Having been through the Ninja Teacher process and living in Vietnam, I can safely assure you, no matter what you earn you will NEVER go hungry. The variety of tastes and the affordability of the food is exceptional and to this day, there is no other place in the world I return to more often than Vietnam. Thank you, Alex
It’s because the US sprays chemicals and pesticides on all of our foods. And we also inject all the animals with hormones so all of the food in the US is tainted unless you grow yourself.
As a Vietnamese living in the US, I miss Vietnamese food very much. The Vietnamese food in US is not as delicious as the food in VN. I pay 15$ for a bowl of Pho over here but it tastes nothing compared to a 2$ Pho in VN.😮💨
Your most valuable video yet !! This is definitely what I needed before my move there. THANK YOU !! Beautifully produced video, too. Very professional production.
Great video, very informative. A few additional costs not mentioned here: 1. "Stuff": clothes, shoes, a mobile phone, a laptop, household items, etc. For me its ~$800 a year on average (~$70 per month). 2. Home country/family visits: Even if you only go once a year its quite expensive. Roughly $1,000 for me (~$80 per month). 3. Health insurance: If you're young and healthy, maybe $50 per month, if you're in your seventies it may go up to $500 per month, maybe more. 4. Home internet (fiber/broadband) 5. Toiletries and cleaning products. In my case I also pay someone to clean my apartment once a week. 6. Cable/Netflix/Disney+/Amazon Video/Spotify etc 7. Vacations: If you ever go on vacations it will add up. You can stay in Vietnam as it will be cheaper, but many people will also want to visit Thailand, Cambodia (Angkor Wat), Korea, Taiwan, maybe even Japan.
You Forget that even Your List is Your List.. 1. "Stuff" is As Needed!, 2. Not everyone there has any there. 3. Health Insurance, Not everyone Needs it or it's provided to them by the VA and they pay for it. 4. Agree because I Refuse to Own a Cellphone. 5. As Needed. 6. If you have Internet, ALL Movies are FREE! If you know what you are doing and IS Legal... So NOT Needed. 7. You are On Permanent Vacation. Unless like Him, you bring your work with you.. and Why would you do that? His List is for Living in the City, Live Outside the City and these Costs could be Halved and have a Better Life doing so.. I live in Florida on a Budget of $555 a Month because I OWN My Land, Truck, Motorcycle and MY Bills are MY Bills Not my Neighbors who are paying Well Over that and are also Single like me.. If I live In Town, My Costs Goes Up by a Good $150+ a Month.. No Thank You!
@@ravenlorans Insurance covered by the (shudder) VA? I was under the impression that I would be without access if I relocated. I am a 50% disabled Vet.
street food so healthy here with alot of greens and herbes. You can eat 3 times/day outside for 3S/day 5$ with cold drinks. So 3*30=90$/month for food, no need to cook yourself. You can save that cooking time to enjoy another stuffs.
"alot" is not one word. You mean "no need to cook." Not "no need to cook yourself." "Cook yourself" would mean that you are going to be cooked and eaten. You don't say "to enjoy another stuffs." You say "to enjoy other things."
As a minimalist, I am living nicely in Vietnam on $500 dollars a month. I rent a small house with a large yard in the country for $50. Housing outside the cities is much less.
Curious, any issues with robbery/break ins out in the countryside? I know that's the main area pet snatchers visit. I was planning on bringing my cat, but now I believe I'll have to re-home her with a family member.
@@youMatterItDoesGetBetter Haven't heard of any break-ins in my area. Someone in the community, a couple years ago, ripped off their boss. But it's rude to talk about it, for the family's sake. I've been told that nearing Tet one should keep an eye out for pet snatchers. This last Tet one of the neighbors in the community said a dog was snatched. Someone raided my sister-in-law chicken coop that same month and took all the eggs. She was sad because she was going to let them hatch. Other than that, there are lots of pets about. Dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, buffalo. With everyone letting their pets run a muck in the streets, it's expected that a pet or two would disappear. Just don't let your cat turn alley. and it should be fine.
@@eitangrinspon1637 Vietnam is one of the most developed country in SEAsian. My friend has a VERY nice apartment in a high rise fore $450 USD a month and fast internet. He literally has a custom tiled steam shower lol.
Thanks for this informative video! I just returned to the states after two weeks in Vietnam (and experiencing withdrawals). Loved all of the food & hospitality there!
Very easy to live on around 20 million a month here. The only months where I've spent 30 million is the months when I went eating at western places and drinking more than 3 times a week. Home cooking or eating local will save you an absolute fortune over the course of the year.
@@piedpiper5687 yes but not central saigon - you get a house share or home stay for 4 mil a month food wise you can live on 100k a day or 500k a day, Noodles and meats is only 20k. I think the lowest would be 12 million a month for a foreigner
Seeing that but the truth is not so. The leadership is very bad and dirty, you can prove that the places I go to the cities, the street corners are unhygienic, the food I don't dare to eat because of the food processing toxic chemicals, people who just came to live they don't know but after living there for a long time, now they know..that’s all i can say it is not what i heard.
Indeed. My teaching assistants taught me a lot about living like a local. They showed me where they eat and shop. My costs were decreased significantly. However, at times you do feel really guilty when you earn as much as you do as a teacher. I was clearing around 40 million VND or more most months but I would happily give them a "performance bonus" when I worked with them. Hardest working people I have ever met.
@joehavermann7729 about 1 million a month is what I could afford at the time depending on how many lessons I did with them. When I earned more, and could secure more lessons, I raised it to 1.5 million
I lost my wallet in the ocean of Vietnam once... I lived for free for one month. I met a wonderful Viet family took me in that didnt have much. They absolutely refused payment when the time came. If my father didnt get sick with cancer I would have never came back.
Luôn có một gia đình chờ bạn trở về. Khi bạn cảm thấy mệt mỏi hay chán nản, hãy đến Việt Nam. Mảnh đất này không phải mảnh đất cho bạn niềm vui, nhưng nó chắc chắn mang lại hạnh phúc, giá trị tinh thần.
