Expat Living in Saigon

Saigon Streetscape

Many people who come to live in Vietnam will find themselves living in Saigon, which is where most of the job opportunities are. Many international companies have set up their Vietnamese headquarters here, and the nation is currently experiencing unprecedented economic growth since the country has opened up to foreign investment, making it an ideal time to explore the possibilities of living in Vietnam.

Finding accommodation can be tricky, and could mean spending a while at a hotel until the right accommodation is found. Living in Saigon can be quite expensive compared with other cities in Asia, and the help of a local is advised when looking for properties in order to get the best price.

Saigon has a wide range of housing and apartments, with many expats content living in a hotel from $10 per night, while luxury villas in the city’s outskirts of District 7 can be rented for $3000 per month.  District 4 is a very good value area to live as there are many new apartment buildings that have opened in the past two years and is located only a 10 minute drive just over the bridge from Saigon’s CBD in District 1.  A two bedroom, furnished apartment can cost anywhere from $500 a month here.

One of the main attractions that many expats rave about in Saigon is the food.  Food here is cheap, clean and amazingly good quality, and a dinner for two at a nice restaurant can cost as little as $10. Small restaurants selling Pho can be purchased for as cheap as 16,000 VND, as well as Café Sua Da, Vietnamese iced coffee can be bought for 10,000 VND, which is about 50 cents.

There is little in the way of public transportation in Saigon and many expats who live here resort to getting around on a motorcycle, as it is the most conventional and easiest way to get around the city.  The chaotic traffic witnessed from the sidewalk is actually quite easy to navigate, and when driving, things just seem to fall into place, due to the slow pace of driving and wide streets.

Outside of the main tourist areas of District 1 and District 3, it may be worthwhile to learn a little bit of the local lingo as many Vietnamese outside of the these areas speak little English.