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I've heard bad things about the quality of life in China: air pollution, poor quality food, rude people with no manners. How does Vietnam compare? If Japan or Singapore rate as "9" (among thebest in Asia) for most of these things, and China is a 3, where would Vietnam fit in? I'm thinking of Hanoi or HCMC.
Thanks!
Vietnam's GDP is still only $1,500, China's is $6,000. China's income is also about that, while Vietnam's is also less than half China's. China and Vietnam share a similar story, but Vietnam is about 25 years 'behind' in a sense. The communists took over China in 1949, and in Vietnam in 1975 (well fully at least). China resumed diplomatic relations with the United States in 1970, while it was only in 1995 (see the 25 year pattern) that Hanoi and Washington resumed full diplomatic relations. China began a process of economic liberalisation first under Deng Xiaoping after Mao's death, and Vietnam followed suit. I've visited both, and despite being officially communist (those 60's style billboards style abound) they felt like the most capitalist countries I'd ever been to, with shops and people selling stuff everywhere. Both countries suffered war and famine in the past 150 years or so, and outside exploitation (Vietnam with the French and China through foreign occupation/Opium war). Prior to that both had a dynastic rule, Vietnam's dynastic system based on the Chinese model.
Both are on the rise, however. In the early 1980s Vietnam was as poor as Ethiopia and it's people on the brink on starvation: as they did with colonisation and three wars, the Vietnamese pulled themselves out of it and now are an emerging economy. One can see the quality of life has improved a lot in the past 20 years, few people starve to death, and skyscrapers, apartments and shopping malls rise in the skyline of Hanoi and HCM. China's story is similar but better known. A middle class is emerging in both, yet both still have a lot of poor people, but I feel China is still a bit ahead of the curve at this stage. An example is you see tons of Chinese tourists but not very many Vietnamese.
I haven't been to either China or Vietnam, but I've been to Indonesia, Thailand, Japan etc. so I have some reference points for Asia.
What I'm kind of wondering, as someone who likes to be able to live in a quiet, less polluted place, and just enjoy a relaxed pace of life (I'm not a young energetic backpacker any more) is Vietnam (the two big cities) going to be a bit friendlier than China? I know Hanoi and HCMC are big, crowded cities, but I'm hoping they might be more suitable for me to relocate than the bigger cities in China.
I haven't been to either China or Vietnam, but I've been to Indonesia, Thailand, Japan etc. so I have some reference points for Asia.
What I'm kind of wondering, as someone who likes to be able to live in a quiet, less polluted place, and just enjoy a relaxed pace of life (I'm not a young energetic backpacker any more) is Vietnam (the two big cities) going to be a bit friendlier than China? I know Hanoi and HCMC are big, crowded cities, but I'm hoping they might be more suitable for me to relocate than the bigger cities in China.
China has smaller, relatively clean cities too. For example: Haikou, Kunming, Xiamen...
China is as big as the US, and you won't consider every American city to be like New York or Chicago either. The same applies to China.
I haven't been to either China or Vietnam, but I've been to Indonesia, Thailand, Japan etc. so I have some reference points for Asia.
What I'm kind of wondering, as someone who likes to be able to live in a quiet, less polluted place, and just enjoy a relaxed pace of life (I'm not a young energetic backpacker any more) is Vietnam (the two big cities) going to be a bit friendlier than China? I know Hanoi and HCMC are big, crowded cities, but I'm hoping they might be more suitable for me to relocate than the bigger cities in China.
Oh you're looking to relocate? Any reason why you're choosing out of these two?
If you want quiet definitely avoid any of the big cities in either. Vietnamese cities in particularly are just really and hectic and stressful to even spend a few days in. Crossing the road is an ordeal (yes it is as scary as it looks at first), there's always noise, activity, heat of course...it's not a relaxing place, at all. Chinese cities are similarly busy, but there are more cars, whereas Vietnam is totally dominated by motorbikes and scooters. You'll often see families of 5 on one scooters, and people carrying the most amazing things on scooters. As for pollution, both are not the best but China is worse than Vietnam because it's a lot more industrialised and urbanised. Again, you'd want to avoid both the large cities and anywhere near to it. So cities like Chongqing, Chengdu, anywhere within 100 miles of Beijing, Wuhan, Harbin, even the PRD are best avoided. In Vietnam you wouldn't want to stay in Saigon, Danang, Hanoi, Haiphong.