Living there for that long, any plans for learning to speak the language. I’ve watch many TH-camrs living there only a couple years and speaking very well, it’s hard at first but you will be amazed how quickly you can learn. Also once you speak the language, you will be surprised how you can blend in with the locals and have a friendly interactions. Cheers
Yes, I’m taking lessons again recently. I’ve been running our TEFL academy so it hasn’t been my top priority but I agree with your points about the benefits so I’m making an effort again.
Since this $1k is net, the actual salary will have to be higher to include taxes. So if your employer covers health, life, dental, vision insurance and offers a 401k match; you'd have to make 32M or $1,350/mo to be able to match the balanced budget and cover taxes, 5% savings, 5% 401k and a little for charitable giving. This also doesn't include any room for unexpected expenses, shopping of any kind other than food, trips, etc. Realistically this means the minimum is $1500/mo gross if you just want to live and not save or invest for the future. Long term sustainable living then becomes $2k and up... So short term, yes you can live conservatively on $1k/mo as a single person who doesn't care about travel or long term investment.
@@nocancelcultureaccepted9316 Lol you must have either really high standards or have never been to HCMC. The quality of life there is substantially higher than in the US in a lot of ways...
@@Eph_2_8-9 Higher than in the US? Over 80% of Vietnamese would kill to migrate to anywhere else rather than Vietnam. If you happen to be a foreigner who isn’t familiar with the facts of Vietnamese culture and you live in your own bubble, you may think it’s fine. But the Vietnamese know it sucks to live in their own society because of 2 reasons: garbage and stealing.
❤ after 2 years in, I ate western 5X. 5 regret. I don't eat Vietnamese because of budget. I don't need to. I eat it because it's one of the best cuisines on the globe! I've shopped the markets, I've been blessed by my local friends to show me how to cook it. ❤ I'm back in Canada 🇨🇦 now and I'm dying😂 it's a food desert compared to VN❤❤❤
I have a friend who live on USA but he lie ti his boss that he live in USA but working from vietnam for 6 months and get big salary from his company live like a king in vietnam 😊
HCM is actually one of the best places in the world to be a foodie because if you want something like Turkish, French (Cocotte), Brazilian, etc. you're basically paying 1/3 of what you would in another big city. Some purists will say well it's not like XYZ back home, but there are definitely places that would be damn close and a fraction of the price you'd pay in London, New York, etc.
I lived in Saigon for 4 years and have been back in Chicago (a really good food city) for 2 years and I have to say that some of the American food I had in Saigon was better than some of the food I have had here -- I have only had Vietnamese food once because I cried about paying $14 for a bowl of mi quang and $6 for ca phe sua da!!! Coming back to Da Nang in November and can't wait for my 20k dong banh mi!!!
In Vietnam : the high budget would go a a decent /safe areas rental lodging - other than that groceries/local market/street foods are super cheap (the price of McDonald's , Chic fil A , Starbucks ect. would afford you a entire day of food in VN )
One important point you forgot on cost of leaving is your health insurance 🤔 I know this may be different from one person to another. But it is something to take in consideration regarding all your monthly expenses 😉 good video 👍 nice and very informative Chanel . Bravo 👏👏
Agree with your survey.. I spent about 7,5 mil/month for a studio apartment in D7 (15 minutes from D1), no balcony though. And on average over 9 months i think i spent about 1000usd/month for just about everything. Sure miss being able to get streetfood outside my apartment building for 1 usd..
D7 has street food but it's tightly regulated somehow. The street that ends at Paris Baguette, Ku Pho Huong Phuoc 3, or it might be one street over, has the vendors come at after 5 I think.
@@keilnirby well, in some of the more fancy/western areas it might be like that 😅 but large parts of the district is very classic Vietnamese style.. I had plenty of street vendors and 'mom n pop' shops on my street, but yeah, around FV hospital and crescent mall and the Sky Garden area it was much 'cleaner' and empty in that way 😅
Seeing that but the truth is not so. The leadership is very bad and dirty, you can prove that the places I go to the cities, the street corners are unhygienic, the food I don't dare to eat because of the food processing toxic chemicals, people who just came to live they don't know but after living there for a long time, now they know..that’s all i can say it is not what i heard.
@@NiklasLarssonSeglarfan if you go to the hospital called market field ‘Chợ Rẩy’ in District 5 to visit the patients, you will understand what I'm saying.
Very interesting video. Vietnam has been high on my list to immigrate to from the USA to retire early. I liked your breakdown of the three possible lifestyles. I’d like the baller but not the food. I’d prefer to eat local food everyday if it were my choice. Still blows my mind how incredibly affordable when compared to typical western life costs.
It's not affordable. It's only affordable because you have foreign money. Not sure why it would be mind blowing. The incomes in western life are 10 times higher. It's probably more expensive to be fair to live in the west income to expense, than almost any other area.
@@JayandSarahthat’s why it’s good to live as a Westen guy in Vietnam. I’m living here 6 months and in Europe I spend on average 7000€ a month. In Vietnam I spend maximum 3000€ a month and I eat in restaurant every day
In your next video, can you also share how to pay for your daily and monthly purchases? ie) is everything in dong, paid via debt or cash? do vendors accept USD cash or do we have to convert USD to dong? Also, as a CDN foreigner, what is the longest period of time we can stay in VN? Thanks so much. This location is definitely on my bucket list when I retire in 2-3 years
Me and my partner live on around $1500 TOGETHER in Sweden. In Vietnam you should be able to live a good life on $350-$500 per person easily. Your priorities must be really off if living cheap is the goal..
Just got approved for my VA disability compensation a few weeks back.Where do I need to live in Vietnam for the amount you quoted??? Supposed it's cheaper than living in the Philippines.
