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I was recently chatting with one of my aunts about retirement. She’s tired of working at a job she’s not particularly passionate about and she also wants more control of her time.
She told me that one of her primary motivations for a flexible schedule was so that she would able to travel and see more of the world. She’s also interested in potentially moving out of the US to somewhere that’s more affordable.
Does this sound anything like you? If so, keep reading.
Once you retire, and cut off the income stream from your job/local business, it makes less sense to live in a big US city with hefty rent payments each month.
Because I’ve been living outside the US for about 3 years now, my first thought was that it may make a lot of sense for my aunt to retire abroad. The same applies for many of you reading this.
Having spent the majority of my time abroad in Vietnam, it’s only natural I thought of it first as a place to retire to. If you’re interesting in retiring in Vietnam, or just retiring abroad in general, you’ll enjoy today’s post.
Disclaimer: Being in my early 20s, I’m not anywhere near retiring myself. With that being said, several of my best friends are in their 50s and I’ve also met countless retired individuals in Vietnam over the last several years.
Based on my chats with them; I’ve managed to compile some information you may find beneficial about moving to Vietnam for your retirement.
Pros of Retiring in Vietnam
While not typically thought of an American retirement haven like Costa Rica or Thailand, Vietnam has a lot going for it. Here are some of the main highlights of retiring in Vietnam.
Cost of Living
Vietnam is one of the cheapest places in the world to live. You can easily live a comfortable life in Vietnam for about $1,000/month. If you can appreciate a $350 serviced apartment that includes FREE cleaning and laundry multiple times per week, you’ll LOVE Vietnam.
Other expenses in Vietnam are also affordable. Dining at a local Vietnamese restaurant will typically cost $1 or maybe $2. Going to the movies is usually $3 per ticket. Joining a Vietnamese gym without air conditioning will be around $10/month.
Taking an overnight bus ride to another city or getting a 90 minute massage will set you back $10-$15 each.
Of course, you don’t have to live like a college student. Luxury comes cheap in Vietnam — at least by Western standards.
A furnished 3 bedroom apartment in the country’s tallest and most luxurious building may cost $1,200. An unforgettable 9-course meal dining-in-the-dark with blind waiters is roughly $35 per person.
Healthy and Delicious Food
Vietnamese cuisine is some of the best in the world. Not only is it delicious, it’s also nutritious. Vietnamese cooking uses lots of fresh vegetables, spices, and herbs.
Having lived in both Thailand and Vietnam, I’m very comfortable in saying that while Thai cuisine tasty and incredibly famous, I always felt better after eating out in Vietnam.
Whether you’re looking to eat out most of the time or cook you own food, your stomach will feel very loved during a retirement in Vietnam.
Easy Visa
While the visa situation in Southeast Asian countries is constantly changing, Vietnam is one if not THE most relaxed country in the region as far as visas go. Surprisingly, this is especially true if you’re an American.
Both 1 year tourist and business visas are available. I’d estimate that you’d have to budget about $400-$500 per year for visas ($40/month).
Vietnam seems to have no problem with foreigners living in Vietnam on tourist visas indefinitely (Legal Disclaimer: This is not a recommendation. It is only and observation based on my experience and the experiences of other expats I’ve chatted with; your experience could vary).
The only annoyance with Vietnam is that they don’t have any special visa for you as a retired foreign citizen. You’ll have to just keep getting new tourist visas every now and then.
Varied Lifestyle Opportunities
If you’re a big city person, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi have all the excitement you could ever want. Jam ~10 million people into a city and it’s hard to ever feel bored.
Of course being in such a busy place can wear you down over time. I’d imagine this is especially true as you get older. The last thing I’d want to do in my golden years is try to dodge motorbikes driving on the sidewalk while I’m on my walk home from the grocery store.
Fortunately, you don’t have to live in one of those mega cities if chaos isn’t your thing. Vietnam has plenty of beach, and mountain cities if you appreciate nature and a slower pace of life.
Short-term leases or using Airbnb also makes it possible for you to stay in cities for shorter periods of time.
If you’d like to live in the mountains for a 6 months a year, near the beach 4 months a year, and in Ho Chi Minh City 2 months a year, you could easily do so.
Friendliness
Having been to 7-8 countries now, I can confidently say Vietnamese people are some of the friendliest in the world. This isn’t the bullshit lip service every expat says about the country they live in either.
Don’t worry about finding the courage to start conversations with others or make connections in Vietnam. Vietnamese people, especially children, will literally yell hello to you while you’re walking down the street. University students will approach you in the park to chat too.
Cons of Living in Vietnam
Living in Vietnam isn’t without its problems. TRUST ME. If you retire here, you’re going to have some headaches to deal with.
Air Pollution
Vietnam is one of the worst countries in the world for air quality. If you live in Saigon or Hanoi, you’re probably going to cough a lot. Every. Single. Day.
Even when you go into an indoor restaurant to seek relief, there’s still a good chance some Vietnamese guys will blow smoke into your face. It never ends.
Vietnam’s air quality is less of an issue once you find venues that are strictly no smoking (good luck!) and move to a smaller city with a population of under 1,000,000 or so. Even in the smaller cities you’re still going to have to deal with the next problem though…
Cleanliness/Manners
Let’s forget about political correctness and be blunt — Vietnamese cities are dirty. Even in small cities with cleaner air, you’re still going to see lots of garbage in the street. This isn’t Japan. This isn’t Singapore. This isn’t even the US.
