Average salary in Vietnam and the Australian full-time average
This site shows where a salary sits against the national full-time average. That average is $2083.70 a week, or about $108,352 a year, based on the ABS Average Weekly Earnings for May 2026. The question of the average salary in Vietnam is a different matter. The ABS does not collect or publish earnings data for Vietnam. Fair Work and the ATO also do not cover overseas wages. So we cannot give a precise figure for the average salary in Vietnam from the sources we use.
What would move a Vietnamese salary above or below the Australian average?
Even without a single official number, we can think about how a salary earned in Vietnam might compare. The Australian full-time average is a benchmark. If you are earning in Vietnam and want to see how that pay relates to the Australian line, several factors come into play.
Industry and occupation. In Australia, full-time earnings vary widely by industry. For example, the mining industry pays well above the national average, while retail and hospitality pay below. In Vietnam, similar patterns exist. A software engineer in Ho Chi Minh City might earn a salary that, when converted to Australian dollars, is above the Australian average. A worker in manufacturing or agriculture in Vietnam might earn much less. Without specific data, we cannot say where the typical Vietnamese salary falls, but industry matters.
Exchange rates. The Vietnamese đồng to Australian dollar exchange rate changes over time. A salary of, say, 300 million VND per year might be worth around A$18,000 at current rates, well below the Australian average. But if the đồng strengthens, that same nominal salary would be worth more in Australian terms. The site's line is in Australian dollars, so any comparison requires conversion.
Full-time versus all employees. The Australian full-time average is for adults working ordinary-time hours. In Vietnam, the definition of full-time may differ. Many workers in Vietnam are in informal employment or work fewer hours. The ABS also publishes a median for all employees in Australia: about $74,100 per year. That is lower than the full-time average because it includes part-time and casual workers. If you compare a typical Vietnamese salary to the Australian all-employees median, the gap might be smaller.
Cost of living and purchasing power. A salary that looks low in Australian dollars might still support a comfortable life in Vietnam because goods and services are cheaper. This site does not adjust for purchasing power parity. The line is a pre-tax salary figure, not a measure of living standards. So a Vietnamese salary below the Australian average does not necessarily mean a lower quality of life.
How the Australian averages compare
To give context, here are the key Australian figures from the on-site notes:
- National full-time adult ordinary-time average: $108,352 per year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026).
- Full-time median: about $90,532 per year (ABS Employee earnings, August 2025).
- All-employees median: about $74,100 per year.
- Men's full-time average: about $113,412 per year.
- Women's full-time average: about $100,594 per year.
- National minimum wage from 1 July 2026: $52,255 per year on 38 hours (Fair Work).
State full-time averages also vary, from Tasmania at $96,008 to the ACT at $119,090. These are all Australian figures. None of them tell us the average salary in Vietnam.
What this site can do
If you have a specific salary in Vietnam and want to see where it sits against the Australian line, you can Place a salary on the line using the tool. Enter the yearly amount in Australian dollars after converting from Vietnamese đồng. The tool will show the weekly and hourly equivalents on a 38-hour week, and how far the salary is from the national full-time average. Remember that the tool uses Australian benchmarks, not Vietnamese ones.
For more on how salaries compare across industries and states, see Guides on this site. The How the figures are set page explains the sources and methods.
Summary
The average salary in Vietnam is not a figure we can provide from the ABS, Fair Work, or the ATO. To compare a Vietnamese salary to the Australian full-time average, you need to convert to Australian dollars and consider industry, exchange rates, and cost of living. The Australian line is a useful reference, but it is not a global standard.