Vietnam Ranks 76th in Global Retirement Destination Index

In the "2026 Global Relocation Index" released by Rumavi, a Singapore-based relocation and advisory consultancy, Vietnam ranked 76th out of 192 countries and territories with a score of 64.4. The index was established using 24 metrics grouped into four pillars: financial and tax, livability and health, safety and stability, and settling and opportunity. For retirement purposes, healthcare quality carries the largest weighting at 9%, followed by foreign-income tax treatment at 8.5%, alongside cost of living (7.5%), street safety (7.5%), and healthcare access cost (7.0%). Malaysia, the richest country in Southeast Asia by GDP per capita after Singapore and Brunei, scored 75.8 out of 100 to rank No. 1 globally. Its appeal to retirees stems from its combination of relatively low living costs, accessible healthcare, and financial advantages. However, it identified street safety and the rule of law as areas of concern. Thailand placed fourth globally and second in Southeast Asia for retirees, scoring 74.3. The country's strongest areas are affordability, currency and banking, digital infrastructure, and healthcare. Its rule of law, language and English access, and business opportunity are weaker areas. The Philippines came in eighth worldwide with a score of 71.6, making it the third Southeast Asian country in the global top 10. Its strongest advantage was affordability, followed by housing affordability and favorable foreign-income tax treatment. However, climate risk and rule of law were highlighted as drawbacks. Several other Southeast Asian nations also made the ranking: Brunei placed 11th globally with a score of 71.0, Cambodia 16th with 69.9, Singapore 27th with 68.5, Indonesia 58th with 65.5, Vietnam 76th with 64.4, and Laos 91st with 63.8. While Vietnam's economic growth under its one-party system has been remarkable, its ranking suggests that improvements in areas such as healthcare quality, foreign-income tax treatment, and overall livability could enhance its attractiveness as a retirement destination. As Vietnam has increasingly become an attractive destination for foreign investors and tourists in recent years, further enhancements in these aspects might be necessary to capture the retirement market.