A person working as Waiter / Waitress in Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh typically earns around 5.9M VND. Salaries range from 3.1M VND (lowest) to 9.1M VND (highest).
This is the average salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Waiter / Waitress salaries in Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Salaries for the position Waiter / Waitress in Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh range from 3.1M VND (starting salary) to 9.1M VND (maximum salary). It should be noted that the given figure is not the legally mandated minimum wage; rather, it represents the lowest figure reported in a salary survey that included thousands of participants and professionals from all regions of the country.
With a median salary of 5.4M VND, half of the professionals who work as Waiter / Waitress in Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh earn less than this amount, and the other half earn more. The median salary denotes the middle value of salaries. Ideally, you would want to belong to the group earning more than the median salary, located on the right side of the salary distribution graph.
The median is closely associated with two other values known as the 25th and 75th percentiles. By examining the salary distribution chart, it can be determined that 25% of professionals employed as Waiter / Waitress in Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh earn less than 4.5M VND, while 75% earn more. Similarly, the chart shows that 75% earn less than 6.1M VND while 25% earn more.
To provide a better understanding of expected salaries, we categorized the frequently occurring salaries into different ranges. This approach provides a more precise representation of salary distribution for the job title Waiter / Waitress in Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh compared to simply calculating the average. The majority of reported salaries, approximately 65%, fall within the range of 3.5M VND to 4.8M VND. About 20% of salaries are below the 3.5M VND mark, while 10% fall within the range of 4.8M VND to 5.4M VND. Only 5% of individuals have salaries exceeding 5.4M VND.

| 0 - 2 Years | 3.5M VND | |
| 2 - 5 Years | +34% | 4.7M VND |
| 5 - 10 Years | +30% | 6.1M VND |
| 10 - 15 Years | +21% | 7.4M VND |
| 15 - 20 Years | +9% | 8.1M VND |
| 20+ Years | +5% | 8.5M VND |

The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally, the more years of experience the higher the wage. We broke down salaries by experience level for people working as Waiter / Waitress and this is what we found.
Employees with less than two years of experience earn approximately 3.5M VND.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 4.7M VND, 34% more than someone with less than two year's experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 6.1M VND, 30% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, professionals whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 7.4M VND, 21% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.
If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 8.1M VND, 9% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 8.5M VND, 5% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.

| High School | 4.2M VND | |
| Certificate or Diploma | +43% | 6M VND |
| Bachelor's Degree | +38% | 8.2M VND |

We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down salaries by education level for the position Waiter / Waitress in order to make a comparison.
Employees at this education level have an average salary of 4.2M VND.
At this level, the average salary becomes 6M VND, 43% more than the previous level.
At this level, the average salary becomes 8.2M VND, 38% more than the previous level.


Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? For the people who work as Waiter / Waitress in Vietnam, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 9%.
| Male | 5M VND | |
| Female | +9% | 5.4M VND |
Individuals working as Waiter / Waitress in Vietnam are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 10% every 17 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 9% granted to employees every 17 months.

The term Annual Salary Increase usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rare that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one-year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 / Increase Frequency

Not all compensation increases are reflected directly in the salary. Some companies offer upgraded packages to their staff instead of cash money. The figures displayed here account only for direct increments to the base salary.

71% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 29% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 0% to 4% of their annual salary.
| Received Bonus | 29% | |
| No Bonus | 71% |
The most standard form of bonus, where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.
Company Performance BonusesOccasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.
Goal-Based BonusesGranted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.
Holiday / End of Year BonusesThese types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.
People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.
The main two types of jobs | |
| Revenue Generators | Supporting Cast |
Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business. | Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations. |
Example: | Example: |
Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.
Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.
The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually, jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fixed amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.
The minimum pay rate per hour for people working as Waiter / Waitress in Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh is 17,800 VND. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.
| Job Title | Average Salary |
| Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering | ||
| Airbnb Property Manager | 22M VND | -100% |
| All Rounder | 7.8M VND | +100% |
| Assistant Executive Housekeeper | 5.9M VND | -100% |
| Assistant Food and Beverage Controller | 11M VND | -100% |
| Assistant Food and Beverage Director | 24M VND | -100% |
| Assistant Hospitality Manager | 25M VND | -100% |
| Assistant Storekeeper | 5.3M VND | -100% |
| Assistant Tour Manager | 12M VND | -100% |
| Baker and Pastrycook | 6.9M VND | +100% |
| Bakery Manager | 15M VND | -100% |
| Bakery Superintendent | 9.5M VND | +100% |
| Banquet Captain | 7.4M VND | +100% |
| Banquet Manager | 9.8M VND | +100% |
| Banquet Server | 5.8M VND | -100% |
| Bar Attendant | 6.6M VND | +100% |
| Bar Manager | 13M VND | -100% |
| Bar Supervisor | 9.2M VND | +100% |
| Barista | 7.6M VND | +100% |
| Bartender | 7.5M VND | +100% |
| Bellman | 5.9M VND | -100% |
| Beverage Manager | 15M VND | -100% |
| Bistro Attendant | 6.2M VND | +100% |
| Buffet Chef | 12M VND | -100% |
| Buffet Host | 6.4M VND | +100% |
| Buffet Manager | 14M VND | -100% |
| Butcher and Slaughterer | 5M VND | +100% |
| Cafeteria Assistant | 6.6M VND | +100% |
| Cafeteria Manager | 12M VND | -100% |
| Cafeteria Supervisor | 8.8M VND | +100% |
| Cake Decorator | 7.5M VND | +100% |
| Casino Shift Manager | 22M VND | -100% |
| Chain Store Customer Support | 10M VND | -100% |
| Chef | 12M VND | -100% |
| Chef De Cuisine | 17M VND | -100% |
| Club Manager | 24M VND | -100% |
| Cluster Director | 29M VND | -100% |
| Cluster Revenue Manager | 22M VND | -100% |
| Cocktail Server | 6.5M VND | +100% |
| Coffee Shop Manager | 22M VND | -100% |
| Concierge | 5.6M VND | -100% |
| Confectionery Baker | 7M VND | +100% |
| Conference and Sales Coordinator | 11M VND | -100% |
| Conference Services Manager | 14M VND | -100% |
| Cook | 10M VND | -100% |
| Corporate Sous Chef | 17M VND | -100% |
| Corporate Travel Consultant | 17M VND | -100% |
| Croupier | 8.6M VND | +100% |
| Culinary Assistant | 5.6M VND | -100% |
| Culinary Associate | 5.5M VND | -100% |
| Culinary Tour Guide | 16M VND | -100% |
| Demi Chef | 12M VND | -100% |
| Dietary Aide | 12M VND | -100% |
| Dining Room Supervisor | 11M VND | -100% |
| Dishwasher | 4.8M VND | -100% |
| Duty Manager | 15M VND | -100% |
| Events Coordinator | 9.4M VND | +100% |
| Executive Chef | 14M VND | -100% |
| Executive Pastry Chef | 11M VND | -100% |
| Fast Food Cook | 9.5M VND | +100% |
| Fast Food Shift Supervisor | 9.9M VND | +100% |
| Fine Dining Cook | 18M VND | -100% |
| Fine Dining Restaurant Chef | 17M VND | -100% |
