Job Discussion Forums

[rgraham1014]

Hi there! So I have been thinking about going to Asia to make some money and I'm wondering about how much I should be able to save living and working in Vietnam.

I am aware that Vietnam isn't #1 in Asia for pay, that the city is different than the country, and I also understand it depends on your own standard of living.

So, about me:

I have a B.A. (from the US) and a CELTA (which I recieved in Mexico)
I taught ESL to adults for about 6 months in the US and 6 months in Mexico. I am also fluent in Spanish, but not trained to teach it.

I have traveled and lived a lot in Latin America and am my requirements as far as standard of living are pretty basic. Hot water is nice, but not neccesary. I don't need vehicle or western food or satillite TV, and I won't be going out to party every night.

So: How much are the average salaries and average bills in the city vs more rural? Will I really be able to save money? Also, where are some good locations? (Remember, I am coming from very laid-back Latin America)

I would really appreaciate any insight you all can offer!

Rachel

[CThomas]

You could eat some Western food, get cable (and/or the FPT internet/play on demand package), a motorbike (which you'll probably find that you need -- it ain't a luxury in these parts), and be able to have a pretty derned good time. And save $1000/mo. If you're single and live in a cheap place and don't go to expensive Western food places/pubs.

IF you're making $2000/month, in your case. In other words, given your lifestyle goals, you could save money, and surprisingly live a little better than you are intending.

There are so many other variables working here, though -- including how much/how hard you want to work; where, exactly, you get employed; accommodations (ranging from 5M to 7M in your case). You could room with people in a NICE house for the lower range, btw. Don't believe you have to live in a nasty place to live cheaply.

However, you could tweak all this and work less than a lot. And you could even make more than $2000. I know one guy who work his a$$ off and grosses $5,000/mo. while I know a lot of people that are basically just casual teachers and make, say $1200 and are fine with it.

You've got the CERT and experience. You're obviously not coming here to blow your cash. Depending on where you work and how much you work, you could achieve your higher end goals. Once you get settled and connected, some privates may roll in, which can be icing on the cake.

All that said, watch the value of the dong, though. Take the discussions of it and savings seriously, compadre. It's perhaps even more volatile than the peso and it isn't easy to convert to dollars, protect, or transfer. Some people are thriving in the chaos while most others are losing swathes of savings to inflation and devaluation.

btw, coming from Mexico, you're ready for Vietnam, imho. You should be able to thrive here (and see some of this incredibly beautiful country), even if the dong yo-yo's.

[rgraham1014]

CThomas: Thanks so much for your helpful information and words of encouragement!! There can be a real lack of both of those on these boards sometimes. I really appreciate your input and I can't wait to get to know Vietnam!

[bobpen]

rgr, perhaps salary questions is one of those things best not asked on forums like these. People will tend to talk up their story, rarely do they tell the truth. You won't see someone come on here and say "well I've been here a year and all I've managed is to earn about $1300 to 14 a month before taxes, a lot less during breaks and vacations." They also won't tell you about their bumps and bruises on the job(s), nor of their less-than-under-control spending habits, all of which affect one's earnings.

[TimkinMS]

As for saving money, I strongly believe Vietnam has changed in about the last 2-3 years.

Costs have been going up for many things. Wages have been flat for a while. Taxes are taken out, and now with the added visa run, it is not a place for people who want to save.

Depends on your goals, as usual.

[isabel]

It does depend on your job, your lifestyle and your goals.

I save about 2/3 of my income. I don't eat western, for the most part (this is not a sacrifice- it is a preference). Drinking is at a minimum, and I bicycle most everywhere I go. I have a lot of friends and go out a few times a week for a beer and dinner. I live in a very nice guest house in a good district.

It depends on what you choose and how focused you are.

It might be a good idea, though, to consider somewhere else to build your CV. On average the money is better in the ME. Outside of Saudi Arabia, the rest of the Gulf is livable. Oman is fantastic. Try to get a uni gig on your CV, and your options will improve considerably. I think Vietnam is for the cowboys and the seasoned professionals. If you wish to be one of the latter, start elsewhere building your experience.

[1st Sgt Welsh]

As TimkinMS said it really does depend on your goals.

I don't really save that much here. My main goal is to finish my PhD so I am quite happy working short hours. Eighteen hours a week for me is perfect. I also like to travel and live comfortably so savings for me are not a big priority. As long as I'm not falling behind, personally, I'm happy enough with this.

If savings are a priority then Vietnam is definitely an option (that's not to say that it's the best option). If you are prepared to teach in VN for around 30 hours a week, live in shared accommodation and only eat out and go out drinking occasionally then banking $1500+ a month is very obtainable.

[sigmoid]

I'm not there, of course, but I have heard that with 23% inflation, saving much of anything is getting quite difficult.

[isabel]

[wired]

My goodness. You guys are *saving* $1k/month? I'm clearly doing something wrong, since I'm about to start a job tomorrow that *pays* $1k a month! (and I just started thinking about taxes this week, which will bring me down to $800/mo). And that is working close to full time. :/

How much should an ESL teacher get paid in VN? I am in Da Nang, and to be honest, haven't done a whole lot of research (which is my bad).

[isabel]

That sounds very low to me. This is why it may be better to work someplace else (ME, Korea) to fatten up your CV before coming here. You should be able to do better than that if you have a degree and a TEFL qualification, but maybe you need more experience to get a better paid job.

[deadlift]

It's important to remember that there's a wide variety of jobs in Vietnam. Someone who is collecting hours at a bunch of smaller schools isn't going to save as much as someone teaching at RMIT, obviously.

$1000 or more in savings is definitely possible, but only if you're in one of the better jobs or have an entrepreneurial streak.

[LettersAthruZ]

[rgraham1014]

Hey everyone! I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for the really useful responses. I'm definately planning on coming to Vietnam this winter. It sounds like with some resourcefulness and concientiousness I should be able to save up some money and get to know a beautiful country!

When is a good time to come? What are my chances a getting job offers between November and January? (I'd like to get a job before Tet starts) I really hope to not have to work at an English institute working split shifts. I hoping to work at a school or uni. I suppose I could work at an institute until a better hiring season?

Thanks again!

[I'm With Stupid]