Top Best Places to Live in Vietnam

Top Best Places to Live in Vietnam

Moving to Vietnam? Good choice! Now that you’ve narrowed down the country you want to call your current home, it’s time to decide which city is best for you.

At a quick glance, I’d recommend living in:

• Da Nang
• Ho Chi Minh City
• Ha Noi
• Hoi An
• Nha Trang

With those places in mind, let’s dive into the nitty gritty of each one and which is the best place to live in Vietnam for you.

Da Nang: Top Recommendation

I absolutely loved living in Da Nang. To me, this beach city had it all. Its international airport right in the city center meant weekend trips or traveling around the country was easy, its shift between city and country life allowed me to have a little bit of it all, and it’s booming digital nomad and expat community made making friends easy. Plus, it’s home to favorite Vietnamese dish: Mi Quang.

Da Nang, located right in Central Vietnam, is divided in half by the Han River, making it feel like 2 cities in one. There’s the beach side, where it feels more touristic and where most expats choose to live. Then there’s the city side, where it’s more local and feels more like any other Vietnamese city, with maybe just more greenery.

Here’s a breakdown of the best places to live in Da Nang:

• An Thuong isn’t a neighborhood but instead a zone of streets all conveniently named An Thuong 1, An Thuong 2 and so on. This has been deemed the foreigner area, which you’ll quickly see why when you get there. For me, this is a great place to go out at night if you want to meet people but not my choice for where to live.
• My An is technically the home of An Thuong but, taking out that zone of streets, this area is a great place to live. You’ll be close enough to walk to the bars and restaurants you might end up frequenting but outside of the noise and expense of those streets.
• Son Tra, in the north of the city, is another popular neighborhood but not the first I would recommend. It’s great for a more tranquil lifestyle but otherwise you’re a little farther away from everything, unless you dream of spending more weekends on Son Tra Peninsula, or Monkey Mountain. The farther north you get, the more the beach turns into a fishing village.
• Khue My is where we lived in our last few months of living in Vietnam and I loved it. The neighborhood is quiet and extremely local. Instead of being on the beach, it’s on the Han River and has a lot of green spaces, ideal if you have a dog like we do.

Right outside of Da Nang are lush mountains, hidden waterfalls, plenty of beautiful beaches, and a lot of places to explore if you’re willing to hop on your motorbike and go. Within the coastal city, you’ll have everything you need to live in comfort: big grocery stores, modern amenities, a variety of apartments and houses for rent, and international restaurants when you’re craving something a little different.

There really are so many things to do in Da Nang, making it fantastic place to live.

While Vietnam in general is a hot country, Da Nang does get a slighly variety in seasons. From about November to March, the temperatures lessen and some days might even be chilly enough to comfortably wear jeans and a sweater. This is also the rainy season in Central Vietnam so expect some flooding and typhoons.

The cons to living in Da Nang is that sometimes the beaches aren’t all that clean, especially during typhoon season when litter is swept in from the entire region. If you try and go swimming right in My Khe Beach, you’ll most likely find very strict lifeguards that won’t trust you to swim out past your waist (go farther down the beach and you can bypass this though). Da Nang has direct flights from South Korea and other nearby countries so do know that in the summer months it’s filled with tourists and that can make it less than idyllic.

To me, Da Nang is the most livable city in Vietnam because apart from those cons, its natural beauty, relative tranquility, and peaceful lifestyle still within city amenities is pretty great. So, if those things are as important to you as they are to me, this is certainly one of the best places to live in Vietnam.

Here are some of the reasons why you should consider moving to Da Nang:

1. Modern Infrastructure

This city has a well-developed infrastructure, with modern transportation, communication, and utility systems, making it a convenient and comfortable place to live both for locals and expats.

2. Loads of Coworking Spaces

The startup community in Da Nang is growing rapidly in the past few years. This resulted in the city having many coworking spaces. These spaces offer high-speed internet and other facilities which are perfect for the needs of digital nomads and entrepreneurs.

3. Plenty of Activities

If you enjoy chilling next to the beach and have a chill vacation kind of lifestyle, Da Nang has beautiful beaches, clear blue water, and several activities for you to enjoy. Not only that, but you can also go for a hike at famous destinations like the Marble Mountains as well.

4. High-Quality Healthcare

As an expat, you do not have to worry about the healthcare system in Da Nang because it offers excellent healthcare facilities, with modern hospitals and clinics with English speaking doctors and nurses.

5. Expanding Job Market

Like mentioned before, Da Nang is growing rapidly in terms of the economy as the city has developed. The common jobs for expats living in Da Nang are English teaching, software development, web design, and many more.

6. Affordable Cost of Living

Even though the city is growing, the cost of living is still affordable with loads of options within your budget. The cost of food and dining out is also reasonable with several local street foods. Transportation costs are also relatively low as well.

