Colombia or Vietnam?

Two countries on opposite sides of the planet, both obsessed with coffee, scooters, and confusing foreigners with how far their money goes.

In Colombia, your morning starts with arepas and smooth, mountain-grown coffee. In Vietnam, your day kicks off with an iced coffee so strong it could wake the dead—sweetened with condensed milk and served next to breakfast that probably includes fish sauce.

Both are darlings of the expat and digital nomad world. Both promise low costs, vibrant cultures, and lifestyles that feel impossible compared to prices back home.

But if you’re thinking about really making the move—building a life, not just a vacation—which one wins?

Today we’re putting Colombia and Vietnam head-to-head across 10 categories:

By the end, you’ll have a pretty clear sense of which one fits your version of life abroad.

Let’s start with the headline question most people secretly care about:

In Colombia, you can live comfortably on about $1,000–$1,500 USD per month, depending on your city and lifestyle.

Colombia gives you comfort and quality—modern apartments, decent infrastructure, and supermarkets where the produce looks like it was grown on Earth, not in a lab.

Now jump to Vietnam, where life somehow feels even cheaper, but twice as caffeinated.

In Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, a single expat can live well on $900–$1,400 USD per month:

Vietnam’s value hits you in the daily spending: street food, coffee, transportation, small comforts. Everything feels like it’s on sale compared to Western prices.

In both places, your money goes way further than it ever would in the U.S. or Canada. And honestly, that’s the real win.

It’s one thing to move abroad. It’s another to move so far that visiting home feels like prep for a space mission.

For Americans and Canadians, Colombia is close.

From Bogotá’s El Dorado Airport:

If you’re in Medellín or Cartagena, you’ve got direct flights to Florida, Texas, and sometimes Spain.

That means:

Vietnam is the other side of the world for North Americans.

But once you’re there? You’re perfectly positioned for Asia:

Colombia is a short trip home. Vietnam is a full lifestyle pivot.

You can’t build a life somewhere if your passport is always on a timer.

Colombia’s visa system is surprisingly friendly and transparent.

Renewals are generally manageable if you stay on top of paperwork. It’s not a perfect system, but it’s built with remote workers, retirees, and investors in mind.

Vietnam is… different.

Tourist visas? Pretty straightforward.
Long-term lives? More complicated.

As of 2025:

It’s doable, but not clean. You live with a bit more uncertainty.

If visa clarity matters to you, Colombia wins hard.

Not fun. Still essential.

If you spend more than 183 days in Colombia within a 12-month period, you become a tax resident.

That means:

For retirees, Colombia’s system can be very friendly.
For digital nomads and entrepreneurs, you’ll want good tax advice and a plan.

Technically, Vietnam has a similar rule:

In practice, enforcement tends to focus more on local business income than your foreign freelance clients. Rates are lower, and the reality on the ground can be… flexible.

But flexible does not mean “no rules.” It just means you need someone who really knows the system.

Either way, don’t wing it. You need someone who knows the difference between a tax treaty and a traffic ticket.

You don’t care about healthcare—until you really, really do.

Colombia quietly has one of the best healthcare systems in Latin America.

As a legal resident, you can:

Cities like Medellín, Bogotá, and Bucaramanga have internationally accredited hospitals, English-speaking doctors, and prices that still shock most Americans.

Vietnam is a rising star in medical and dental tourism.

In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City:

The big catch: healthcare quality drops off in rural areas—most expats stick to major cities for anything serious.

Either way, you’re getting healthcare for about the price of a gym membership back home.

No one wants to save on rent and lose their phone five minutes later.

Colombia has come a very long way from its old reputation.

Today:

Violent crime against foreigners is rare, but you do need street smarts—especially at night, in nightlife zones, and if you’re flashing iPhone + jewelry + “I’m new here” energy.

Vietnam is one of the safest countries in Asia.

Crossing the street is an art form. Scooters flow like a river. You walk slowly, trust the universe, and try not to think too hard about it. It’s like playing Frogger with way better food.

Language is the difference between ordering lunch and knowing what you’re about to eat.

Colombia is a Spanish-speaking country through and through.

Living here turns your daily life into a built-in Spanish course—with better coffee than any classroom.

Vietnamese is… advanced.

You can live in Vietnam without mastering Vietnamese. Many expats do. But you’ll always feel a bit like you’re operating with subtitles turned off.

You can’t control the weather—but you can choose where to live.

Colombia cheats.

Being on the equator means there are no real seasons—just altitudes. You pick your climate by picking your city:

You essentially get a weather menu. Choose your setting and enjoy.

Vietnam gives you the full tropical experience:

North (Hanoi): some cool winters.
South (Ho Chi Minh City): hot-and-humid “sauna mode” almost all year.

Beautiful? Absolutely.
Dry T-shirt? Unlikely.

For pure livability and choice, Colombia wins. Vietnam is gorgeous, but your deodorant will work overtime.

This is where both countries shine—just in very different ways.

Colombia is rhythm and warmth.

Colombians are social. A quick coffee can (and will) turn into a two-hour conversation about life, family, and the universe.

Food is evolving fast—Bogotá has high-end restaurants that rival big European cities, while Medellín and Cartagena balance comfort food with fusion and international options.

Vietnam is energy.

Vietnam feels like a country running on caffeine and optimism. There’s a constant sense of motion and hustle, but somehow it works.

You don’t really “pick better” here—you pick your flavor of dopamine.

You can have the perfect apartment and perfect weather, but without people, it’s just you and a nice view.

The expat scene in Colombia has exploded recently.

The foreign community is big enough to find your tribe, but small enough that you still feel integrated into local life.

Vietnam’s expat scene is huge.

The tradeoff? It can feel transient. People come and go with teaching contracts, remote jobs, and visa shifts.

Let’s recap the categories:

So… who wins?

It really comes down to what you want:

Colombia feels like building roots.
Vietnam feels like riding a wave.

The real question isn’t which country is better. It’s what kind of expat you are:

Whichever you choose—Colombia or Vietnam—you’re already ahead of the game just by asking the question and considering a life beyond your own borders.