Moving abroad seems like a fun way to explore the world and start fresh in your life. Nowadays, moving to a different country across the globe is very trendy. However, the world is massive, the numbers of countries where you can enjoy a new chapter of your life seem overwhelming. Is Vietnam one of the countries you are planning to move to and start a home base? I’ll tell you why you should move to Vietnam, I will list down the reasons why this country is like no other when it comes to being an expat.
I personally have lived both in Hanoi, the capital of the country and Ho Chi Minh (Saigon/Sai Gon), the biggest city in Vietnam. Even these two are the cities where most expats are living at the moment, there are a handful of other cities or towns you should consider. While there is an idea to help you with the moving cost o Vietnam.
ALSO READ: Why digital nomads are moving to Vietnam
REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD MOVE TO VIETNAM VIDEO
COST OF LIVING IS AFFORDABLE
The cost of living in Vietnam attracts many expats from everywhere in the world. A lot of expats claims that Vietnam is not relatively cheap, for me, the cost of living here is down to how flexible you are. You can easily find an apartment for $1000 or $230 all depends on what lifestyle you are comfortable living in. If you are on a budget, dive into buying and sell groups to find the basic furniture you need.
The food in Vietnam is cheap too, you can find home-cooked food outside for $1.25 or eat out in a restaurant for $4. Transportation is undeniably cheap as well, buy your own motorbike for $300 or take a bus for less than a dollar. Grab (like Uber) is massively used as well, which is the perfect way to beat the traffic. The use of a bicycle is on the scene too, if this is something you picture yourself doing.
Personally, I’m spending about $500 per month on my cost of living in Vietnam. That includes an apartment (all bills included) gym membership, grocery, transportation, and even luxuries in the weekend like a spa, take outs, eating out. In my first year in Vietnam, I was living under $300 per month but now, I’m able to spoil myself a little bit and even send some of my earnings out of Vietnam.
Also keep in mind that it depends where you live in Vietnam – for example, the cost of living in Hanoi is about 10% lower than the cost of living in Ho Chi Minh City.
You can read this article about the budget for moving to Vietnam, it will help you have an idea of how much to save before moving here.
DELICIOUS VIETNAMESE FOOD
You probably have one or two Vietnamese restaurants in your hometown and you probably have enjoyed them. One of my Canadian friends told me how amazing Vietnamese food is in Canada, I told her she needs to go to Vietnam to taste the real Vietnamese food; authentic, fresh, and affordable!
Vietnamese takes pride in their cuisine, how can they not? Aside from its mouthwatering, I’d say it’s one of the healthiest cuisines I’ve ever tried. From the north of Vietnam to the south, you will be showered with dishes that are new to your taste bud which at the same time will not break your bank. This should be enough reason to move to Vietnam!
To learn more about what you’ll be eating, here’s our guide to the best Vietnamese foods.
DIFFERENT SEASONS AND AMAZING WEATHER
What I find most amusing in Vietnam is how different their climate is from the north, centre, and south of Vietnam. When I was living in Hanoi, no one prepared me that they actually have winter. I mean, it’s Southeast Asia, I don’t need to pack a winter jacket – but I was wrong. From the end of December until the end of January, Hanoi and the rest of the north could be freezing down to 4 degrees. While the rest of the year, it’s hot with high humidity in this part of the country.
If you are escaping the cold, central and south Vietnam can accommodate you well. If you don’t mind the rain and the humidity, you belong to this part of the country.
THE LANGUAGE
Vietnamese is one of the hardest languages, that’s no secret. However, almost a decade ago, Vietnam started to hire a crazy number of English teachers, and language schools popped up like mushrooms all over the country. Resulting in a large number of young Vietnamese who can communicate with you well in English. This is also the reason for the next on my list. Given this, I still recommend you to learn basic Vietnamese, this will help you with your everyday life too.
JOBS IN VIETNAM FOR FOREIGNERS
Vietnam is definitely a melting pot of ESL teachers, the demand rate for English teachers in Vietnam has skyrocketed and continuously soaring. As long as you have the right documents, you can easily land a teaching job. On the other hand, I do understand that teaching is not for everyone. Being one of the most popular bases for expats, the number of jobs for foreigners can be found around the corner too, like in the hospitality and service industry, IT, Finance, Engineering, and more.
Get your TEFL Certificate and start teaching English in Vietnam.
Grab your 35% off using “vietnam35” as a coupon code.
