Quality of life

Jimpdxusa Active member

73POSTS

5 years ago

I won’t ask about cost of living because as pointed out repeatedly there are past threads about that. I do agree however the search function is rather lacking but I digress...

So on to my question. Pretty sure Da Nang will be my landing spot. Looking to retire early and will need to stretch out funds until I can tap the 401k and later social security. What kind of quality of life would a single guy have on say $2,000-$2,500 USD a month? Fully loaded costs meaning in addition to basics like housing/food what about all the other types of expenses. Internet, phone, visas, visa runs, health insurance, doctors, prescriptions, some entertainment/eat out which I know is subjected based of lifestyle, and other misc expenses. And there are likely other expenses I am not aware of because I a newbie.

Based on some research it seems like a decent quality of life and yes “quality” is very subjective also. But you get the gist.

What are your thoughts on quality of life given the above mentioned budget?

Cheers,

Jim

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SteinNebraska ViP

1298POSTS

5 years ago

You will be fine at that level. We had three people in my family and were spending about 3,000 per month but 1,000 was for house rent and we did go out to eat more than some and not just noodles on the road. Rent was double what we could have found something for. So a single guy will be fine on 2,000.

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jayrozzetti23 Serial expat

860POSTS

5 years ago

Jimpdxusa wrote:
What kind of quality of life would a single guy have on say $2,000-$2,500 USD a month? Fully loaded costs meaning in addition to basics like housing/food what about all the other types of expenses. Internet, phone, visas, visa runs, health insurance, doctors, prescriptions, some entertainment/eat out which I know is subjected based of lifestyle, and other misc expenses. And there are likely other expenses I am not aware of because I a newbie.

Based on some research it seems like a decent quality of life and yes “quality” is very subjective also. But you get the gist.

What are your thoughts on quality of life given the above mentioned budget?

Yes, the low cost of living includes all of the basics (accommodation, utilities, transportation, health care [except for major motorbike crashes], food, services, etc.) as well as non-essential indulgences (spas, massage, fine dining, going out on the town, etc.). With Vietnam's robust economy, there are numerous opportunities for conspicuous consumption, so It's quite possible to foolishly overspend in that area, for example the $100 bánh mì and phở https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/features/20 … 3202.html, but reasonable splurging is well within your budget.

However, as a newbie, you also need to consider the quality of life not just from a financial point of view but also realize that you are moving to one of the most densely populated countries in the world with high rates of noise and air pollution as well as infamous traffic that is rapidly overdeveloping (massive construction projects).

If you haven't been here yet, you need to look into that aspect of life in VN rather than costs as it can be a daily challenge for some.

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Jimpdxusa Active member

73POSTS

5 years ago

Very sage advice John. Coming from the Pacific Northwest of US, I am an avid outdoors lover and do like the outdoorsy lifestyle. Have also lived in urban areas too and enjoy the vibe and culture it brings. Living near the beach in an urban area sounds terrific. Getting immersed in a new culture, new part of the world I am sure will bring new outdoorsy adventures or at least I hope.

My budget is a bit higher than stated so I am hoping I can live near the beach if possible. Once I get there I will get a rental for a month and then look around to feel the vibe of the various sections of the city. This will be an experiment I no doubt. The beauty of having a passport and wanderlust is you can always pivot. But I am thinking this will work and I will be sticking around. Looking forward to the next chapter.

johnross23 wrote:
Yes, the low cost of living includes all of the basics (accommodation, utilities, transportation, health care [except for major motorbike crashes], food, services, etc.) as well as non-essential indulgences (spas, massage, fine dining, going out on the town, etc.). With Vietnam's robust economy, there are numerous opportunities for conspicuous consumption, so It's quite possible to foolishly overspend in that area, for example the $100 bánh mì and phở https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/features/20 … 3202.html, but reasonable splurging is well within your budget.

However, as a newbie, you also need to consider the quality of life not just from a financial point of view but also realize that you are moving to one of the most densely populated countries in the world with high rates of noise and air pollution as well as infamous traffic that is rapidly overdeveloping (massive construction projects).

If you haven't been here yet, you need to look into that aspect of life in VN rather than costs as it can be a daily challenge for some.

OceanBeach92107 VIP Member

7687POSTS

5 years ago

A primary reason I decided to travel here was for "service".

I was living alone in Nashville, Tennessee and taking care of myself and my big house in the country.