Lived and worked there for 25 years. They are many great things, but the toxicity in food, water and air have driven many conscious expat family away. Hope the government will start cleaning that up soon to make it one of the most attractive travel destinations in Southeast Asia. Look at the reports and stats from the WHO on the health conditions of the people in Vietnam. My heart goes out to them. Too many silent killers.
Air, ground water and noise pollution is just getting worse. The country and its economy is developing at an incredible pace, but at a great cost to the environment. After 7 years I'm leaving as I'm feeling the negative effects on my health. I wouldn't recommend Vietnam to anyone to live long term. It might be cheap to live here, but the negatives far outweigh the positives.
@@thecheekymonkey8785 Thank you for the info. Noticed Romania and Bulgaria are joining Schengen in March 2024. That makes it harder to choose these countries in the future I believe.
I have heard many stories about toxic food or how they processed food, cook it....even how they grow veggies (Rau muong for example). Once they had food poison episodes, many people ended up in ER and that is scary.
Thank you so much for a well informative cost of living nowadays in VN. I'm living in the US currently and very much interested in teaching English in Vietnam, please advised me where to started. Once again thanks so much and hope to hear from you.
So, for the "budget" selection, it would be upwards of US$300 a month for meals at US$10 a day for someone who would find some of those meals a tad on the small side.
Unless you were renting an expensive climate-controlled multiple-bedroom apartment, $1,000 is excessive. That literally lasted me four months straight.
The title of this video is misleading. It should have the words "with foreigner's income". Because the cost of living in Vietnam is definitely not cheap with everyday local people
Thanks for your thoughtful. You know that VNeses don’t eat much Western foods, we like vegetables for our meals, besides we are protected by Government insurance so we are most doing well. If we are sick, we ’d have foods for free in most hospitals , especially in city .They do charity for poor people but foods are quite good.
I know a young 20 or 21 year old girl in Hanoi. Her furnished room in a shared house is about $21 a month 500k Most days she spends $2 a day on food, and could geys to take her out every other day if she wanted. Pays little for electricity water or internet She is living on $10 a day or less.
I am loving your videos so much. They are really helping me make the decision to start teaching and moving over there. I'm from South Africa and this is really the time to make the move. Is there any way I can make contact with you to ask questions.
Helping people start teaching English in Vietnam is what we do. :) You can check out ninjateacher.com to see the options we offer to assist people with getting started and you can get in touch there too.
haha wow. Worth looking into for sure. Super great info! I quickly noticed portion size different from my normal fat ass portions. I end up closer to normal price after multiple plates ordered. Gyms are at least as high as here. Starbucks is still crazy in Vietnam. LOL! I skip them here and I'll skip them in Vietnam.
Thank you for a very detail break down! My 70 years old dad is retired and wants to move back to VN, a friend said he won't make it with $800/M. I'm more comfortable letting my dad make the move after watching your video, my dad and his siblings have 2 houses in VN so he doesn't have to pay rent, and can live of his little retirement income. Thanks again!
Some other nice things: - Many banks have free overdraft protection, and with no minimum balance - Zero fee money transfer for all banks - It doesn't cost you to receive messages and phone calls - Airport luggage carts are free - All utilities are sold by the government (scarcity exists, but there won't be any price hike)
Tourist visas were just extended to 90 days. Alex is talking about living and working in Vietnam. If you have a job and work permit, you can stay forever as long as you have permission to be in the country.
I think the common budget is good but in Baguio we have to buy water which costs me 400 a week for a full tank And we use 5 galls of drinking water every other day My health insurance is Wrlife that gives me 80k USD hospital cover for 100 bucks a month
Hi Ninja Teacher, I loved your video ! I wanted to ask you if you would recommend moving to Vietnam with 2 kids , family of 4. The kids are 9 and 5 years old. How much does a good education cost etc. Thank you
My VNese wife & l with two motorscooters, and a 2-bedroom condo in Quan 7, Co-op deli food daily our costs are CAD$1.200/month. We have, but never use, air conditioning. My wife doesn't drink and l have a few beers each month. We have a house cleaner for 2 hours on 3 days / week.
Great video thanks ! Hehe the rent prices are almost same in rural Austria or eastern Germany ;) doesn't seem so cheap related to the average income don't you think ?
My ninja, thank you. I have been thinking about living 5-6 months in VN a year, the rest in europe. I have some saving deposit in vietnamese bank and I can have around 20 mil vnd (800 usd) a month without job. I also have a small appartment near Hanoi (ocean park 1). Acutally I wanted to double that monthly income, but Im too tired of working 24/7. Maybe I can still live the "baller" way in VN . Anyway thanks for the informations, they are very helpful
Have not watched the video yet but when I was with my ex I was not allowed to do any shopping with the family, nor was I allowed to be around them when looking at stuff to buy until after they bought something so they didn't pay foreigner prices which was noticeable at times. If not all the time. lol
Thank you SO SO much for the effort and detail you put into your videos!! Can I ask how good the online shopping is in Vietnam? Like is there a version of takealot?😄 I would hope to buy an Airfryer for example!:)
Hi interesting and detailed videos , appreciated . What about paperwork , rental , transport or accommodation ? Short term lease etc, easy and safe process ?
Vietnam is efficient in managing its economy, it PROTECTS its NATURAL RESOURCES and GDP from ABUSE. It is also very Disciplined, it is a REPUBLIC, that is why it is a developing country, that SIFTS every detail in businesses, since it is ECOLOGY FRIENDLY as well as ECONOMICALLY SOUND, well PRESERVED PRISTINE WATERS and SANDS, as well as GEOGRAPHY, very Worthwhile and Excellent in ALL THINGS.
i can life on a thousand dollar in germany if i want to. In fact im spending around 1200 dollar a month. I wonder why everything is so expensive aroudn the world even if they earn under 10$ a day.
Hello! I heard you mention teaching English. Are people aged out of teaching jobs there? Can someone 55 teach in Vietnam and then retire? I am seeking a wonderful inexpensive country to teach English, and retire.