People in Vietnam litter. A LOT. When motorbike passengers finish their drink, they throw their plastic cup onto the street.
At many restaurants, the women that wash your dishes don’t really wash them. They just dip them in water, and get on with things (perhaps you could argue this of some US restaurants also to be fair).
Let’s not forget something equally disgusting. Vietnamese men have a habit of peeing on the sides of buildings, and behind bus stops. If you like to walk, you’re probably going to have to deal with smelling pee at least once on a 25 minute walk through the city.
In some spots of Saigon and Nha Trang, I’ve even experienced walking through an entire street of 100+ meters that smelled like pee. Disgusting.
My ex-girlfriend summed it up best when she told me of a popular saying that, “Foreigners kiss in public and piss in private, while Vietnamese men kiss in private in piss in public.”
I’m not trying to put Vietnamese people down. Let’s be honest though. Whether it be a lack of education or different cultural expectations, many of you are going to be put off by the behaviors of Vietnamese people in the realm of cleanliness and etiquette.
Congestion/Traffic
This applies mainly if you’re planning to live in one of the bigger cities in Vietnam. The population density in Vietnam’s largest cities (Saigon and Hanoi) is very high. Even 2nd tier cities like Da Nang, Vung Tau, or Bien Hoa probably have far more people cramped together than you’re used to.
This means you’re going to have less personal space and more noise living here. It also means that traffic and crossing the street (have you ever seen the amount of motorbikes in a big Vietnamese city!?) can be a bit of a pain.
Racism
Many Vietnamese people are still racist. Vietnamese people take care of themselves before they worry about those from other countries. It doesn’t matter if you’re right; if you get into a fight with a Vietnamese person you’re going to get creamed because five other Vietnamese passing by will take the side of the Vietnamese person.
If you have dark skin, you’re viewed as inferior to people with lighter skin. While I’ve never personally seen it, it wouldn’t be unheard of for a landlord to reject someone with dark skin with the reasoning that, “Africa peoples is dangerous and poor” (incorrect English grammar intentional).
That’s not to say all Vietnamese hate dark skinned people. Many kids will love you, and my friend Ocean was having a blast here. I guess it’s probably like America in the 1970s or 1980s.
Most people here aren’t overtly racist, but unfair treatment may surface from time to time.
Language Barrier
This one is huge. Apart from cultural differences, you’re also going to have to deal with one of the biggest possible language barriers. Vietnamese is among the hardest languages for English speakers to pronounce. This is a double whammy because most Vietnamese people won’t expect you to speak their language.
Many will freeze up and wave you off because they don’t speak English. Dozens of times they’ve told me, “Sorry No Englisss” despite the fact that I was speaking to them in Vietnamese.
While there may be a few dozen foreigners in the country that can converse fluently in Vietnamese, you’re likely to give up trying after you learn the basics (if you learn anything at all).
Fortunately, English is being stressed in the Vietnamese education system right now. In the cities most young people will be able to point you to a bathroom or tell you what time the bus will come.
Finding Vietnamese people that are truly fluent in English is difficult. Conversational?Sure. You’ll be able to make friends here and there. You’ll lose 98-99% of people, however, if you even begin to talk about psychology or gluten-free food.
Healthcare
I heard some expats here make the joke that if you have access to Google you could be a doctor in Vietnam. Admittedly, I did laugh at that joke. It is a bit disrespectful, because Vietnamese doctors are miles ahead of other developing countries such as Cambodia.
If one got say a cavity or tuberculosis, the doctors here (at least in the big cities) would be able to provide you with adequate care. With that being said, the healthcare in Vietnam doesn’t compare to that of the US, UK, or even some of the other countries in Asia.
You can get treated cheaply and effectively for most minor things in Vietnam. If you have a serious problem, however, you’re probably going to want to hop on a short flight over to Bangkok’s world-class hospitals to get it taken care of.
Best Places to Retire in Vietnam
To conclude this post, I thought I’d offer some possible locations to retire in Vietnam. Here are the best places to retire in Vietnam…
Mountain Man
If you love the mountains and cool air, be sure to check out Da Lat. This city has a population just under 500,000. It has nice weather and is considered by many to be the most romantic city in Vietnam. It’s a very popular honeymoon destination for locals.
Beach Girl
The best place for you to retire in Vietnam as a beach lover… that’s tough. Vietnam has tons of great cities with beaches. Consider Vung Tau, or Nha Trang.
Big City Person
Saigon and Hanoi are the obvious choices. I’d recommend digging a bit deeper, however, and considering Da Nang. With a population of about 1.44 million Da Nang isn’t a HUGE city, but it is the biggest city in Vietnam with decent air. It’s also considered by many to be the most livable city in the country!
Lazy Island Lifestyle
Phu Quoc, an island just off the coast of Cambodia, has a relaxed pace of life and clean air. It’s also affordable and has an active night market.
Conclusion
I hope you found this post about some thoughts on retiring in Vietnam useful. If so, please share it with your family or friends on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter!
P.S. Be sure to read this post before you come to Vietnam.