Vietnam 3rd best place in Asia for expats: survey

Vietnam is the third best place in Asia for expats looking to improve their quality of life, with 62 percent saying they strongly associate the country with a high quality of life, according to a survey released by HSBC on Tuesday.

A foreign teacher teaches English at an elementary school in Ho Chi Minh City. Up to 52 percent of expats in Vietnam said they earn more than they would have at home. Photo: Dao Ngoc Thach

Around 52 percent of expats in Vietnam said they earn more than they would have at home compared with a global average of 53 percent, according to the 7th Expat Explorer survey, which polled nearly 9,300 people from over 100 countries online.

Their disposable income shoots up with lower prices for everything from transport to entertainment.

In addition, 79 percent of the expats in the country said they travel more than they did at home.

A large majority of expats said they generally enjoy the local culture and Vietnam has a lot to offer the adventurous expat.

The local cuisine is another standout part of life in Vietnam, with 87 percent saying they enjoy the country’s fare compared to 72 percent globally.

According to the survey, Switzerland is ranked as the number one country by expats looking for a well-balanced, high-quality lifestyle, followed by Singapore, China, Germany, and Bahrain.

A minimum sample of 100 expat respondents including at least 30 expat parents is required for a country to be included in the Expat Explorer league table. This year, 34 countries qualified for the league table.

Incomplete statistics from the labor ministry shows a total of more than 80,000 foreigners working in Vietnam as of 2013, of which more than half are in Ho Chi Minh City .These people come from more than 60 countries, including 58 percent from Asia and 28.5 from Europe.