Cost of Living

Capt. Mike wrote:

Would I be able to get by on $1200 a month?

Yes. 

The correct answer is "it depends" since your question is so short.  I just gave you a short answer with a bunch of assumptions built into it.

It really depends on your lifestyle. 

1)  Will you be living it up each night?  Going out to club, bars, shopping?  If the answer is "yes" then you need more income.

2)  Will you be eating out every night at nice restaurants?  If "yes" then you need more income

3)  Will you be living at a nice apartment high rise in District 1 where rent is $1000 a month?  If "yes" then you need more income

4)  Will you be going to shows, movies, plays, theater, concerts often?  If "yes" then you need more income

5)  Lastly, will you be traveling all over Asia or Vietnam and spending money?  If "yes" then you need more income.

Point being, you can definitely make $1200 work for you.  However, you can't "live it up" in Saigon with that kind of income.  If you made $4000-$8000 a month, then yes...you can live a very very very comfortable lifestyle in Saigon.

tintinmiami2013 wrote:

It really depends on your lifestyle. 

1)  Will you be living it up each night?  Going out to club, bars, shopping?  If the answer is "yes" then you need more income.

more income and a spare liver!

How much do you need!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

tintinmiami2013 wrote:

It really depends on your lifestyle. 

Point being, you can definitely make $1200 work for you.  However, you can't "live it up" in Saigon with that kind of income.  If you made $4000-$8000 a month, then yes...you can live a very very very comfortable lifestyle in Saigon.

I knew the correct answer was "it depends".  Capt. Mike is asking about the cost of living in Hội An (a resort town in Quang Nam province outside of Đà Nẵng) and I think at 63 years old, Capt. Mike is really looking to retire in a nice peaceful and ancient heritage town where he can take things slow...do stuff that retire people like to do. 

I agree you can make $1200 a month work for you no matter where you are.  As long as you keep in mind the "average Vietnamese" gets by on about $1200 a year. (adjusted for inflation and rounding - source: World Bank http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/vietnam/overview. 

If your mentality is "Yes, I'm a foreigner but I'm not any better than these locals", you can live like a king on $1200 a month.  But if your mentality is "How the hell do these people live like this?  Where's my car, my AC, my 3000 sq house?", then probably $1200 isn't going to cut it.