I was in Danang two weeks in October 2022. The real answer is no; you can not live there on $1,000 per month unless you do not spend money on anything except food and lodging and minor entertainment. There is the VISA problem - it takes at least a one year VISA to escape the expense and disruption caused by having only a 30 day VISA - and to work full time there doesn't make any sense. $1,500 to $1,800 is what it takes or do not go, you will run out of money. I kept detailed records daily, of what I spent and this is reality. Now if you want to live in squalor or in a non modern dwelling - then be my guest, try living there on $1,000 - I give you two months maybe three including 3 VISA runs before you throw in the towel. My advice - do not go without a long term VISA - for starters
@@travellingtascha There is nothing in Vietnamese law that says that you cannot lease for a year on a 90 day visa. Probably why any number of real estate sites advertise long term rentals and if you email them, the reply back is, sure, you can lease for a year and never mind your 90 day visa. Oh, and try remember that in cities like Da Nang and Nha Trang one can rent in a condotel (condo/hotel mix). Like the Muong Thanh Oceanus: Facilities 24H Security Access card Air Cond Alarm Balcony Bed Cable Internet Dinning Table Gym Kitchen Utensil Safe box Sofa Spa TV Washing Machine WiFi Internet Work Desk 2 bedrooms, 2 toilets, 55.56 square meters, with a 2 minute walk to the beach. Cost? Price: 8,000,000/month (for 6 month to 1 year contract)~327$ 9,000,000/month (for 3 month contract)~367$ Lastly, book a cheap hotel room while you scout around. You will be looking for: Nha cho thue (house for rent) Chung cu cho thue (apartment for rent) The apartment that I "listed" has inflated rent, as there is a real estate agent to pay. Also, the websites are in English, so in addition to paying a real estate agent the rent is the English speaker(s) rent. So find a Viet to make an initial inquiry. Since he or she will be quoted the Viet price. That human can then come with you when you go to rent (and can verify the previously quoted rent).
Hi Ninja I heard the food is great and cheap but would you do a research about GMO & how they feed livestock? I watched investigations about seafood at VN they use a lot of chemicals and antibiotics so how the food safety for your health? I’m just a curious George please make another video about food safety if possible thanks
ofcourse you can live in vietnam with 1,000 dollars. Im sure because i'm living in New york city with 1,000 expenses a month. 500 dollars for rent and 500 dollars for food and other bills..
A question for those living in Vietnam. Are these prices still the same in 2024 ? I'm an ESL non-native teacher with 7 years of experience and who is considering moving to Vietnam, yet I don't know what are the actual cons there. Will you be scammed often? Is there high job competition in the ESL teaching market for job seekers?
Want to learn more about teaching English in Vietnam? Download our salary, living expenses and start-up costs guide here: ninjateacher.com/free-guide
Having been through the Ninja Teacher process and living in Vietnam, I can safely assure you, no matter what you earn you will NEVER go hungry. The variety of tastes and the affordability of the food is exceptional and to this day, there is no other place in the world I return to more often than Vietnam. Thank you, Alex
Glad to hear that! You're most welcome.
It’s because the US sprays chemicals and pesticides on all of our foods. And we also inject all the animals with hormones so all of the food in the US is tainted unless you grow yourself.
As a Vietnamese living in the US, I miss Vietnamese food very much. The Vietnamese food in US is not as delicious as the food in VN. I pay 15$ for a bowl of Pho over here but it tastes nothing compared to a 2$ Pho in VN.😮💨
Phở 0,8$ đô thôi =20k vnd là giá trung bình thường gặp
😱
@@Adolf_Catler_159phở ở đâu 20k?
@@Bee168bmt chắc mua phở gói ăn liền + nửa lạng thịt bò
@@Bee168bmt à chắc tao nhầm phở giá 2 triệu chứ làm gì có phở 20k đâu nhỉ😏😏😏
Your most valuable video yet !! This is definitely what I needed before my move there. THANK YOU !! Beautifully produced video, too. Very professional production.
Great video, very informative.
A few additional costs not mentioned here:
1. "Stuff": clothes, shoes, a mobile phone, a laptop, household items, etc.
For me its ~$800 a year on average (~$70 per month).
2. Home country/family visits:
Even if you only go once a year its quite expensive. Roughly $1,000 for me (~$80 per month).
3. Health insurance:
If you're young and healthy, maybe $50 per month, if you're in your seventies it may go up to $500 per month, maybe more.
4. Home internet (fiber/broadband)
5. Toiletries and cleaning products.
In my case I also pay someone to clean my apartment once a week.
6. Cable/Netflix/Disney+/Amazon Video/Spotify etc
7. Vacations:
If you ever go on vacations it will add up. You can stay in Vietnam as it will be cheaper, but many people will also want to visit Thailand, Cambodia (Angkor Wat), Korea, Taiwan, maybe even Japan.
very helpful additional info, thanks
You Forget that even Your List is Your List.. 1. "Stuff" is As Needed!, 2. Not everyone there has any there. 3. Health Insurance, Not everyone Needs it or it's provided to them by the VA and they pay for it. 4. Agree because I Refuse to Own a Cellphone. 5. As Needed. 6. If you have Internet, ALL Movies are FREE! If you know what you are doing and IS Legal... So NOT Needed. 7. You are On Permanent Vacation. Unless like Him, you bring your work with you.. and Why would you do that?
His List is for Living in the City, Live Outside the City and these Costs could be Halved and have a Better Life doing so.. I live in Florida on a Budget of $555 a Month because I OWN My Land, Truck, Motorcycle and MY Bills are MY Bills Not my Neighbors who are paying Well Over that and are also Single like me..
If I live In Town, My Costs Goes Up by a Good $150+ a Month.. No Thank You!
@@ravenlorans Calm down dear....
Hospital costs in Vietnam are cheaper than buying life insurance
@@ravenlorans Insurance covered by the (shudder) VA? I was under the impression that I would be without access if I relocated. I am a 50% disabled Vet.
street food so healthy here with alot of greens and herbes. You can eat 3 times/day outside for 3S/day 5$ with cold drinks. So 3*30=90$/month for food, no need to cook yourself. You can save that cooking time to enjoy another stuffs.
That is so truth!!
"alot" is not one word. You mean "no need to cook." Not "no need to cook yourself." "Cook yourself" would mean that you are going to be cooked and eaten. You don't say "to enjoy another stuffs." You say "to enjoy other things."
@@ptiaptia7347 This is so true. Not "this is so truth."
@ thank you! I’m learning
As a minimalist, I am living nicely in Vietnam on $500 dollars a month. I rent a small house with a large yard in the country for $50. Housing outside the cities is much less.
That is incredible. Thank you so much for giving that info.
Curious, any issues with robbery/break ins out in the countryside? I know that's the main area pet snatchers visit. I was planning on bringing my cat, but now I believe I'll have to re-home her with a family member.
@@youMatterItDoesGetBetter Haven't heard of any break-ins in my area. Someone in the community, a couple years ago, ripped off their boss. But it's rude to talk about it, for the family's sake. I've been told that nearing Tet one should keep an eye out for pet snatchers. This last Tet one of the neighbors in the community said a dog was snatched. Someone raided my sister-in-law chicken coop that same month and took all the eggs. She was sad because she was going to let them hatch. Other than that, there are lots of pets about. Dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, buffalo. With everyone letting their pets run a muck in the streets, it's expected that a pet or two would disappear. Just don't let your cat turn alley. and it should be fine.
Hello,
Do you have access to plumbing and electricity?
@@eitangrinspon1637 Vietnam is one of the most developed country in SEAsian. My friend has a VERY nice apartment in a high rise fore $450 USD a month and fast internet. He literally has a custom tiled steam shower lol.
Thanks for this informative video! I just returned to the states after two weeks in Vietnam (and experiencing withdrawals). Loved all of the food & hospitality there!
Very easy to live on around 20 million a month here. The only months where I've spent 30 million is the months when I went eating at western places and drinking more than 3 times a week. Home cooking or eating local will save you an absolute fortune over the course of the year.
20millions? Dong?
@@piedpiper5687 yes, most vietnamese live on less but they live with family
@@leigh7507 can i survive with 15millions dong i a month?
@@piedpiper5687 yes but not central saigon - you get a house share or home stay for 4 mil a month
food wise you can live on 100k a day or 500k a day, Noodles and meats is only 20k.
I think the lowest would be 12 million a month for a foreigner
lol no way? what city?
Thank you so much. Such a good informative video. 💚
Thank you Alex. I plan to apply teaching in Vietnam next year.
Seeing that but the truth is not so. The leadership is very bad and dirty, you can prove that the places I go to the cities, the street corners are unhygienic, the food I don't dare to eat because of the food processing toxic chemicals, people who just came to live they don't know but after living there for a long time, now they know..that’s all i can say it is not what i heard.
Do more of these types of these videos, also i like the new editing style
it's super professional
1000$ ~ 23 mil VND, that's a dream salary for a lot of Vietnamese. Workers take home around 300$ a month is pretty common.
Your are absolutely right.
Indeed. My teaching assistants taught me a lot about living like a local. They showed me where they eat and shop. My costs were decreased significantly. However, at times you do feel really guilty when you earn as much as you do as a teacher. I was clearing around 40 million VND or more most months but I would happily give them a "performance bonus" when I worked with them. Hardest working people I have ever met.
@@AlphaSniperAcademy Interesting, and very kind of you. How much would you give them as a bonus?
@joehavermann7729 about 1 million a month is what I could afford at the time depending on how many lessons I did with them. When I earned more, and could secure more lessons, I raised it to 1.5 million
Well you're inefficient as hell and do absolutely garbage work. You're paid what you're worth.
I lost my wallet in the ocean of Vietnam once... I lived for free for one month. I met a wonderful Viet family took me in that didnt have much. They absolutely refused payment when the time came. If my father didnt get sick with cancer I would have never came back.
🥺🥺🥺💚💚💚💚
That must be a once-in-a-lifetime experience❤
Luôn có một gia đình chờ bạn trở về. Khi bạn cảm thấy mệt mỏi hay chán nản, hãy đến Việt Nam. Mảnh đất này không phải mảnh đất cho bạn niềm vui, nhưng nó chắc chắn mang lại hạnh phúc, giá trị tinh thần.
Your travel tips are invaluable for anyone planning their own journey. Thanks for being such a helpful guide!
Living there for that long, any plans for learning to speak the language. I’ve watch many TH-camrs living there only a couple years and speaking very well, it’s hard at first but you will be amazed how quickly you can learn. Also once you speak the language, you will be surprised how you can blend in with the locals and have a friendly interactions. Cheers
Yes, I’m taking lessons again recently. I’ve been running our TEFL academy so it hasn’t been my top priority but I agree with your points about the benefits so I’m making an effort again.
Since this $1k is net, the actual salary will have to be higher to include taxes. So if your employer covers health, life, dental, vision insurance and offers a 401k match; you'd have to make 32M or $1,350/mo to be able to match the balanced budget and cover taxes, 5% savings, 5% 401k and a little for charitable giving. This also doesn't include any room for unexpected expenses, shopping of any kind other than food, trips, etc. Realistically this means the minimum is $1500/mo gross if you just want to live and not save or invest for the future. Long term sustainable living then becomes $2k and up...
So short term, yes you can live conservatively on $1k/mo as a single person who doesn't care about travel or long term investment.
health care is cheap, u pay prolly 5 dollars a month. Saving account there is 7 8 %. We dont pay taxes there
Spending $1K/month in a third world slum country is outrageous.
@@nocancelcultureaccepted9316 Lol you must have either really high standards or have never been to HCMC. The quality of life there is substantially higher than in the US in a lot of ways...
