Updated
Overview
Vietnam has 14 times the population of Hong Kong: 101.60 million people against 7.50 million (2025).
Vietnam's economy is 20% larger than Hong Kong's, at $514.70B versus $427.31B.
Per person, Hong Kong is the wealthier of the two: $56,983 against $5,066 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Vietnam | Hong Kong | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $514.70B | $427.31B | 2025 | $476.39B / $407.11B |
| GDP per capita | $5,066 | Higher: $56,983 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 8.0% | 3.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 3.3% | Lower: 1.4% | 2025 | 3.6% / 1.7% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 1.5% | 2.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 29 | 71 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $355 | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $205 | Higher: $888 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $2.89 | $3.25 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 101.60 million | 7.50 million | 2025 | 106.69 million / 7.31 million |
| Population growth | 0.6% | -0.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 33.4 yrs | 47.4 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.88 | 0.73 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 74.7 yrs | Higher: 85.4 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 39% | 100% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 84% | Higher: 96% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 331,212 km² | 1,104 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 306.7/km² | 6792.5/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 371 Mt | Lower: 33 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 3.7 t | 4.5 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $5.50B | — | 2018 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.8% | — | 2018 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 522,000 | — | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Vietnam is growing much faster: 8.0% annual GDP growth versus 3.5%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.3% in Vietnam and 1.4% in Hong Kong.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Vietnam: a price level of 29 versus 71 on a US=100 scale.
People and society
Vietnam is the far younger society: median age 33.4 versus 47.4 years.
Life expectancy is 10.7 years longer in Hong Kong (85.4 vs 74.7).
Hong Kong is considerably more urbanized: 100% of people live in cities, against 39%.
Internet adoption is higher in Hong Kong (96% vs 84% of the population).
Geography
By land area, Vietnam is 300 times the size of Hong Kong: 331,212 km² versus 1,104 km².
Both sit in the same broad region but do not share a border.
Hong Kong is far more densely settled: 6792 people per km² against 307.
Frequently asked
- Is Vietnam bigger than Hong Kong?
- Vietnam is larger by land area. Vietnam covers 331,212 km² while Hong Kong covers 1,104 km², so Vietnam is 300 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Vietnam or Hong Kong?
- Vietnam has the larger population: 101.60 million versus 7.50 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Vietnam richer than Hong Kong?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Hong Kong is richer: $56,983 against $5,066. Total GDP tells a different story: $514.70B for Vietnam versus $427.31B for Hong Kong.