| Fleet Manager | 30M VND | -100% |
| Food and Beverage Manager | 23M VND | -100% |
| Food and Beverage Trend Analyst | 16M VND | -100% |
| Food Consultant | 18M VND | -100% |
| Food Photographer | 12M VND | -100% |
| Food Policy Analyst | 17M VND | -100% |
| Food Safety Auditor | 16M VND | -100% |
| Food Safety Compliance Manager | 17M VND | -100% |
| Food Safety Coordinator | 14M VND | -100% |
| Food Server | 6.1M VND | +100% |
| Food Service Director | 22M VND | -100% |
| Food Service Manager | 24M VND | -100% |
| Food Service Sales | 14M VND | -100% |
| Food Service Worker | 6.2M VND | +100% |
| Food Stylist | 10M VND | -100% |
| Food Sustainability Consultant | 18M VND | -100% |
| Front Desk Agent | 6.9M VND | +100% |
| Front Desk Clerk | 6.9M VND | +100% |
| Front Office Manager | 13M VND | -100% |
| Gastronomy Consultant | 14M VND | -100% |
| Guest Service Executive | 21M VND | -100% |
| Guest Service Representative | 8.2M VND | +100% |
| Head Chef | 15M VND | -100% |
| Head Concierge | 9.7M VND | +100% |
| Hospitality Director | 35M VND | -100% |
| Hospitality Technology Specialist | 15M VND | -100% |
| Hostess / Host | 7.1M VND | +100% |
| Hotel Desk Clerk | 6.7M VND | +100% |
| Hotel Maid | 5M VND | +100% |
| Hotel Manager | 34M VND | -100% |
| Hotel Revenue Manager | 20M VND | -100% |
| Hotel Sales Manager | 25M VND | -100% |
| Hotel Service Supervisor | 18M VND | -100% |
| Hotel Staff | 6.6M VND | +100% |
| Inventory Coordinator | 7.5M VND | +100% |
| Kitchen Manager | 12M VND | -100% |
| Kitchen Staff | 6.3M VND | +100% |
| Kitchen Supervisor | 10M VND | -100% |
| Line Cook | 11M VND | -100% |
| Luggage Porter | 5.2M VND | -100% |
| Molecular Gastronomist | 17M VND | -100% |
| Motel Manager | 18M VND | -100% |
| Pastry Chef | 9.6M VND | +100% |
| Pastrycooking and Baking Assistant | 6.7M VND | +100% |
| Personal Chef | 14M VND | -100% |
| Production Operator | 10M VND | -100% |
| Quality, Health and Safety Coordinator | 10M VND | -100% |
| Receptionist | 7.4M VND | +100% |
| Regional Restaurant Manager | 27M VND | -100% |
| Restaurant Manager | 22M VND | -100% |
| Restaurant Server | 6.3M VND | +100% |
| Room Reservations Manager | 23M VND | -100% |
| Room Service Manager | 22M VND | -100% |
| Sous Chef | 13M VND | -100% |
| Special Events Coordinator | 14M VND | -100% |
| Supervisor of Food Services | 15M VND | -100% |
| Sustainable Catering Coordinator | 14M VND | -100% |
| Sustainable Tourism Consultant | 15M VND | -100% |
| Tour Consultant | 17M VND | -100% |
| Tour Guide | 12M VND | -100% |
| Tour Manager | 16M VND | -100% |
| Travel Agent | 12M VND | -100% |
| Travel Consultant | 17M VND | -100% |
| Virtual / Augmented Reality Tourism Specialist | 15M VND | -100% |
| Waiter / Waitress | 5.9M VND | -100% |
| Wedding Planner | 18M VND | -100% |
| City | Average Salary |
| Da Nang | 5.6M VND |
| Ha Noi | 5.8M VND |
| Hai Phong | 5.1M VND |
| Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh | 5.9M VND |
Where can you get paid more, working in a private company or the government? The difference between the public or government sector salaries and the private sector salaries in Vietnam is 8% on average across all career fields.
| Private Sector | 17M VND | |
| Public Sector | +8% | 18M VND |
A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 5.4M VND and 6.1M VND. This is a very rough estimate. Experience and education play a very huge part in the final earnings.
All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.
The base salary for a careers like Waiter / Waitress in Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh ranges from 3.1M VND to 4.5M VND. The base salary depends on many factors including experience and education. It is not easy to provide a figure with very little information, so take this range with a grain of salt.
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people earn more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios.