Blogged by: @kingceejayI have been living in Vietnam for four years and have moved to five different apartments since then. With this frequency of moving, I have learned a few things which I happily share with my friends and with you, if you are looking for a place to live in Ho Chi Minh City right now.
1. Know your budget. For me, this is the most important step. At the moment, a decent fully furnished 1-2 bedroom apartment is rented out between 400-600USD (ideal for singles or couples without kids); for families, a 3-bedrrom unit ranges from 700-1,000USD in Phu My Hung and a hundred or two higher wherever near district 1. Take note that on top of the monthly rent, you need to spend at least 150USD more for the utilities (electricity, water & gas, plus the Admin Fee). I also know some expats who prefer top-of-the-line accommodations which range from 1500 to 2500USD.
2. Know your options. There are many options and generally, more expats in Saigon prefer the apartments over houses . While it’s possible to get a three- story house with the prices I’ve mentioned, my personal preference is the apartment.That’s probably because I have kids and security is my top priority. There are also rooms for rent; fully furnished ones can be between 250-350USD a month. And of course there are many hotels (a.k.a. guest houses) in Saigon where you can pay 300/month inclusive of cleaning & laundry. Plus the serviced apartments downtown, which are just a stone’s throw away from almost everything!
3. Know your priorities. Being a family man, security is my number one concern. I make sure the place has a CCTV and a staff monitoring the IN and OUT of people in the apartment. My old apartment even had a very tight security system: magnetic card is given to tenants & guests are interrogated by the uniformed men before allowed entry. You don’t have this luxury when renting a house though. You don’t wanna know about the horrible stories of my expat friends and locals about burglary but this doesn’t always happen. Rooms for rent, generally, are safe as the landlord always monitors the house but some of them do this too much.
4. Know your neighborhood. Is it near an expat-friendly hospital or clinic? Is there a supermarket or grocery nearby? Is it easy to get a cab or xeom there? These are among my first questions. Knowing your neighbors (expat or locals) also does matter for me. I have no preference as to the race of my neighbors but I really don’t like hearing the off-tune karaoke and yelling past midnight. If you’re single, your questions might be: is it near pubs or cafes? Can I jog at a park nearby? Is there a yoga/karate/football gym nearby? You can have them all if you live in Phu My Hung or An Phu.
5. Know what facilities and amenities there are. Most apartments in Phu My Hung have a swimming pool, a garden, and a parking area. Some have extras: a gym, a function hall, and/or a lobby. This is also true in many apartments in districts 2, 4, 5 & 10 but rarely in district 1 due to limited space. 9 out of 10 houses do not have a parking area for your motorbike though. That is why most expats renting a house make their ground floor a living room/ garage. Note that in Vietnam, a fully-furnished accommodation means beds & mattresses, wardrobes & cabinets as well as bookshelves, dining and living room sets, curtains, washing machine, fridge, stove, microwave oven, telephone, ADSL and cable TV are provided.
6. Know the contract details very well. Most landlords require two months’ deposit and 1 month advanced rent. I had managed to seal deals with just 1 month deposit & 1 month rent but it is getting rarer nowadays as more and more expats have become too nomadic these days. All contracts must be both in Vietnamese and English but make sure to have a Vietnamese friend look at the contract before you sign it. Last but not the least, the contract should secure you from the sudden change of mind by the landlord. You don’t wanna pay more while the contract is in effect nor do you like to move out because a richer tenant likes your place.
I hope these six tips can help you in any way. If you have any questions or seek an advice about renting a place, I would be more than happy to assist you in any way I can. You can start by leaving a comment below.
Great tips. I went from renting a large house in Phu Nhuan to renting a bedroom in District 1. I pay about $280 US per month but it includes everything. My room is even cleaned quite often. A perfect setting for a single guy.
When I rented a house, I found that it took more time to take care of. I had to pay the bills and deal with house maintenance issues. I did have a housekeeper early on but had problems when my meals at home were more expensive then meals outside the house.
I never been a fan of apartments. I do not think they are as secure as people say they are. I worked with security companies here in Saigon. Many security guards sleep at night, most CCTV systems are not maintained and the biometric card systems are not really recording the in and outs of people. I could still easily enter into Skygarden if I wanted too.
For me, a room or a house are more secure. They key is to have a good landlord if you rent a room. I have one now. For houses, you need to mingle with your neighbors. For 4 years in Phu Nhuan, when I left my house for trips, I knew the neighbors would watch it for me.
That is my ten cents worth.
Thanks for your comments, Kevin.
If I were single or alone here in Saigon, I’d be renting a room too. Truly economic and safe.
Yeah, some security guards sleep at night. Good thing my neighbors in My Phuc and My Khanh are mostly non-locals; they tell the management about any underperformance or unacceptable behavior of the guys manning our buildings. And the CCTV has helped us once- we’ve located our kid who’d gone to the pool instead of coming home after class.
I’m not a big fan of Sky Garden 1 & 2. I’m not sure if conditions are different in Sky 3 though. But really, that part of Phu My Hung is rather busy and can sometimes be a bit too crowded so I opted staying near the river or the Crescent.
