Health remained the top concern for Vietnamese consumers, continuing from Q2, as there is greater awareness among people of the impacts of various environmental issues, said Louise Hawley, Managing Director of Nielsen Vietnam.

The country had the highest rate of people globally, at 35 percent, saying their spare money was used to pay medical insurance premiums in Q3.

"With continued focus on health and wellness, it’s no surprise that people cite medical insurance as a key source of their outgoings," Hawley said.

But Vietnamese consumers remain optimistic, the survey found. The country climbed to third place in the consumer confidence ranking in Q3, behind India and the Philippines.

Vietnamese also surpassed Hong Kong people as the most avid savers globally, with 69 percent of consumers saying their spare cash went into savings.