Vietnam vs. China Shipping Costs to Los Angeles
If you are moving production from China to Vietnam, or deciding between the two, freight is only part of the math. As of October 2026, a 40-foot container to Los Angeles costs about the same from either country. The bigger gaps are transit time and tariffs. This guide compares both lanes using published rates and official tariff notices, and shows what to check before you place a purchase order. All figures are dated. Rates and tariffs change often, so confirm them before you book.
Ocean rates: Vietnam vs. China to LA
The most-quoted China benchmark is Drewry’s World Container Index. In its October 22, 2026 assessment, Drewry put Shanghai to Los Angeles at $8,007 per 40-foot container, up 2% on the week. That is a spot ocean rate, not a door-to-door price.
For Vietnam, Warp published a Ho Chi Minh City to Los Angeles rate captured October 11, 2026: $8,249 for a 40-foot high cube, port to door, 23 days. The ocean freight line in that quote was $7,185.73. The rest covered origin port charges, U.S. port and customs fees, chassis, prepull, ISF filing, the traffic mitigation fee and trucking to a ZIP near the ports. Warp’s faster option was $13,225 at 20 days.
The same Warp page listed Shanghai to Los Angeles at $8,507 to $9,229 for a 40-foot high cube, captured October 20, 2026. The page does not say whether those Shanghai figures are port to port or port to door, so treat the comparison as approximate.
| Lane (40′ container) | Published rate | Transit | Source and date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai → Los Angeles | $8,007 (spot ocean) | Not stated | Drewry WCI, Oct 22, 2026 |
| Shanghai → Los Angeles | $8,507–$9,229 | 18 days | Warp, captured Oct 20, 2026 |
| Ho Chi Minh City → Los Angeles | $8,249 (port to door) | 23 days | Warp, captured Oct 11, 2026 |
| Ho Chi Minh City → Los Angeles (fastest) | $13,225 (port to door) | 20 days | Warp, captured Oct 11, 2026 |
Smaller loads: Warp’s shared-space (LCL) price for two pallets, 1,000 lb total, from Ho Chi Minh City to Los Angeles was $1,090 with a 28-day transit on October 11, 2026.
Transit time differences
China is closer to the U.S. West Coast, and it shows. Warp listed 18 days for Shanghai and 20 to 23 days for Ho Chi Minh City to Los Angeles. Nippon Express, describing its expedited Fast Track ocean service, gives lead times from cargo receipt to delivery of 16–17 days from China and 21–22 days from Vietnam.
Plan for roughly a week of extra time from Vietnam when you set reorder points, Amazon inbound dates or seasonal launch dates. That week also means more cash tied up in inventory on the water.
Tariffs on Vietnam vs. China (October 2026)
Tariffs changed several times in 2025 and 2026. On February 20, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled that IEEPA does not authorize tariffs, which ended the 2025 “reciprocal” and fentanyl tariffs. A 10% Section 122 tariff replaced them and expired on July 24, 2026. Refunds of IEEPA duties are being handled through CBP and the courts.
Since July 24, 2026, products of both Vietnam and China face an additional 12.5% Section 301 tariff tied to forced-labor enforcement, on top of the normal (MFN) duty, according to the USTR notice in the Federal Register. The notice excludes some categories from that 12.5%, including steel, aluminum and copper articles, certain wood products, vehicles and parts, and semiconductors.
China also still carries the 2018 Section 301 tariffs of 7.5% to 25% on about $370 billion of imports, with 2024 increases of 25% to 100% on some goods, per the Congressional Research Service. Vietnam has no equivalent of those 2018 China tariffs.
| Duty layer (as of Oct 2026) | Made in China | Made in Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| Normal (MFN) duty | Yes, by HTS code | Yes, by HTS code |
| Section 301 forced-labor tariff | 12.5% | 12.5% |
| 2018 Section 301 China tariffs | 7.5%–25% on most listed goods | None |
| Section 232 (steel, aluminum, upholstered furniture, cabinets, etc.) | Applies by product | Applies by product |
| IEEPA reciprocal / Section 122 | Ended / expired | Ended / expired |
Example only: on $50,000 of goods with a 0% MFN rate, a China product on a 25% Section 301 list would owe about $18,750 in those two tariffs (25% + 12.5%). The same product made in Vietnam would owe about $6,250 (12.5%). Your real number depends on your HTS code.
