Most Vietnamese think they are among the middle class, while those whose income actually qualifies them for such a category only make up half of the population, a Japan-based think tank has said.

A person with an annual income ranging from US$5,000 to $35,000 is considered belonging to the middle class, and nearly 50 percent of Vietnam’s population of 90 million people meet such a criterion, according to the Hakuhodo Institute of Life and Living ASEAN (HILL ASEAN).

However, 96 percent of the Vietnamese surveyed in a HILL ASEAN research see themselves as part of the middle class, regardless of their actual income, according to the findings released at a ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City on Monday.

The discrepancy between the middle class by income and that by self-perception in Vietnam is broader than those in four other Southeast Asian countries, which were also mentioned in the research.

The figures in Singapore are 45 percent vs. 85 percent, and the respective statistics for Malaysia and Indonesia are 46 percent vs. 79 percent, and 56 percent vs. 72 percent, according to the study.

The last country in the research, Thailand, has less discrepancy, 72 percent by income compared to 80 percent by self-perception.

“The self-perceived middle class is not only about how much someone earns, but also about the degree to which they can attain their desired lifestyle,” the HILL ASEAN said.

“Those with low incomes but living their desired lifestyle are middle class, as are those on high incomes that cannot live their desired lifestyle if they do not work.”

The think tank said its research indicates that “ASEAN countries are becoming societies where large groups of citizens identify themselves as middle class regardless of their actual income.”

This leads to the emergence of “the seamless middle,” or a group that cleverly finds ways to live their desired lifestyle by smoothly juggling income and spending, unbound by their current income level, according to Ann Liew, strategic planning manager with HILL ASEAN.

The “seamless middle” trend is a shift from living the life they can afford to finding ways to afford the life they want, according to the report.

HILL ASEAN is a think tank established in 2014 by Japan’s second-largest advertising company Hakuhodo Inc.

The HILL ASEAN research studied different attitude, income, expenditure and lifestyle approaches in five ASEAN cities, Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, and Jakarta.

The study was conducted on “sei-katsu-sha,” or the fundamental philosophy Hakuhodo’s uses to gain deep insights into the lifestyles, aspirations and dreams of people in ASEAN countries.

The sei-katsu-sha spirit is more than simply a consumer but “a holistic person – an individual with a lifestyle, aspirations and dreams,” according to the Tokyo-based advertising agency.

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