ILA Magazine: Discover the Best Retirement Haven + 14 More
Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, is the indisputable capital of Vietnam’s thriving economy and one of the fastest growing cities in the world. The energy and enthusiasm of more than 10 million inhabitants are driving a tsunami of progress and change. But behind the hectic exterior lies a gentler, more sophisticated side. Exceptional cuisine, a rich history, thriving arts and music scene and regular international events are all highlights of this vibrant and slightly chaotic metropolis.
Because of the thriving economy, Ho Chi Minh City attracts expats from all over the world, each adding their contribution to this already fascinating kaleidoscope of life. It’s hard to put an exact number on how many live there now, but it extends into the hundreds of thousands. The rising middle class and exponential growth in private language schools, has led to a massive increase in of the numbers of people who can speak English, especially professionals and younger people.
Foodies will delight in the abundance and variety of great eats on offer. Everything from street food snacks to five-star, gourmet cuisine is available at prices less than 50 per cent of back home. Annual food festivals celebrate the diversity of Vietnamese and international cuisine amongst a carnival atmosphere. Korea, New Zealand, America and Germany are just a few of the countries that hold regular cultural events.
Love your coffee? So do the people from Ho Chi Minh City. There are thousands of coffee shops dotted around the city to meet the enormous demand. You shouldn’t need to walk for any more than two minutes to find a streetside cafe with a view of the bustling streets or a hidden oasis in which to escape. You can choose a different atmosphere every day. Quirky, trendy, nostalgia, space age…even tropical pets. Wherever you are, you’ll be hard-pressed to pay more than a $5 for an excellent brew and a snack.
A swag of museums and historical sites around town provide an insight into Vietnam’s fascinating history and most only cost a dollar or two for entry. The War Remnants Museum and Independence Palace are the most popular, but there are at least a half a dozen other museums worth your time. Visit noodle shops which served American GI’s while the Viet Cong plotted the TET offensive in the room above. Pagodas, temples and colonial relics are dotted around the city, ripe for exploration.
The arts scene in Ho Chi Minh City is also full of life. The Fine Art Museum provides an insight into the history of Vietnamese Art, but the contemporary scene is also humming. Small, modern city galleries like San Art and Gallery Quynh, showcase some of Vietnam’s emerging and established artists.
Music and theatre lovers aren’t left out either. The beautiful French colonial Saigon Opera House hosts a range of world-class performances such as the internationally acclaimed AO show and you’ll find a selection of talented local and expat musicians belting out classy jazz, blues and acoustic tunes at the many live music venues around town on any night of the week. Regular music festivals at places like Saigon Outcast showcase the best of the Saigon music scene.
Besides the international atmosphere and massive range of activities on offer, one of the draw cards of Saigon is the low cost of living. Even though the southern capital is one of the more expensive locations in Vietnam, a couple can still lead a very comfortable life with plenty of social and entertainment activities for less than $1,800 a month.
The range of accommodation available in Ho Chi Minh City is mind-boggling. Everything from palatial, fully-furnished, seven-bedroom villas with private pools for over $4,000 per month, through to basic hostel-like accommodation for less than $200.
As a mid-range option, a comfortable air-conditioned, two-bedroom apartment, close to the centre of the city costs around $800 a month and includes WiFi, Pay TV, parking and management fees. Even less if you move a little farther from the centre. Utilities are reasonable at around $110 a month for the same apartment with the air-conditioning on for most of the day and night. A couple of hundred dollars more will net a newer apartment in a high-rise complex with pool, onsite mini-market and gym.
Street food is exceptionally cheap and varied in Ho Chi Minh City. If you eat where the locals do, you’d be hard-pressed to spend $10 per day. And it’s good…very good. Steaming bowls of fragrant noodles, crispy baguettes stuffed with a variety of meat and salad and marinated meats on the barbecue all cost less than $2 per portion. A tray of tropical fruit, a smoothie or fresh juice sells for less than $1 and tops off the eating experience.
Ho Chi Minh City has so many restaurants; you could visit somewhere new every day for decades and still not exhaust all the possibilities. Head out for dinner with friends and share a selection of local specialities for less than $8 per person, including a few rounds of drinks. Dinner for two in a mid-range Vietnamese or international restaurant will set you back less than $30 and five-star establishment with panoramic views of the city will cost around $90 for three courses, including wine.
Buying your fresh produce at the local market is not only a cultural experience but is easy on the hip pocket. You’d be hard-pressed to spend more than $15 for a week’s worth of in-season vegetables. Large, modern supermarkets also offer great value, provided you don’t go overboard on imported gourmet products.
Beer drinkers are spoilt for choice. Local fresh beer (Bia Hoi) costs less than fifty cents in a rustic sidewalk bar. Domestic lagers, similar to those in Australia, range from 80 cents to $2. But for the connoisseurs, the burgeoning craft brew scene is where you’ll find the real value, costing between $3 and $6 for an award-winning tipple in a hip downtown bar.
Most of the city runs on two wheels and many expats choose to join the chaos by buying or renting a motorbike. Renting an average 100CC scooter is around $60 a month and costs just a couple of dollars per week to fuel. For those who prefer to let someone else negotiate the traffic, a legion of motorbike and car taxis whisk commuters from A to B for just a few dollars.
Saigon’s International Airport, Tan Son Nhat, is a major airline hub which makes it the perfect low-cost location for those who like to travel farther afield. Several low-cost airlines make both domestic and international flights both convenient and cheap. Exotic Vietnamese beach destinations like Phu Quoc and Con Dao Island are within an hour’s flight and International flights to Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok or Singapore can cost as little as $60 to reach. For those who like to venture back to Australia on a regular basis, a direct eight-and-a-half hour flight to Sydney can be purchased for as little as $270.
With the basics so reasonable there’s plenty of room in the budget for some of life’s little luxuries. While many properties include regular cleaning in the rent, you can hire a maid for less than $5 per hour. When you need to unwind, a 90-minute full body massage with hot rocks and oil at a reputable spa is around $25.
| Rent on a two-bedroom apartment, close to the city – Wifi, TV, Parking and Management fees included | $800 a month |
| Dinner for two (mid-range restaurant) | $30 |
| Week’s groceries | $75 |
| Scooter rental | $60 a month |
| Maid/Household help | $5 an hour |
| 90-minute massage | $25 |
| Beer | $2 |
The range of healthcare facilities in Saigon reflects the diversity of the population and includes everything from basic public health clinics to brand-new hospitals offering international standard treatment. If you choose the latter, health insurance is advisable as costs can escalate quickly.
Health insurance is available in Vietnam and depending on your age, and pre-existing conditions will set you back about $1,100 to $2,500 a year per couple for a basic policy if you’re under 70. You will need much higher levels of cover if you want full cover for treatment from the international clinics.
Some expats, especially those who travel frequently, prefer to buy a long-term travel insurance policy to cover them for emergency care and pay for minor treatment directly.
Ho Chi Minh City has some excellent dental facilities and is becoming a go-to destination for Europeans and Australians who can get significant work done plus include a holiday for the same price of the dental procedure back home. Charges for a reputable dentist are about $15 to $22 for a simple filling, $11 to $15 for regular teeth cleaning and $120 for laser whitening.
Ho Chi Minh City is one of the most dynamic cities in the world. Fast-paced, welcoming and quick to accept new ideas, the city of 10 million people in the south of Vietnam is a hotspot for international business, start-ups, English teaching opportunities and digital nomads and has all the facilities you would expect of a genuinely international location.
People are always coming and going and it’s easy to connect with like-minded souls from all over the world. It seems that someone is always arranging a get-together somewhere around town and everyone is welcome. Sporting carnivals, charity events, festivals, live music, flea markets and art exhibitions are just a few of the activities, just like those at home.
Everyone goes to these events intending and expecting to make new friends, so it takes minimal effort to introduce yourself and strike up a conversation. They know people, you know people, and within no time at all, you’ve developed a network of new contacts with common interests, some of whom will become good friends.
For those who like to stay active, the city provides everything from heart-pumping adrenalin sports like rock climbing and mixed martial arts, to more relaxed undertakings like yoga, tai chi and ballroom dancing.
There are plenty of sporting associations run primarily for expats so you won’t miss out on your regular AFL, rugby league, cricket or netball match. A dart’s league and a local Hash House Harriers chapter cater for those who prefer a sociable tipple during and after the activities.
Not only does Ho Chi Minh City have a vast range of Vietnamese restaurants serving specialities from across the country, but it also seems to have one or more restaurants from every other country in the world. Korean barbecue, Japanese Izakaya dining, Indian, Mexican; the list goes on. And for those that still crave a decent steak, you can enjoy prime Aussie beef teamed up with an excellent red wine at several establishments around town.
Saigon’s international credentials teamed up with superb transport options makes Ho Chi Minh City the perfect low-cost overseas location for those wanting to live a big city life and stay connected with the rest of the world.
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