Smaller cities are good, but it's going to be harder for an ex-pat from another country too (not sure sure how it works). Are you planning to retire there? Do you speak Mandarin? I assume you don't speak Vietnamese, but if you don't are you planning to if you move there? Hardly anyone speaks English in Vietnam so it would be very difficult to live there without knowing English, you'd be cut off from everyone...well it's doable, but you'd feel like a perpetual tourist. As for friendliness - I can only speak from a tourist's POV who didn't understand the language. Most people leave you alone, but you'll get hassled by touts, and motorbike taxi drivers. The Vietnamese are more business-like and like the Chinese in their dealings than some other South-East Asians like Cambodians, rural Thai, some Malaysians. There are a lot of opportunistic people you should be wary of in both, but genuinely friendly folk too like anywhere.
Xiamen in Fujian is a nice city. Not polluted by Chinese standards, high quality of life, nice setting, beaches, Gulangyu, close to nature. Retiring in somewhere like Lijiang or Dali might be another option. Both are small but very touristy, so you'd find more people who spoke English. Hangzhou and Suzhou are nice, with beautiful gardens and parks, but they're still large cities nonetheless. Kunming itself is a typical Chinese city but it's got a very nice climate.
If I lived in Vietnam I'd choose quaint Hoi An...yes, it's becoming a bit touristy, but it's got a lot of charm, I love the quaint village like atmosphere, a lot of craft shops, and it's possible to live a quiet life there. Maybe on Cua Dai beach, where you still see a lot of the old rustic Vietnam. Nha Trang is another option, although a larger city. Dalat and Sapa are nice hill cities with cooler climates, old French hill stations that are vaguely reminiscent of Europe in parts.
Oh I almost forgot, food. Personally I found food a bit more consistent in Vietnam...I rarely had a bad meal there. Not that there's a lot of terrible tasting food in China, it's just maybe I preferred Vietnamese food to a lot of Chinese. In both though this is food at would definitely meet hygiene standards in the west of say Japan. I saw a cat walking on some noodles for sale (outside) in China and the owner did not bat an eye-lid. There is some exotic food in both, dog is still commonly sold in Hanoi, northern Vietnam, Guangzhou and other parts of southern China. BBQ rat, snake and snake wine, and silk worms are also common.
But yeah, it depends. If you're planning to retire there, I don't think it's really a place one usually retires in, though I have no idea what sort of visas or programmes they have for that or if it's possible. If you want to say work there for a few years, maybe teach English, both are fine. Personally, as a place to live, I'd probably choose somewhere in China, somewhere like Lijiang or Xiamen, because of the climate, it's a bit more developed, interesting (I feel Vietnam is a bit one-dimensional in some ways and samey), yet not too busy.
Last edited by The Postman; 01-01-2014 at 04:55 AM..
What I'm kind of wondering, as someone who likes to be able to live in a quiet, less polluted place, and just enjoy a relaxed pace of life (I'm not a young energetic backpacker any more) is Vietnam (the two big cities) going to be a bit friendlier than China? I know Hanoi and HCMC are big, crowded cities, but I'm hoping they might be more suitable for me to relocate than the bigger cities in China.
Vietnam is a not a quiet country. The roar of motorbikes starts at 5am and doesn't stop until 10pm, but than you'll start hearing motorbike racing after hours when the streets start to clear up a bit.
It's a very very loud country.
That being said, Chinese are equally loud as people. Not as many as the loud roaring motorbikes though, so it could actually be a little quieter at times.
For me, I'd prefer Vietnam over China. I just prefer the culture, the food, the architecture, etc. But, it's definitely not a quiet place. Pollution-wise, while Vietnam isn't well-known for pollution like China, it wouldn't be a pollution-free place by any stretch.
Well it depends on what you want to compare, my input would be:
Life of local - don't really have too much input here. Life of a foreigner - both places are very nice with low crime, respectful people and low COL; very culturally centric so it is much better to speak the local language. Big cities in China are the exception but also cost more. Food- Vietnamese food is good but really there is no close comparison - Chinese food near the best on earth cost of living - probably equally cheap although maybe Vietnam is cheaper. I stayed in a nice hotel room with balcony and breakfast for $25/night Vacation Potential - both are great with lots to see good potential - China is much bigger with a far better transportation network but of course more urban problems (pollution); Vietnam is more rural with vast distances between the north and south. I recommend them both.
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