@@Eph_2_8-9
Higher than in the US?
Over 80% of Vietnamese would kill to migrate to anywhere else rather than Vietnam. If you happen to be a foreigner who isn’t familiar with the facts of Vietnamese culture and you live in your own bubble, you may think it’s fine. But the Vietnamese know it sucks to live in their own society because of 2 reasons: garbage and stealing.
@@nocancelcultureaccepted9316 I though you don’t have much time for news.
❤ after 2 years in, I ate western 5X. 5 regret. I don't eat Vietnamese because of budget. I don't need to. I eat it because it's one of the best cuisines on the globe! I've shopped the markets, I've been blessed by my local friends to show me how to cook it. ❤ I'm back in Canada 🇨🇦 now and I'm dying😂 it's a food desert compared to VN❤❤❤
Me too! But I concluded V food is very good! no need to try world food!
Vermont is worse lol hello Canada
I have a friend who live on USA but he lie ti his boss that he live in USA but working from vietnam for 6 months and get big salary from his company live like a king in vietnam 😊
Haha smart man
3000 USD is like a king. 5000 USD is like an angle
This video was exactly what i was looking for. Thank you!
me too !!
HCM is actually one of the best places in the world to be a foodie because if you want something like Turkish, French (Cocotte), Brazilian, etc. you're basically paying 1/3 of what you would in another big city. Some purists will say well it's not like XYZ back home, but there are definitely places that would be damn close and a fraction of the price you'd pay in London, New York, etc.
I lived in Saigon for 4 years and have been back in Chicago (a really good food city) for 2 years and I have to say that some of the American food I had in Saigon was better than some of the food I have had here -- I have only had Vietnamese food once because I cried about paying $14 for a bowl of mi quang and $6 for ca phe sua da!!!
Coming back to Da Nang in November and can't wait for my 20k dong banh mi!!!
In Vietnam : the high budget would go a a decent /safe areas rental lodging - other than that groceries/local market/street foods are super cheap (the price of McDonald's , Chic fil A , Starbucks ect. would afford you a entire day of food in VN )
Very valuable info to encourage one becoming decisive. Thank You!
Thank you. Very informative indeed. Much, much cheaper than staying with my relatives 🙂.
Yes you absolutely can! I did. 👍
Living a simple life that is easy, affordable, and stress-free.👍💖
Seriously in-depth professional video - best in class！
Thanks!
$600 total U.S. dollars I think my total cost was for hotels and food everyday . September to October 2023 was for 29 days
Wonderful, so informative, lots of research and editing, big thank.
Wow! I'm living in Dublin Ireland watching this! I think I might retire early in Vietnam 💃🤗
Your friend from the UK is wrong, one Dragon fruit in England costs a little less than £3 in Waitrose supermarket...which is a posh supermarket.
😮really?? Here in Australia you can get Dragon fruit for between $27-$30 EACH🤬🤬 the greed in this country (Australia) is out of control!!
One important point you forgot on cost of leaving is your health insurance 🤔 I know this may be different from one person to another. But it is something to take in consideration regarding all your monthly expenses 😉 good video 👍 nice and very informative Chanel . Bravo 👏👏
Locals live on $75-$100 USD a month so of course you can. - WW
Very informative video! Soon, I will also travel to Vietnam and am already curious about the costs of gyms 🤔:)
Agree with your survey.. I spent about 7,5 mil/month for a studio apartment in D7 (15 minutes from D1), no balcony though. And on average over 9 months i think i spent about 1000usd/month for just about everything. Sure miss being able to get streetfood outside my apartment building for 1 usd..
D7 has street food but it's tightly regulated somehow. The street that ends at Paris Baguette, Ku Pho Huong Phuoc 3, or it might be one street over, has the vendors come at after 5 I think.
@@keilnirby well, in some of the more fancy/western areas it might be like that 😅 but large parts of the district is very classic Vietnamese style.. I had plenty of street vendors and 'mom n pop' shops on my street, but yeah, around FV hospital and crescent mall and the Sky Garden area it was much 'cleaner' and empty in that way 😅
Seeing that but the truth is not so. The leadership is very bad and dirty, you can prove that the places I go to the cities, the street corners are unhygienic, the food I don't dare to eat because of the food processing toxic chemicals, people who just came to live they don't know but after living there for a long time, now they know..that’s all i can say it is not what i heard.
@@leehnguyen7427 sure there are some dirty places, and sure some bad food too... But literally millions of people eat it daily with no issues...
@@NiklasLarssonSeglarfan
if you go to the hospital called market field ‘Chợ Rẩy’ in District 5 to visit the patients, you will understand what I'm saying.
that was amazing job bro... i really needed this video, thanks
Very interesting video. Vietnam has been high on my list to immigrate to from the USA to retire early. I liked your breakdown of the three possible lifestyles. I’d like the baller but not the food. I’d prefer to eat local food everyday if it were my choice. Still blows my mind how incredibly affordable when compared to typical western life costs.
It's not affordable. It's only affordable because you have foreign money. Not sure why it would be mind blowing. The incomes in western life are 10 times higher. It's probably more expensive to be fair to live in the west income to expense, than almost any other area.
@@JayandSarahthat’s why it’s good to live as a Westen guy in Vietnam. I’m living here 6 months and in Europe I spend on average 7000€ a month. In Vietnam I spend maximum 3000€ a month and I eat in restaurant every day
@@ares9195 $3000 euro a month in vietnam for 1 person? That is insane. Should be less than half that.
Great information. Really appreciate your hard work making these videos. ❤🙏👍
In your next video, can you also share how to pay for your daily and monthly purchases? ie) is everything in dong, paid via debt or cash? do vendors accept USD cash or do we have to convert USD to dong? Also, as a CDN foreigner, what is the longest period of time we can stay in VN? Thanks so much. This location is definitely on my bucket list when I retire in 2-3 years
That was an AMAZING video! Thank you so much, it was very HELPFUL!🙏❤️🙏
Me and my partner live on around $1500 TOGETHER in Sweden. In Vietnam you should be able to live a good life on $350-$500 per person easily. Your priorities must be really off if living cheap is the goal..