Conclusion: If you want to live in a city with ample job opportunities and a thriving expat community but without the overwhelming hustle and bustle of a big city, Da Nang is the perfect choice for you. Are you moving to Danang soon? this is good choice. Look no further, Hanoi Packers Movers are here to help your moving to Danang

Ho Chi Minh City: For a Chaotic & Busy Life

Living in Ho Chi Minh City, you can have the life you can afford. There are incredibly nice and modern high rise apartments or quaint homes you and your friends can share. You can live in the epicenter of the hustle and bustle and have all of the chaos at your fingertips or you can choose a quiet alley where somehow the noise doesn’t permeate.

If you’re moving to HCMC, consider living in one of these districts:

• District 1 is the heart of the city and here you’ll find the most things to do but it can also be the most touristy.
• District 2 (Thao Dien) is where one of the biggest expat communities is. It’s overflowing with international shopping and dining options, co-working spaces, tree-lined streets, and in general, a more aesthetically pleasing environment.
• District 3 is District 1’s quieter neighbor. You’ll still be in the city center but it’s a lot more laidback and quieter here than in the D1.
• District 7 is a budding expat neighborhood a little farther outside of the hustle and bustle. The ambiance is a lot more calm here than in other areas of the city.
• Bin Thanh District is common neighborhood for locals but also hosts the high-end Vinhomes Central Park and Landmark 81, the tallest building in SE Asia.
• District 4, as a bonus, is a local area between D1 and D7. This is a great area to live if you want to immerse yourself totally into life in Vietnam and are on a tighter budget since accommodations here tend to be much cheaper.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is one of the best places to live in Vietnam as an expat for sure. The city is safe, affordable, and has a lot more to offer than just the urban lifestyles. Additionally, for the following reasons, it could be considered one of the most accessible cities you should move to saigon:

1. Growing Economy

Of course it is the business and financial hub of Vietnam because of its location which is in the south of Vietnam and serves as a gateway for its agricultural production and export, This in turn, helped the economy grow rapidly in the past few years.

2. Job Opportunities

With that being said, there are plenty of job opportunities in Ho Chi Minh City. Especially in the fields of IT, finance, and manufacturing. There are also opportunities for English teachers due to its booming education industry.

3. Consistently Warm Climate

The average temperature in Ho Chi Minh City is around 2-28°C (81-82°F) throughout the year. Which is a perfect temperature for those who do not like too cold or too hot weather.

4. Coffee Culture Galore

People in this city have a very strong connection with coffee. The coffee culture in the city has developed over hundreds of years since the French brought coffee into the country. So, you can be sure to find various types of coffee shops throughout the city with unique tastes.

5. Strong and Welcoming Expat Community

You can even make friends before you move there. Because there are a lot of expat communities in the city that are welcoming to new joiners. Once you move there, you can also enjoy their meetups and activities as well.

6. Top-tire Hospitals in Vietnam

Healthcare and hospital facilities in Ho Chi Minh City are actually the ones of the top hospitals in Vietnam. Which makes it worry-free for expats who live in HCMC. The hospitals and clinics are easy to access and the nurses and doctors speak English.

Conclusion: Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon is a great city when it comes to urban lifestyles and opportunities for professional job offers. Also great for those who are planning to move to Vietnam for the first time because it has a strong expat community.

Sitting in Southern Vietnam, Saigon offers two seasons: wet and dry but both of them come with hot, hot weather. In the rainy season, the rain comes down HARD. You can expect the streets to flood, especially in areas along the river like in D2. Sometimes after the rain, the weather does cool down for a bit but I would never consider Ho Chi Minh City to get “cold.” If you’re just going to come here for a vacation, do yourself a favor and plan your trip according to the best time to visit.

But do know that it comes with the fact that this city is sprawling, chaotic, and a little bit grungy. Getting from Point A to Point B is always an adventure and getting the courage to drive your own bike – or even ride on the back of a Grab – might come with a learning curve. If you’re looking for a slow lifestyle, you’ll quickly tire of living in Saigon.

For those that crave an urban lifestyle and want more entertainment options, bars, restaurants, and trendy cafes, Ho Chi Minh City will be one of the best places to live in Vietnam for you.

Ha Noi: Embrace Culture in the Capital City

Like HCMC, moving to Ha Noi is a great idea if you’re hoping to get a job here. These 2 big cities have the most job opportunities for foreigners and will have the best chance for you to legally get a job and a sponsored visa. Most likely that job will be as an English teacher, although there are certainly exceptions to this rule.

