Salaries for expat & Cost of living for a family of 4

Your suggestion Cost of living is for high standard in HCMC .
In my opinion, those costs are acceptable
1. housing: $1000-$1500 ( Serviced Apartment leasing in District 7, you can find lower price in other districts )
2. school fees: $ 2000 -$3000 ( I'm not sure about international school fees )
3. transport:
    - Motorbikes for 2 adults : $200-400 gasoline ( You should buy 2 motorbikes, it 's much cheaper than renting )
    - Car : $500-800 / month ( lost of fees if you using car )
4. food & groceries: 600
5. entertainment & eating out: 500
6. utilities: 300
7. Maid / Nanny : 300

Thanks for your response. What about a place in district 2?

Since we do not know what your standard of living is, it's hard to advise.

For exchange rates use www.XE.COM.

If you want to continue the lifestyle you enjoy in Australia, based on Australian goods, it will cost - big time.

Another thing to remember, VietNam is NOT immune to inflation, our gas/petrol prices are essential WORLD PRICES.

Quan (District) 2 (the 'gated' Foreigner areas) are about 20 minutes from downtown, stuck on the side of an extremely busy 12+lane expressway.

Before making any decisions on where to live (Quan 7 is another popular area with newcomers) I suggest you come over and evaluate things.

Accommodation You can get a rough idea by looking at Craigs List. Maybe you might like a house? The term 'houses' refers to row, terraced or linked housing. A 'villa' is a stand alone house with at least a metre of grass at the side and slightly larger areas back and front.

Location Location is determined by transportation logistics. Will your wife drive? (Or, be driven). If you use the over-priced scams called 'international' schools, you can purchase, at high cost, house to school transportation. Then you, as likely the main bread winner, have to consider where you will be working and the time it takes to reach there.

School fees School fees range up to USD$24,000 PER STUDENT PER ANNUM. Even a starter Montessori school starts at USD$11,000.

THEN YOU GET GOUGED for BOOKS, UNIFORMS - from ONLY their favoured supplier, COMPUTERS/TABLETS, ENTRANCE EXAMINATION FEES, ADMISSION FEES, EQUIPMENT USER FEES, etc., etc. A total fraud.

There are two types of 'international' school businesses - the older ones and the newer ones. For example, the Canadian School has invested around USD$40-million (if my memory serves me right) and who the hell do you think is going service that debt? There is an Australian school with a slightly lower outstanding debt.

There is an English VC company called COGNITA. They have established regional sound-alike, sound-similar, CORPORATIONS so they look like world-regional outfits. This leach outfit, based in Singapore for VietNam, has three or so schools under its umbrella.

So standby to get soaked. (Disclosure: I am part of a team that conducts an annual school survey)

Food 'Local' food is economic and, in Ho Chi Minh City, of decent quality. Beef is expensive.  There are many imported food stuffs with prices to open your eyes - $1.50-2 for a can of baked beans.

Chicken is grown here, the local variety has massive thighs and is flat chested or, from an Australian owned farm, a regular double-D breasted chicken you are likely familiar with. Halal stores fly fresh beef, lamb, etc. in from Australia.

Transportation Unless you are suicidal, you will not drive a car in any large city. I have a one-ton truck, with I-beams for bumpers, and only enter TP HCM after 22.30H.

HCM is not built for cars, using a motorscooter I can beat most car journeys in town. I drive 3,000-4,000 kilometres per month and my gas bill is way less than the other respondent suggested. I guess it depends on your motor size and the weight of your foot.

Cars, as the other poster suggested, attract all manner of charges. USD$3 for a motorcycle underground (guarded) and USD$30-50 for a car.

You would need a driver - he will be your 'jail bait'. On many occasions an accident can lead to the seizure of a vehicle AND THE DRIVER. As a Foreigner driver YOU ARE ALWAYS ASSUMED GUILTY unless you use POV cameras to prove the other guy was wrong and /or lying.

Employing Vietnamese involves paperwork and taxes/pension/etc. Get a good one and you (or your wife) has it made. VNese know where the bargains are, how to 'negotiate', etc.

I personally have always found it more fun to live in the Vietnamese community, where there is active social happenings, where you can send the children out with a USD$1 and know they can fill their faces with wholesome food. It's also way cheaper.

ONE BIG COST you didn't ask about is HEALTH! Ouch!