Job Discussion Forums

intelligent-hustler · Joined: 08 Apr 2015 Posts: 11 Location: Rio De Janeiro

First off, thanks for the help with this prior thread http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=110513. Based on the inputs from that discussion and the long threads Sgt Welsh provided, I came up with a budget required for living and teaching in Vietnam.

mushroom_season · Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 42

The numbers sound good but are you planning on retiring in Vietnam or somewhere else. Other issues come into play such as visas and money transfers especially if you are single. Different issues come into play when you are married.

intelligent-hustler · Joined: 08 Apr 2015 Posts: 11 Location: Rio De Janeiro

mushroom_season · Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 42

I'm not speaking of financial costs but rather personal costs. If you are married its easier to adjust and live cheaply than if you are single. However it may be more difficult to leave if you feel you need to. Vietnam has onerous international monetary transfer laws that make it easy to get money in but difficult to take it out. You need to be mindful of this especially if you are using remittances to take care of parents back home or something like that.

The actual amount you say that you are bringing with you is plenty and you can live a decent life with it. You said that you were Filipino. Costs here would be slightly cheaper here than in the Philipines though that all depends as you are aware on how you choose to live. While some Filipinos here choose to live on the cheap. I don't imagine you to be of that sort but you can still live and save quite a bit on a ESL teacher's income whether you a Filipino or an Australian.

paddyflynn · Joined: 13 Dec 2012 Posts: 26

It all depends on how you live. If you want a 1 bedroom apt. you'll spend about $500 a month in rent, but you can get a room in a group house for as little as $200, or a studio apt. for about $300. You'll pay more if you want to live in West Lake.

$2,500 a month is a whole lot if you live like a Vietnamese/backpacker (drive a motorbike, eat pho/bun cha/com 3x a day and drink bia hoi). In this case, you'd spend about $1.50 per meal, 25-50 cents a beer, and $50 a month for bike rental.

If you like to travel by taxi, eat western/japanese/korean food, and drink cocktails in air-conditioned bars, $2,500 is probably just barely enough, as you'll be paying $10 a meal, $5 in cab fare every time you go somewhere, and $5 a drink.

Also, you should double the amount if you plan on having a girlfriend, as you will probably be expected to pay for everything.

As far as your graph, I think your housing and utility costs are high. Transportation is too high if you plan on riding a motorbike, but too low if you plan on using taxis.

ExpatLuke · Joined: 11 Feb 2012 Posts: 744

I feel like $730 for housing per month is pretty high... unless you're planning on a really nice apartment. But then again, I'm not living in Hanoi so things could be cheaper around here. I only pay $350 for a 1 bedroom apartment 2 minutes walk from the beach. There are nicer luxury apartments that go for $700-$1000 per month, but those are top tier.

intelligent-hustler · Joined: 08 Apr 2015 Posts: 11 Location: Rio De Janeiro

Can I ask what city you are in? Also if you don't mind, what neighborhood, so I scan for housing and get an idea of accommodation level?

Obrigado!

yaramaz · Posted: Thu May 14, 2015 5:03 am Post subject:

We live in Hanoi, in the West Lake area. After tax, we're living on about $2k, between my husband's gig and my sporadic freelance work (we've got a toddler so I am currently home with him). We save several hundred $ each month. Rent for a simple but pleasant 4 floor furnished house: $650 (reduced from $800 due to construction nearby. Part time housekeeper who also does our market shopping (cheaper fruit, veg, meats): $200. Husband has a scooter. I walk and take taxis. We are comfortable but live simply. We have cheese and foreign beer. It's very manageable, but I definitely feel like a poor cousin compared to some of the expat families in our area who casually rent $3000 houses and have full time nannies and drivers etc.

LettersAthruZ · Joined: 25 Apr 2010 Posts: 466 Location: North Viet Nam

$650 for a HOUSE in Tay Ho?? What kind of condition is it in?? That sounds unusually cheap for WestLake......

Damm, if that's the case, Ha Noi must be getting cheaper or something! Last time I was in town a few months ago, I was staying at my friend's 30 square metre studio /suite room on Xuân Diệu Street (also in Westlake) and THEY were paying $550 USD per month!!

yaramaz · Posted: Thu May 14, 2015 10:26 am Post subject:

It's possible, just not easy. Nice house (4 floors, with 3 bathrooms, 2 showers, 2 bedrooms, sunroom, top floor area, terrace) with nice but simple furniture. Lovely landlords. Asking price $800 but we argued down to $650 because of big construction site on corner (duong Tay Ho). I don't mind the nightly grinding noises but my husband hates it. However, yeah, $650 possible. And we saw a lot of furnished houses here in the $600-800 range when house hunting in October. We also know there are a lot of $2000 houses. You can generally find what you're asking for. There are $500 1-2 bed flats around here- we were looking, in case the construction site keeps pile driving at night!

skarper · Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 477

Prices do vary A LOT.

If you are in a hurry or a bit lazy you can be forced to pay huge rents that are much more than the real market rate.

Hanoi is not as cheap as DaNang but while some pay 700USD a month to live in an admittedly quite luxurious flat near the river - we have never had to pay anywhere near that for far more space. We have our own furniture, A/C units, fridges etc and prefer it that way. But lots of expats don't want to be buying those for what may be only a short sojourn or 1-2 years. Been here 8 years and hope to spend the rest of my life here.

If I were arriving in Hanoi now I would budget about 1000USD for rent unless you're happy with a room in a shared house. I'm too old for that but some enjoy it. I did that for my first 6 months and it was ok.

weigookin74 · Joined: 30 Mar 2010 Posts: 265

weigookin74 · Joined: 30 Mar 2010 Posts: 265

What's the salaries, 1800 to 2000 US dollars for those with some experience?

ExpatLuke · Joined: 11 Feb 2012 Posts: 744

For what city are you asking about? In Danang getting $2000 per month at one center is almost unheard of unless you're working a lot of hours or in some sort of managerial position. $1000 to $1500 is more realistic for Danang.

I pay $350 per month for a 1 bedroom apartment on the beach. You can get a 2-3 bedroom house for the same price, but I prefer the security and services an apartment supplies.

I'm a bit more established than newbie teachers, but even most of my coworkers who have been here a short time find living on $1000 per month in Danang is quite easy. As long as you have a school paying for all visa and work permit costs, your expensee are minimal.