Housing Costs in Vietnam
Housing is one of the main contributions to the cost of living, and the amount is based on your accommodation type.
What You'll Actually Pay:
- 1 Bedroom Apartment in main cities: 10,453,305.65 VND (₹38,174.82 approx.) per month.
- 1 Bedroom Apartment outside the city: 6,859,616.42 VND (₹25,050.89 approx.) per month.
- 3 Bedroom Apartment in main cities: 22,186,857.3 VND (₹81,025.02 approx.) per month.
- 3 Bedroom Apartment outside the city: 14,356,115.21 VND (₹52,427.64 approx.) per month.
The Extras Nobody Warns You About:
- One to two months' rent is paid as a deposit.
- Expenses incurred in managing the building are to be paid apart from rent.
- Additional cost of setting up the internet.
- Parking charges if your building requires one.
Utility Bills
Depending on whether you stay alone or with housemates, the utility bill may differ.
- Electricity: 800,000 VND to 1,500,000 VND (₹2,921.55 - ₹5,477.91 approx.) per month.
- Water: 50,000 VND to 200,000 VND (₹182.60 - ₹730.39 approx.) monthly.
- Internet: 200,000 VND to 400,000 VND (₹730.39 - ₹1,460.78approx.) per month.
- Gas: 100,000 VND to 200,000 VND (₹365.15 - ₹730.31 approx.) per month.
Transportation Expenses
Vietnam's transport system mainly includes buses, cycles, cyclos, and taxis.
Car Ownership Reality:
- New Mid-Size Car: 787,073,480 VND (₹28,74,343.31 approx.)
- Gasoline Per Liter: 29,120 VND for RON95-III (₹106.34 approx.)
- Registration and Licensing Fee: 14,000,000 VND (₹51,127.13 approx.) in Ho Chi Min city.
- Insurance: 437,000 VND (₹1,595.90 approx.) for cars with fewer than 6 seats.
- Parking Fee: 2,000,000 VND to 3,000,000 VND (₹7,303.88 - ₹10,955.81 approx.) monthly
Public Transport Option:
- Bicycle Rent: 30,000 VND to 50,000 VND (₹109.56 - ₹182.60 approx.) per day
- Cyclo: 100,000 VND to 200,000 VND (₹365.19 - ₹730.39 approx.) per ride
- Bus: 7,000 VND to 10,000 VND (₹25.56 - ₹36.52 approx.) per ride
- Taxi: Starts at around 18,000 VND to 20,000 VND (₹65.73 - ₹73.04 approx.) per kilometer.
Food and Groceries to Survive in Vietnam
Food is very affordable in Vietnam, mainly street food of various kinds.
Monthly Grocery Run:
- Single Person: 2,000,000 VND to 6,000,000 VND (₹7304.52 - ₹21,913.55 approx.)
- Family of Four: 5,000,000 VND to 12,000,000 VND (₹18,261.29 - ₹43,827.10 approx.)
Restaurant Prices:
- Street Food: 20,000 VND to 70,000 VND (₹73.05 - ₹255.66 approx.)
- Mid-range Restaurant: 100,000 VND to 250,000 VND (₹365.23 - ₹913.06 approx.)
- Luxury Restaurant: 750,000 VND to 2,500,000 VND (₹2,739.19 - ₹9,130.65 approx.)
What Things Cost:
- Chicken: 97,472.75 VND (₹356 approx.) per kilo.
- White Bread: 23,968.23 VND (₹87.54 approx.) per 500 grams
- Milk: 37,553.80 VND (₹137.16 approx.) per litre
- White Rice: 4,328.2 VND (₹15.81 approx.) per kilo.
Education Costs
International education can be a problem due to language barriers. For this, Vietnam has local and international options.
Annual Cost:
- Public School: 10,000,000 VND to 30,000,000 VND (₹36,522.58 - ₹1,09,567.74 approx.)
- Private School: 50,000,000 VND to 150,000,000 VND (₹1,82,612.91 - ₹5,47,838.72 approx.)
- International School: 300,000,000 VND to 700,000,000 VND (₹10,95,677.43 - ₹25,56,580.67 approx.)
- Private School with International Curriculum: 150,000,000 VND to 300,000,000 VND(₹5,47,838.72 - ₹10,95,677.43 approx.)
Other Educational Expenses:
- Application Fee: 2,000,000 VND to 5,000,000 VND (₹7,304.52 - ₹18,261.29 approx.) for international students
- Registration Fee: 10,000,000 VND to 50,000,000 VND (₹36,522.58 - ₹1,82,612.91 approx.)
- Health Insurance: 631,800 VND (₹2,307.50 approx.) per year.
Healthcare Expenses
Locals or permanent residents of Vietnam and foreigners have different health insurance plans.
Insurance Costs for International Residents:
- Individual Coverage: 15,000,000 VND to 40,000,000 VND (₹54,783.87 - ₹1,46,090.32 approx.) annually
- Family Coverage: 40,000,000 VND to 100,000,000 VND (₹1,46,090.32 - ₹3,65,225.81 approx.) VND annually
Medical Costs in Public Hospital:
- General Consultant: 39,000 VND to 500,000 VND (₹142.44 - ₹1,826.13 approx.)
- Specialist: 200,000 VND to 650,000 VND (₹730.45 - ₹2,373.97 approx.)
- Pediatrician: 100,000 VND to 500,000 VND (₹365.23 - ₹1,826.13 approx.)
- MRI or CT Scan: 500,000 VND to 2,500,000 VND (₹1,826.13 - ₹9,130.65 approx.)
Entertainment and Leisure
You can do many leisure activities for free or at a low cost.
Activities:
- Museum: 30,000 VND to 100,000 VND (₹109.57 - ₹365.23 approx.) entry fee.
- Movie Ticket: 70,000 VND to 120,000 VND (₹255.66 - ₹438.27 approx.)
- Coffee at a Cafe: 25,000 VND to 50,000 VND (₹91.31 - ₹182.61 approx.)
- Drinks at Bar: Starts around 60,000 VND (₹219.14 approx.)
Clothing and Personal Care
There are many options that are expensive, while many are inexpensive as well.
Clothes:
- 1 Pair of Jeans: 1,094,682.66 VND (₹3,998.06 approx.)
- Summer Dress: 659,670.64 VND (₹2,409.29 approx.)
- Running Shoes: 2,342,174.19 VND (₹8,554.22 approx.)
- Formal Shoes: 2,042,404.44 VND (₹7,459.39 approx.)
Personal Care:
- Toothpaste: 66,375 VND (₹242.42 approx.)
- Shampoo: 76,896 VND (₹280.84 approx.)
- Deodorant: 68,063 VND (₹248.58 approx.)
- Toilet Paper: 67,129 VND (₹245.17 approx.) per four rolls.
Childcare Services
Parents are ready to spend on childcare needs without having a second thought. This reflects in the related expenses as well.
Nursery Fee:
- Public Daycare: 1,000,000 VND to 3,000,000 VND (₹3,653.32 - ₹10,959.96 approx.) per month.
- Private Daycare(Urban): 5,000,000 VND to 15,000,000 VND (₹18,266.60 - ₹54,799.79 approx.) per month.
- Private Daycare(Remote Place): 3,000,000 VND to 7,000,000 VND (₹10,959.96 - ₹25,573.24 approx.) per month.
Domestic Help:
- Full-time Nanny: 7,000,000 VND to 12,000,000 VND (₹25,573.24 - ₹43,839.83 approx.) per month.
- Specialized Nanny Services: 12,000,000 VND to 20,000,000 VND plus (₹43,839.83 - ₹73,066.39 approx.) per month.
Other Regular Expenses
These are some important yet minute expenses that many do not budget for most of the time.
Monthly Bits and Pieces:
- Monthly Maintenance Fee: around 10,000 VND - 20,000 VND/m² (₹36.53 - ₹73.07 approx.) for a standard apartment.
- House Cleaning: 200,000 VND to 300,000 VND (₹730.66 - ₹1096 approx.) per hour in Ho Chi Minh City.
- Visa Fee: Depends on the visa type.
One-Time Costs:
- International Moving Services: 20,000,000 VND to 50,000,000 VND (₹73,066.39 - ₹1,82,665.96 approx.)
- International Driver's License Conversion: 1,000,000 VND to 2,000,000 VND (₹3,653.32 - ₹7,306.64 approx.)
- Furnishing 3-Bedroom Apartment: 230,000,000 VND (₹8,40,263.44 approx.)
Comparison with Other Cities
Vietnam has some distinct advantages, but it also comes with some disadvantages when compared to other countries.
Advantages:
- Local food is very affordable, along with other essentials.
- The cost of living is relatively low in Vietnam.
- Public transport is available at a low price.
- Healthcare at a public hospital is relatively low.
Higher Costs Compared to Other Cities:
- Bigger cities like Hanoi do have high rent.
- Foreign goods can be expensive.
- Private healthcare can become a huge expense for many.
- School fees for international students are costly.
Money-Saving Strategies for Living in Vietnam
Here are some tips for maintaining costs in Vietnam.
Practical Cost-Reduction Tips:
- Share the cost of living expenses with friends.
- Buy fresh foods from the local market.
- It is budget-friendly to use public transport
- Live in smaller towns for lower rent.
- Avoid eating out and cook food at home.
- Use local products as they are much cheaper than imported goods.
- Create a realistic budget and follow it.
- Salary Expectations in Vietnam
- These are some salary ranges for different professions in Vietnam.
Salary Expectations in Vietnam
These are some salary ranges for different professions in Vietnam.
Average Yearly Salaries By Qualification:
- High School Diploma: 267,467,167 VND (₹9,77,142.96 approx.)
- Bachelor’s Degree: 369,017,765 VND (₹13,48,139.72 approx.)
- Master’s Degree: 512,237,224 VND (₹18,71,366.14 approx.)
- Doctorate Degree: 583,387,031 VND (₹21,31,299.10 approx.)
Typical Benefits:
- Paid annual leave.
- Insurance support.
- Housing allowance in some companies.
- Performance bonuses
- Paid public holiday.
Note: All the currency conversions have been made in accordance with the current market exchange rate,1 VND = ₹0.0037 (May 2026).
Conclusion
Vietnam can be a good country to move to for Indias, as the expenses are in a similar range. The average cost of living in Vietnam can go as low as ₹41,185.5 for one person, and as high as ₹1,48,601.3 for a family of four. The average is affordable for Indians at the lowest and even at the higher end.
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