Thailand vs Vietnam
Side-by-side comparison of Thailand and Vietnam: residency, citizenship, tax, cost of living and lifestyle. Updated 2026.
Thailand versus Vietnam — Southeast Asia's two largest expat destinations after Singapore/Malaysia. Thailand's LTR (10-year) and DTV (Destination Thailand Visa, 5-year) target wealthy globals, retirees and remote workers; Vietnam's DT investor visa and reformed restoration regime under Law 79/2025 target overseas Vietnamese and investors. Tax: Thailand applies worldwide income to residents from 2024 (foreign-source remitted in the same or subsequent year); Vietnam is residence-based but treaty network is narrower. Banking is materially harder for non-residents in both.
| Field | Thailand | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| Region | asia / Southeast Asia | asia / South-Eastern Asia |
| Capital | Bangkok | Hanoi |
| Population | 71,600,000 | 100,340,000 |
| Currency | Thai Baht (THB) | Vietnamese đồng (VND) |
| Languages | Thai | Vietnamese |
| Passport rank | 62 | 88 |
| Visa-free destinations | 82 | 51 |
| Dual citizenship | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Tax system | remittance-based | residence-based |
| Territorial taxation | No | No |
| Special tax regime (NHR-style) | No | No |
| Citizenship by investment | — | — |
| Citizenship by descent | — | Available |
| Years to naturalisation | 10 years | 5 years |
| Cost of living (NYC=100) | 35 | 39 |
| Safety index | 58 | 56 |
| Healthcare index | 69 | 65 |
| Quality of life | 160 | 110 |
| Climate | Tropical | Tropical / subtropical |
| Schengen | Non-member | Non-member |
| EU | Non-member | Non-member |
Last reviewed: 2026-06-15. Verify with official sources before acting.