Great tips! Thank you so much. We are just starting to look and will be moving in August to Phu My Hung. You mention that Sky Garden can get busy..can you recommend any complexes in your area? I’m looking for 3 bdr which will take a big dog. Just if you know something! Thank you
Hi Tanya, can you send me your mobile number – herdailydigest@gmail.com – and I’ll contact you asap re the apartment?
Great tips!
Hi Ricky!
Thanks for dropping by!
No problem, i just went for a short holiday in Da Lat . Will post pictures soon.
We’d love to see your photos!
Know which part of the city you want to live in:Location is a very important factor of choosing an apartment.Since the traffic in Vietnam is not so good with a lot of traffic jams, you should consider this.For example, you work usually go to downtown than an apartment in district 2 or 7 won’t be a good idea.You don’t want to spend hours navigating around your destitnations
My tip: CONSULT A FENG-SHUI EXPERT.
This is important as it will affect your family and career. According to Chinese religions, the directions, the location, the structures and interior designs of the apartment are equally essential in Feng Shui rules.
Best regards,
your students
Mr. JC you might want to add one more tip about the direction of the apartment you’re renting. What i meant is the facing of the apartment, is it facing north? south? west? it usually depends on your taste or religion wherever you want to be windy or brigh, etc. you might want to check out the “feng sui” thinggy. it also tells you a lot about what direction suits you.
I’m totally agree with your tips!
However, I would like to share another tip which is checking the furniture carefully before you start moving in, if you rent a fully furnished one. Check if anything is damage and report immediately to the landlord. If you don’t, when you return the apartment you may have to pay for something that you didn’t break.
True!
One time, The landlord deducted an amount from our deposit because the couch had tear (only about 5 inches which I thought could be stitched). I insisted it was part of the ‘wear and tear’ section of the contract, which read we shouldnt be charged of. He reasoned it wouldn’t have happened if I’d only used the furniture for sitting down!
Another tip: Know exactly the atmosphere is comfortable or not: Usually, Vietnamese people wake up very early and make noise. So it is the best to concern about the environment that you want to live in
I got an expat friend who’d complain about his neighbors who were raising roosters. Cockadoodledoo wakes him up every morning and at night time, peopls next door would sing karaoke till past midnight. He left the area as soon as he’d finished the contract.
Tho good thing about living in a flat is that homeowners have a set of rules. You oughtta follow them for everyone’s sake. The security guard ensures these policies are followed.
Thanks for this tip!
All good tips, along w/ those added in the comments. Location was important to me (along w/ security, kitchen, et al) so, though I teach in Tan Binh (albeit just 2 days/week), I found the perfect place in Dist. 1 just off Nguyen Tai. Nice quiet alley, 1 bedroom apt w/ wee kitchen, a lift (though only 4 stories, I on the 1st), modern, everything new and spic ‘n span, a/c of course (though elec. extra), fan, wifi, cable w/ flat screen TV, bitty balcony, daily maid and laundry service (incl.), landlady speaks excellent English, 24/7 security. Perfect location to most everything (and just 15-20 min. to school 2/week): $450. 6 mo. lease, 1st + security deposit. All inclusive save electric. Found it on Craigslist.
Short term (when I first arrived, took the month-long CELTA) I rented a room (Tyna II highly recommended) super clean, security cameras on every (4) floors (+ someone always at the entry – they even slept there!), excellent wifi, a/c (included) $200/mo.
Oh, and did I mention – both deliberately NOT in the backpacker area – ugh!
Great tips, thanks!
Yup, hotels or guest houses are the popular accommodations of most CELTA trainees as they are recommended by ILA and Apollo. Okay for short term but not for more than three months.
It’s interesting to know how you’d found such a great deal in district 1. I did try finding one centrally located apartment that’s below 700USD in D1 about 2 years ago and wasted nearly three weeks of research & going to different alleys. But I’m quite happy with district 7 – I think it’s the best option for foreigners with family/ partners.
An oh, one time Craigslist was not accessible here. That must be why I’d missed that deal.
Backpacker’s area? I think it’s only for travelers.
We visited Vietnam about 4 years ago. Things have changed sine my duty days in 69-79 in the Mekong. Canto was a small place. Now I understand more than a million live there. I wonder is it a place for renting and medical care for ExPats?
Hi Neill
I’ve never been to Can Tho yet but I heard lots of great stories about the place. They say it’s the ’70s Vietnam frozen in time’.
As for Saigon, it has changed a lot. From the time I first came here (more than 4 years ago) till now, the number of malls, apartment blocks, etc have multiplied by more than 400%. But lately, the real estate market is reported to have been suffering from a dip. So places for renting? A LOT.
For medical care? FV hospital is in Phu My Hung, the place where I live and is the subject of this blog. Medical insurance? There’s Liberty which I used 4 years ago, and BAO VIET which I’m on atm.
When are you coming back to Saigon? Do drop a message when you’re around.
These are really the must need tips for anyone who is looking to renting an apartment in Saigon. Especially knowing your neighborhood is very important.