If moving to Ha Noi, consider moving to one of these districts:

• Tay Ho District is the equivalent of D2/Thao Dien in HCMC. This neighborhood is built specifically with foreigners in mind so the services and lifestyle there are a bit more Western-minded.
• West Lake is right near Old Town and is another popular area for expats to live in. Just like Tay Ho though you can expect to pay higher rent prices than in other areas. This neighborhood is more centrally located though.
• Old Town is always an option but I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re planning to stay for a longer period than just a few weeks. Here you’ll always be treated like a tourist even if you’re not and I don’t know about you but that can get old when you’re trying to make the place your home.
• Ba Dinh District is on the other side of Ho Tay Lake. It’s in between Tay Ho and the city center. This is a good option for those that want a local way of life and a more affordable cost of living while still being centrally located in the city.

Since Ha Noi is located in the north of the country, you’ll get 4 more distinct seasons than you’ll find elsewhere in Vietnam. While snow isn’t likely to fall, you will get a more consistent cold season than in other cities so if you’re not keen on always being hot, living in the north of the country might be preferable.

Northern Vietnam is also known to be the most beautiful part of the country, housing most of the best places to visit. This will make it easier for nature lovers to get out of the city on the weekend and see some spectacular sights.

Reasonable living cost

Compared to other Asian cities, living cost in Hanoi is considered so low that makes it attractive to live in. It’s even unbelievable if you come from a Western nation whose currency rate is much higher. Let’s start with accommodation. There are many options for you to choose, from apartment, house, serviced apartment to a luxury villa. Most housings for expats are furnished and have amenities and facilities on the doorstep. An apartment in Tay Ho neighborhood (such as Ciputra, Watermark) is around $600 per month, a villa there (like Golden West Lake) only adds up another $400. In return, you will live in an expat community near the picturesque fresh lake and various public amenities.

If you move in Hanoi soon, or relocate from Saigon to Hanoi, Moving from Danang to Hanoi, please contact Hanoi Packers Movers, we are here to help on your smooth move

Food price in Hanoi is extremely cheap, too. When you convert into US dollar, a piece of banh mi (bread) is only $1, a bowl of pho (noodle) costs $2 and a meal for 1 pax is as cheap as $4. Transportation cost is also little if you don’t own a car. You can opt for renting a motorbike with $40 a month and $7 per week for fuel. Otherwise, it takes around $3 on taking a taxi ride in the inner city.

On that same side, if you’re craving Vietnamese culture, four seasons, and unique landscapes, you’ll Ha Noi is one of the best places to live in Vietnam.

are you moving to Hanoi soon?

Hoi An: Small Town Charm Awaits

Hoi An is an ancient city (well, really, a small town) that sits about 30 minutes south of Da Nang in Central Vietnam. Hoi An has been made famous for its bright yellow Old Town strung with bright lanterns. Day or night, it really is a sight to see. It’s easily one of the best places to visit in Vietnam and tops most tourist’s bucket list.

Because it’s such a popular destination though, many people don’t think about living in Hoi An, more just visiting it. But that’s not to say it doesn’t have a big digital nomad and expat community. Instead of living in Old Town that tends to get flooded with tourists, especially in the summer, the expat community here is spread out through the smaller neighborhoods in the rice fields and along the coast near An Bang Beach.

In Hoi An, you might find fewer job opportunities though when compared to the other cities on this list. If you’re a certified teacher though, there are a few international schools between here and Da Nang, otherwise you might find it a little difficult to find an in-person job if that’s what you’re looking for.

Hoi An is one of the best places to live in Vietnam if you crave tranquility and want to have your own house or villa. Here you can rent a fantastic property with a private pool and endless vistas of the rice fields for a far more convenient price than in many other countries. While you might avoid Old Town in peak season, An Bang is where you’ll find your community with the plethora of bars and restaurants along the coast.

Nha Trang: A Small City & a Stunning Beach

Another coastal city that is worth mentioning as a great place to live in Vietnam is Nha Trang. While I personally didn’t live here, I had friends that did so I’m taking this from their experience.

 

Much like Da Nang, by living in Nha Trang, you’ll have the beach and city amenities all tied into one. The city is just a little bit smaller and the beaches are a little bit better. With numerous islands strewn in front of its coastline, beach bums will love living here. The water sports, like snorkeling and scuba diving, are also better in this area.

A unique thing about Nha Trang compared to other cities in Vietnam is that it has a large Russian community, so much so that you’ll see menus, signs, and services offered in Russian. It feels a little bit like Phuket in that way.

Here though you’ll find a growing expat community, mainly from those that are looking to get away from the typical hubs of the places mentioned above and want a quiet coastal city to call home. Since it’s not yet internationally recognized as one of the best places to visit, it’s a bit more affordable than Da Nang, which is the city it’s most comparable to.

There are above best places to live in Vietnam, when ever you move to Hanoi, Danang, Hoi An, Moving to Nha Trang, moving to Saigon, Hanoi Packers Movers is the best choice for house moving with reasonal price and safe moving service