.
Vietnam: Decent private hospitals in Hanoi, HCMC, Da Nang; quality drops outside hubs. Many retirees keep regional coverage that allows treatment in Thailand or Singapore.
Summary: Thailand has the edge on depth and convenience. Vietnam can work if you are healthy, big-city based, and insured.
5) Tax & money position
Both are residence-based systems. Neither is a clean tax haven for retirees, and enforcement priorities can shift.
- Thailand: Historically lenient on foreign income practices, but tightening and more scrutiny are common themes.
- Vietnam: Worldwide income taxation for long-term residents in theory, with varying enforcement focus.
Retire-Map guidance: Use the calculators for spending reality; use a professional for tax treaty reality.
6) Lifestyle, culture & day-to-day feel
Thailand: Polished tourist infrastructure, big expat hubs, and an easy on-ramp. Thai is the real language of life, but English is workable in major hubs. World-class food and a wide range of pace from islands to Bangkok.
Vietnam: Raw, kinetic, and more "local." Scooter-heavy cities, strong cafe culture, and phenomenal food. English is improving but thinner outside younger urban areas.
Gentler landing and a well-trodden expat retirement scene? Thailand. More grit and "I live here" energy? Vietnam.
7) Risk, safety & environment
- Safety: Both have petty crime and scams. Thailand feels slightly more predictable for older foreigners; Vietnam's biggest daily hazard is traffic.
- Air quality: Northern Thailand has burning season; Hanoi and HCMC can have poor AQI. Coastal cities can be better in both.
- Climate: Tropical/monsoon; heat and humidity are standard.
8) Better for you if...
Thailand may be better if you want stronger private healthcare, established expat hubs, and a clearly labeled retirement visa path (even if bureaucratic).
Vietnam may be better if you are cost-sensitive, like more "real life" energy, and can handle visa ambiguity and change.
Neither is ideal if you need top-tier elder care, are extremely heat/air-quality sensitive, or want guaranteed long-term residency with simple rules.
9) How Retire-Map should frame Thailand vs Vietnam
- Cost bands: Vietnam often undercuts Thailand on base costs; check healthcare, travel, and visa friction before deciding.
- Residency friction: Thailand has retiree visas with shifting rules; Vietnam lacks a formal retiree lane.
- Healthcare depth: Thailand leads in private hospital coverage and medical tourism infrastructure.
- Scenario thinking: Thailand as primary base with Vietnam as extended-stay, or Vietnam now and Thailand later as health needs increase.
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