Vietnam

Overview

Vietnam lands at #38 of 72 on the Cooked Index — #38 Most Cooked. The clearest fault line runs through housing policy: housing cost burden (30% cost-burdened by housing) is worse than 57% of countries tracked. Public health policy isn't far behind — life expectancy trails 71% of the field. And economic policy rounds out the picture: income inequality (Gini 36.1) sits worse than 63% of countries. Same scoreboard, different departments.

At 26/100, Vietnam is 1 point below the median of 27 across all 72 countries (higher = more cooked). Performance is lopsided: housing cost burden ranks worse than 57% of countries, while billionaires hoarded (6 billionaires) is the closest thing to a bright spot — and it still only beats 60% of the field. Strip away the country name and you're really looking at a housing policy problem.

Sources: OECD Affordable Housing Database (HC1.2) (2024) · UN World Population Prospects / WHO (2024) · World Bank — Gini Index (SI.POV.GINI) (2018–2022)