AMAZING INTERNET SPEED
If you are a remote worker, I’m pretty sure that the internet plays a big role for you. Another thing that surprised me more is the fact that Vietnam has really amazing internet speed. The shared apartment I currently live in has 35MBps, which I truly love! Getting internet on your phone too is possible, easy, cheap, and fast.
Read this post about how to get a Vietnam SIM card
TRAVELLING AROUND VIETNAM
I moved to Vietnam mainly because I know how amazing it is to travel here and I was not wrong. Vietnam’s geography is perfect, it is located on the coast which made it a perfect place for a resort holiday, on the other side, it is rich in mountains to climb, forests to explore, wild animals to adore, and hidden gems to explore.
The fact that Vietnam could be travelled by bus, train, aeroplane, or even motorbike, made it so easy to travel around the country, transportation in Vietnam is reliable. Plus, like I mentioned before, it’s affordable to go backpacking in Vietnam. You can check here the best hostels in Vietnam.
See our guides to the best temples, caves, and hiking trails in Vietnam!
VIETNAM VISA
Thankfully, the entry restrictions for Vietnam have been loosened since COVID and are pretty back to normal. Some countries don’t even need a visa to enter, while others simply need to apply for one online.
Here, you can check how to apply for a Vietnam visa or find out how to get a Vietnamese work permit and temporary residence card.
If you have finally decided to move, read this list of must-pack items for your move, from there, you can download our free printable checklist for packing and getting ready.
VIETNAMESE HOSPITALITY
Vietnamese is probably one of the most hospitable and warm people I have encountered in my life. When I was living in the north of Vietnam, a local family invited me to live with them for a month, no questions asked, they provided me with my own room and fed me for the whole time I was with them. The locals are happy to help you out or simply speak to you in English. You will be offered food by your neighbours or will ask you if you need help. They will smile at you and greet you on the street and even make a small conversation despite the occasional language barrier.
RELATED POST: Dress code in Vietnam
EXPAT COMMUNITY ALL OVER THE COUNTRY
The expat community in Vietnam is massive and is very helpful. I moved to Ho Chi Minh City, the expat community is where I started to build a network of friends or simply finding answers to my everyday questions about getting around and finding everything in the country.
Both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have a huge expat base, while in smaller cities like Hoi An and Da Nang, I’m 100% sure you will find them too. There are a surprisingly number of long term expats in the country, from travelers who fell in love with Vietnam and just stayed to travelers who fell in love with Vietnamese people, got married, and stayed.
RELATED POST: Join the active expat’s Facebook group in Vietnam
HEALTH CARE IN VIETNAM
In the last few years, together with the booming number of expats in Vietnam, this brought a great improvement in health care in the country as well. International companies in the medical field started opening their business here and offer top-notch and world-class services.
Many doctors in these hospitals are foreigners who studied and are practising in a western standard. Many international hospitals hire staffs and doctors that can communicate well with expats and locals offering large language options.
From affordable ones to expensive hospitals, they can be found throughout the country. Check out this list of medical clinics and international hospitals in Vietnam.
I personally think Vietnam is a heaven place for expats, from easy visa to the cost of living, which I both find a big must when choosing a place to live, there is nothing else I could think why you should not move here. Although, I acknowledge that it’s far from a perfect country, it’s undeniable that Vietnam offers great things to expats who are looking for something they cannot find in other countries.
Are you planning on bringing your pet to Vietnam? Check out this article about all the things you need to know about pets in Vietnam. If you need recommendations for hostels, check out our best Vietnam hostels. If you have any questions, drop us an email or comment below and we’d be happy to help!
Hello ! Thank you soo much for this information! . Id like to know how I can apply to a Vietnam visa on a LEGIT website. ? I’d like to move to Vietnam with my husband. How can find affordable housing and good internet since I work Remotely. So many questions I would like to ask !
Hi Diana, at the moment, you can’t really apply for a visa. Pre-pandemic, all visas are processed via travel agencies. The government doesn’t process them directly, to be honest. We have a few visa agent we always recommend to our readers. At the moment, there is a very specific list of people with special skills who can enter. But hopefully, we get back to normal soon.
Regarding housing, it’s very easy to find affordable housing. Almost all of them are marketed through FB groups and others are on websites. The internet in Vietnam is really fast and very affordable. So, no need to worry about that. Feel free to check out our planningg section, it should answer most of your questions.