Now that I'm here I like to pay for:

1. Daily housekeeping in an apartment or a full-service hotel.

2. A cook (until recently, that was also my housekeeper)

3. Taxis, ridesharing (GRAB) or private cars as opposed to riding a motorbike.

4. Straight razor shaves (face and scalp) by a barber.

5. Laundry service (when not done by me or my housekeeper).

6. A visa agent, even at times when people tell me I could do-it-myself at immigration.

7. Eating at restaurants when my cook isn't available.

8. Physical therapy massage in my apartment at 4 AM in the morning to relieve chronic pain and get me moving.

If a person likes to shave their own face, wash their own laundry, cook their own food, clean their own lodgings, ride their own motorbike, do self-directed Yoga and deal directly with the government regarding visa issues, then the cost of living will be much less expensive than mine.

It appears that Đà Nẵng is going to be one of the most affordable places for an expat to live for the foreseeable future (at least six months) until the tourist-dependent businesses here begin to recover.

It's definitely cheaper to live here now than when I first returned to Đà Nẵng in October of 2018

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Jimpdxusa Active member

73POSTS

5 years ago

Ocean that is some good living right there. 🍺

Some of these are on my list for sure.

And who doesn’t like a straight razor shave. Nothing better than when they cock back the chair, hot towel on face and then steel on skin. A dying art here in the States.

OceanBeach92107 wrote:
A primary reason I decided to travel here was for "service".

I was living alone in Nashville, Tennessee and taking care of myself and my big house in the country.

Now that I'm here I like to pay for:

1. Daily housekeeping in an apartment or a full-service hotel.

2. A cook (until recently, that was also my housekeeper)

3. Taxis, ridesharing (GRAB) or private cars as opposed to riding a motorbike.

4. Straight razor shaves (face and scalp) by a barber.

5. Laundry service (when not done by me or my housekeeper).

6. A visa agent, even at times when people tell me I could do-it-myself at immigration.

7. Eating at restaurants when my cook isn't available.

8. Physical therapy massage in my apartment at 4 AM in the morning to relieve chronic pain and get me moving.

2 members reacted to this post

OceanBeach92107 VIP Member

7687POSTS

5 years ago

Jimpdxusa wrote:
...

Cheers,

Jim

I don't think this is taking it off topic to offer you a thread from February of 2019.

A friend of mine who now lives in Qui Nhơn/Quy Nhơn was asking a lot of questions about how to move in and what to look for.

A lot of people gave him good feedback.

Maybe you will find this thread to be informative.

Cheers!

Jimpdxusa Active member

73POSTS

5 years ago

Ocean excellent thread and very helpful. Many of the considerations from that thread will be be incorporated into my search. Thanks to everyone who contributed to that thread.

I like the idea of a high floor/tower type apartment at least to start making sure it’s not directly in the sun and with good shades.

What are the downsides of being in a tower other than noise drifting from other neighborhoods. Perhaps isolated from an authentic local experience is my guess.

Also will eat a large portion of a budget. What other downsides? I really hope to be near a beach but a tower near the beach might be asking too much.

OceanBeach92107 wrote:
I don't think this is taking it off topic to offer you a thread from February of 2019.

A friend of mine who now lives in Qui Nhơn/Quy Nhơn was asking a lot of questions about how to move in and what to look for.

A lot of people gave him good feedback.

Maybe you will find this thread to be informative.

Cheers!

OceanBeach92107 VIP Member

7687POSTS

5 years ago

#10

Jimpdxusa wrote:
I really hope to be near a beach but a tower near the beach might be asking too much.

In Nha Trang you can get that on the cheap now.

I saw some there in the ₫5,000,000 VNĐ range this past summer.

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paulmsn Serial expat

511POSTS

5 years ago

#11

When I moved here I only had my pension and I was careful with my purchases. I found out eventually that my income actually put me close to upper middle class in Vietnam.

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qnbui Serial expat

329POSTS

5 years ago

#12

Jimpdxusa wrote:
ISo on to my question. Pretty sure Da Nang will be my landing spot. Looking to retire early and will need to stretch out funds until I can tap the 401k and later social security. What kind of quality of life would a single guy have on say $2,000-$2,500 USD a month? Fully loaded costs meaning in addition to basics like housing/food what about all the other types of expenses. Internet, phone, visas, visa runs, health insurance, doctors, prescriptions, some entertainment/eat out which I know is subjected based of lifestyle, and other misc expenses. And there are likely other expenses I am not aware of because I a newbie.

Jim, I think we both have the same plan. I too am planning on early retirement and relocating to Da Nang and travel throughout SE Asia once my dog passes since he's too old to take that long flight and handle the VN heat. Your budget is above average and you would probably have a great quality of life that money can buy.
Good luck with your plan,
Quang