Furniture importers should note that the CRS lists Section 232 tariffs of 25% on upholstered furniture and 25% on cabinets, imposed in October 2025. Check whether your product is covered.
More could change. USTR’s excess-capacity Section 301 investigations, opened in March 2026, cover 16 economies, including both China and Vietnam. Look up your rate in the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule and confirm your HTS classification with a licensed customs broker before you order.
Other landed-cost factors
- Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF): 0.3464% of value, minimum $34.58 and maximum $670.86 per formal entry for fiscal 2027, effective October 1, 2026 (Federal Register).
- Harbor Maintenance Fee (HMF): 0.125% of cargo value on ocean imports (CBP user fee table).
- Destination charges: chassis, prepull, terminal and trucking fees. In Warp’s Vietnam quote these added about $1,000 on top of ocean freight.
- Customs bond, ISF filing and broker fees: the same on both lanes.
- Inventory carrying cost: the extra transit days from Vietnam.
Country of origin is not a label. CBP decides origin by whether goods were substantially transformed in the country claimed (CBP marking guidance). Chinese goods that are only repacked or relabeled in Vietnam remain Chinese for duty purposes.
When Vietnam makes sense
- Your product is on a China Section 301 list at 25%. With freight about equal, the duty gap often decides it.
- Your supplier truly makes the product in Vietnam, with documents to back the origin.
- You can plan about a week of extra transit into your reorder cycle.
- You sell furniture, apparel or home goods, where Vietnam has established factories near Ho Chi Minh City and Haiphong.
China may still win when your goods carry low or no China-specific Section 301 duty, when speed matters more than duty, or when parts are only available there.
Get your own numbers
Every quote depends on cargo, Incoterms, delivery ZIP and timing. See our Shipping Cost Guide for the cost lines to expect, or get a quote for your shipment. TradeLane Co. coordinates the move through licensed FMC forwarding partners, and customs is handled through licensed customs brokers.
Related: Shipping Cost Guide · Ho Chi Minh City to Los Angeles · Haiphong to Los Angeles · Air freight to LAX · How It Works
Common Questions
Is shipping from Vietnam to Los Angeles more expensive than from China?
Not by much as of October 2026. Drewry had Shanghai–LA at $8,007 per 40-foot container on October 22, and Warp quoted $8,249 port to door from Ho Chi Minh City on October 11. See Drewry and Warp.
How much longer is transit from Vietnam?
About 2 to 5 days on the ocean leg. Warp listed 18 days from Shanghai and 20 to 23 days from Ho Chi Minh City to LA (Warp).
What is the current tariff on goods from Vietnam?
As of October 2026, most Vietnamese goods pay their normal MFN duty plus a 12.5% Section 301 tariff in effect since July 24, 2026, with exclusions for some goods such as steel, aluminum, copper, certain wood products, vehicles and parts (Federal Register). Confirm your HTS code.
Do Chinese goods still pay Section 301 tariffs?
Yes. The 2018 tariffs of 7.5% to 25% remain on most listed goods, and the 12.5% forced-labor tariff stacks on top (CRS).
Can I avoid China tariffs by shipping through Vietnam?
No. Origin follows where the goods were substantially transformed, not where they shipped from (CBP). Misdeclaring origin can bring penalties.
Get a quote for your shipment.
Sources: Drewry World Container Index, Oct 22, 2026; Warp: Ho Chi Minh City to Los Angeles ocean rates (captured Oct 11 and Oct 20, 2026); Nippon Express: NX Ocean Fast Track lead times; Federal Register: Section 301 forced-labor tariff notice, July 28, 2026; Congressional Research Service: U.S.-China Tariff Actions Since 2018 (IF12990); American Bar Association: IEEPA Tariffs Struck Down, Replacement Tariffs Expired (Oct 2026); USTR: Section 301 investigations on structural excess capacity (March 2026); Federal Register: CBP user fees for fiscal year 2027; CBP User Fee Table; CBP: Marking of Country of Origin on U.S. Imports; Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (USITC). Figures are dated as shown. Rates and tariffs change often; confirm before you book. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