Just got approved for my VA disability compensation a few weeks back.Where do I need to live in Vietnam for the amount you quoted??? Supposed it's cheaper than living in the Philippines.
My monthly building association fee in Hawaii is already passed the baller budget LOL.
Well done smart & intelligent! ❤
Lived and worked there for 25 years. They are many great things, but the toxicity in food, water and air have driven many conscious expat family away.
Hope the government will start cleaning that up soon to make it one of the most attractive travel destinations in Southeast Asia.
Look at the reports and stats from the WHO on the health conditions of the people in Vietnam.
My heart goes out to them. Too many silent killers.
Air, ground water and noise pollution is just getting worse. The country and its economy is developing at an incredible pace, but at a great cost to the environment. After 7 years I'm leaving as I'm feeling the negative effects on my health. I wouldn't recommend Vietnam to anyone to live long term. It might be cheap to live here, but the negatives far outweigh the positives.
@@thecheekymonkey8785 Where are you moving to? or what alternatives are you considering? Thanks.
@@pathkris2984 I have a shortlist of countries that I'm considering at the moment. Argentina and Romania are high on the list.
@@thecheekymonkey8785 Thank you for the info. Noticed Romania and Bulgaria are joining Schengen in March 2024. That makes it harder to choose these countries in the future I believe.
I have heard many stories about toxic food or how they processed food, cook it....even how they grow veggies (Rau muong for example). Once they had food poison episodes, many people ended up in ER and that is scary.
Thank you so much for a well informative cost of living nowadays in VN.
I'm living in the US currently and very much interested in teaching English in Vietnam, please advised me where to started.
Once again thanks so much and hope to hear from you.
So, for the "budget" selection, it would be upwards of US$300 a month for meals at US$10 a day for someone who would find some of those meals a tad on the small side.
Unless you were renting an expensive climate-controlled multiple-bedroom apartment, $1,000 is excessive. That literally lasted me four months straight.
Very Humble people
Thank you. Can I get the opposite and get a teach to teach me Vietnamese?
Fantastic video. Greatly appreciated
Excellent video, I am a new subscriber 😊
Amazing video. Very informative.
Thank you for your time and posting.
Ninja Teacher - Thank you for your video - informative.
The title of this video is misleading. It should have the words "with foreigner's income". Because the cost of living in Vietnam is definitely not cheap with everyday local people
Thanks for your thoughtful. You know that VNeses don’t eat much Western foods, we like vegetables for our meals, besides we are protected by Government insurance so we are most doing well. If we are sick, we ’d have foods for free in most hospitals , especially in city .They do charity for poor people but foods are quite good.
This is for Americans who want to move to Vietnam.
Family and I are moving there in a year or so cant wait.
great video!
I know a young 20 or 21 year old girl in Hanoi. Her furnished room in a shared house is about $21 a month 500k Most days she spends $2 a day on food, and could geys to take her out every other day if she wanted. Pays little for electricity water or internet She is living on $10 a day or less.
literally said you would compare food in 3 categories and only did one haha was waiting to take notes
He did bro you weren’t listening
I am loving your videos so much. They are really helping me make the decision to start teaching and moving over there. I'm from South Africa and this is really the time to make the move. Is there any way I can make contact with you to ask questions.
Helping people start teaching English in Vietnam is what we do. :) You can check out ninjateacher.com to see the options we offer to assist people with getting started and you can get in touch there too.
I want to know the rent budget for beach towns like Nha Trang or Da Nang. Living in Hanoi or Saigon is not desirable.
Dá Nang is about 25-30% less for housing than Saigon. Food is about the same cost.
Thanks a lot for this wonderful video.
Alex, is that veggie buffet in Saigon or Da Nang??? Looks great!!!
Great video! Very informative
USD1k is more than 4x monthly salary of a lot of people in Vietnam.
Great Information David
haha wow. Worth looking into for sure. Super great info! I quickly noticed portion size different from my normal fat ass portions. I end up closer to normal price after multiple plates ordered. Gyms are at least as high as here. Starbucks is still crazy in Vietnam. LOL! I skip them here and I'll skip them in Vietnam.
Thank you for a very detail break down! My 70 years old dad is retired and wants to move back to VN, a friend said he won't make it with $800/M. I'm more comfortable letting my dad make the move after watching your video, my dad and his siblings have 2 houses in VN so he doesn't have to pay rent, and can live of his little retirement income. Thanks again!
Some other nice things:
- Many banks have free overdraft protection, and with no minimum balance
- Zero fee money transfer for all banks
- It doesn't cost you to receive messages and phone calls
- Airport luggage carts are free
- All utilities are sold by the government (scarcity exists, but there won't be any price hike)
For 500 U.S.,a single person can live in the Philippines province for a month Board & Lodging already. 7:48
But The Philippines is crap compared to Vietnam.
you can exist on $1000 in most big cities & definitely all smaller cities/towns.
I thought you could only stay in Vietnam for 30 days at a time. Thinking about retiring but visa runs are a no no for long term living.
Tourist visas were just extended to 90 days. Alex is talking about living and working in Vietnam. If you have a job and work permit, you can stay forever as long as you have permission to be in the country.
Baller budget is still very affordable! I expected atleast 2k for Baller
Yeah, we’re not talking about going crazy but you can live a fun lifestyle on that.
I think the common budget is good but in Baguio we have to buy water which costs me 400 a week for a full tank
And we use 5 galls of drinking water every other day
My health insurance is Wrlife that gives me 80k USD hospital cover for 100 bucks a month
Thank you for that good Video.
Hi Ninja Teacher, I loved your video ! I wanted to ask you if you would recommend moving to Vietnam with 2 kids , family of 4. The kids are 9 and 5 years old. How much does a good education cost etc. Thank you
My VNese wife & l with two motorscooters, and a 2-bedroom condo in Quan 7, Co-op deli food daily our costs are CAD$1.200/month. We have, but never use, air conditioning. My wife doesn't drink and l have a few beers each month.
We have a house cleaner for 2 hours on 3 days / week.
Great video thanks !
Hehe the rent prices are almost same in rural Austria or eastern Germany ;) doesn't seem so cheap related to the average income don't you think ?
My ninja, thank you. I have been thinking about living 5-6 months in VN a year, the rest in europe. I have some saving deposit in vietnamese bank and I can have around 20 mil vnd (800 usd) a month without job. I also have a small appartment near Hanoi (ocean park 1). Acutally I wanted to double that monthly income, but Im too tired of working 24/7. Maybe I can still live the "baller" way in VN . Anyway thanks for the informations, they are very helpful
Have not watched the video yet but when I was with my ex I was not allowed to do any shopping with the family, nor was I allowed to be around them when looking at stuff to buy until after they bought something so they didn't pay foreigner prices which was noticeable at times. If not all the time. lol
Thank you SO SO much for the effort and detail you put into your videos!! Can I ask how good the online shopping is in Vietnam? Like is there a version of takealot?😄 I would hope to buy an Airfryer for example!:)
Yes! There are several options like Lazada and Tiki that offer online shopping with fast delivery times.
@@ninja.teacher ah amazing thank you so much!!
Hi interesting and detailed videos , appreciated . What about paperwork , rental , transport or accommodation ? Short term lease etc, easy and safe process ?
Ballin on a Budget! $1,200 is Great! I can retire now! lol
I think anyone can lol
Vietnam is efficient in managing its economy, it PROTECTS its NATURAL RESOURCES and GDP from ABUSE. It is also very Disciplined, it is a REPUBLIC, that is why it is a developing country, that SIFTS every detail in businesses, since it is ECOLOGY FRIENDLY as well as ECONOMICALLY SOUND, well PRESERVED PRISTINE WATERS and SANDS, as well as GEOGRAPHY, very Worthwhile and Excellent in ALL THINGS.
i can life on a thousand dollar in germany if i want to. In fact im spending around 1200 dollar a month. I wonder why everything is so expensive aroudn the world even if they earn under 10$ a day.
I was thinking of moving to Panama city or Mexico but there even $3000 Usd is basic life. Vietnam looks appealing.
Thailand and the Philippines, too 👌
A good video.Thank Alex😂
What about health insurance?
Free from my employer for 15 years
Well presented, informative and concise. Thank You
Hello! I heard you mention teaching English. Are people aged out of teaching jobs there? Can someone 55 teach in Vietnam and then retire? I am seeking a wonderful inexpensive country to teach English, and retire.
I was in Danang two weeks in October 2022. The real answer is no; you can not live there on $1,000 per month unless you do not spend money on anything except food and lodging and minor entertainment. There is the VISA problem - it takes at least a one year VISA to escape the expense and disruption caused by having only a 30 day VISA - and to work full time there doesn't make any sense. $1,500 to $1,800 is what it takes or do not go, you will run out of money. I kept detailed records daily, of what I spent and this is reality. Now if you want to live in squalor or in a non modern dwelling - then be my guest, try living there on $1,000 - I give you two months maybe three including 3 VISA runs before you throw in the towel. My advice - do not go without a long term VISA - for starters
So true - better off in Cambodia next door. Especially over 55 have it made !
Now vn has 90 day visas
Yes, the ninety day makes it easier 🎉
@@machinmon.Still not long enough to get a lease for home. You’ll still be in more expensive Airbnb’s
@@travellingtascha There is nothing in Vietnamese law that says that you cannot lease for a year on a 90 day visa. Probably why any number of real estate sites advertise long term rentals and if you email them, the reply back is, sure, you can lease for a year and never mind your 90 day visa. Oh, and try remember that in cities like Da Nang and Nha Trang one can rent in a condotel (condo/hotel mix). Like the Muong Thanh Oceanus:
Facilities
24H Security
Access card
Air Cond
Alarm
Balcony
Bed
Cable Internet
Dinning Table
Gym
Kitchen Utensil
Safe box
Sofa
Spa
TV
Washing Machine
WiFi Internet
Work Desk
2 bedrooms, 2 toilets, 55.56 square meters, with a 2 minute walk to the beach.
Cost?
Price: 8,000,000/month (for 6 month to 1 year contract)~327$
9,000,000/month (for 3 month contract)~367$
Lastly, book a cheap hotel room while you scout around. You will be looking for:
Nha cho thue (house for rent)
Chung cu cho thue (apartment for rent)
The apartment that I "listed" has inflated rent, as there is a real estate agent to pay. Also, the websites are in English, so in addition to paying a real estate agent the rent is the English speaker(s) rent. So find a Viet to make an initial inquiry. Since he or she will be quoted the Viet price. That human can then come with you when you go to rent (and can verify the previously quoted rent).
Wuz upp... great video sign me up Scotty
Hi Ninja I heard the food is great and cheap but would you do a research about GMO & how they feed livestock? I watched investigations about seafood at VN they use a lot of chemicals and antibiotics so how the food safety for your health? I’m just a curious George please make another video about food safety if possible thanks
Mine is half of that as an expat living in VN
ofcourse you can live in vietnam with 1,000 dollars. Im sure because i'm living in New york city with 1,000 expenses a month. 500 dollars for rent and 500 dollars for food and other bills..
Uhhhhhhh
Is there any sim card you can recommend for a visit of a month?
Good video
the guy at the first resteraunt was legit
No tipping required.👍😊
A question for those living in Vietnam. Are these prices still the same in 2024 ? I'm an ESL non-native teacher with 7 years of experience and who is considering moving to Vietnam, yet I don't know what are the actual cons there. Will you be scammed often? Is there high job competition in the ESL teaching market for job seekers?