Moving to HCMC

Hi Stefan
Clothes, shoes, towels, beed sheets, etc. you can buy cheaper here.
I would bring all mobile phone and cumputer equipments from Germany because it costs same or morehere.
Standard medicine is also cheap here.
Other products have very different prices.
For example, Swiss candies costs half, but Swiss chocolate costs double here. Organic (German) skin care products are also very expensive here.

Good luck with the move.

We bought very thick bath sheets (larger than bath towels) at one of the chain supermarkets -- Emart, IIRC. 

Since it's more than likely your apartment would be furnished and serviced, perfectly acceptable quality bed linen is included.  Bring your own only if you must have high thread count sheets (I used to, but no longer think it's a necessity of life.)

There are clothing and shoes for Western sizes in specific stores.  My spouse wears size 9 and we saw plenty of trainers in his size.

Don't bring too many clothes.  We did, and have yet to touch half of what we packed.

Ok I'll unload my list again.
But you should also search the Vietnam forum for "moving" and "banking" and "taxi".
Yes, excess airline baggage is probably the cheapest way to ship.
Stay in a 3 star hotel from agoda.com for three days, and look for apartments locally.

What to bring: American-centric suggestions (alter as necessary)

- Cash for emergency, $1500 to $5000 max, brand new bills with no tears or folds
- ATM card from your home country bank account. Two accounts/cards better.
- Credit card (latest chip version). Setup your internet banking.
- Unlocked smartphone (i.e. not under telecom contract)

- Light, breathable, gore-tex type rain jacket with hood like Marmot or Patagonia
- Shoes if you have large feet, clothes for bodies larger than Asians
- Neosporin or other antibiotic ointment with bacitracin in it
- Imodium, Dramamine, 1 year supply of important prescriptions

- Expensive electronics and cameras, in Vietnam they are full retail price + duty and never on sale
- Documents if you will be working, going to school, marrying (originals!): Diplomas. School transcripts. Licenses. Medical history. Dental. Immunization records. Prescriptions. Divorce settlement. Copies of bills you will continue to pay online.

Because I am more particular...
- Name brand medicine or personal products you must have. However, generic meds are available
- Large bottles of generic Tylenol and Ibuprofen, annoyingly only small packets available
- Reef-brand flip flops. Only flimsy ones available.
- Driving? International Driver's Permit for motorbike, to rent car in Thailand, etc.

Don't need to bring because available or cheap...
- Electrical plugs and adapters
- Name brand clothes are somewhat available in high end malls, but full price + duty
- Strong motorcycle helmet
- Passport photos in many sizes. Unbelievable - cost me $12 each in California!
- Eyeglasses

Thanks guys.

I had a look at some other posts, but I couldn't find anything for some of the items. Thankfully I know the taxi issues in HCMC quite well, as I have visited HCMC a few times before. Regarding banking that is something I still need to consider.

I am actually looking for a room for a month, and then find a permament place to live as soon I know where I will work. Might help to avoid long journeys to and back to work.

Will bring cash with me, but having two cards as back up with me. All set up thanks to previous travelling.

I am in the process of getting my degree and criminal record legalised by the Vietnamese embassies (yes, plural, need to be done by the embassies in two sperate countries, I just love beaucracy!!!).
I will get a new international driving permit renewed. But I hope to get a Vietnamese one asap.
Talking about motorbike, I was not sure if the helmets are ok to buy there, but thanks for the advise, Gobot.
Might need to get my immunisation booklet updated.

I might need a new phone. Is it better to get an unlocked one here in Germany, or buy it in Vietnam? I should have everything else I hope.

I will look for some flip flops and some cloth. I think I will get shirts and suits for work from a tailor. based on my experience in Hoi An, it will be cheaper in Vietnam.

Hope I do not forget anything.
Lots to do, but I am really exciting that the move finally happens after planning most for a few month already.

Thanks again.

Good thing that you have been here before, no lifestyle shock.
About helmets, most people use the local kind which range in quality and safety from useless to probably good enough for the usual 15 mph collision. Some westerners really want a full face indestructible helmet like they are used to, for good reason, and there are a couple importers in Saigon per the Facebook motorcycle group.

Phones - I am an iphone user, if you are too then it is better to bring an iphone because of price and availability of models. Android phones? there are so many makes and models I don't know. I would prefer to have a phone when I got off the plane because I am addicted to the convenience. You will need google maps, XE currency converter, google translate, internet, email, plus maybe camera, world clock, agoda, uber, social media, and that is just the first day!

I think having the Western Style helmets would kill me with a heat stroke....
Any recommendation where I can get a good quality helmet in HCMC?

I will bring my old phone...but really could need a new one. And I prefer my Android phone. I will use my old one...and might just get a new one after a while.

And yes, I have been to Vietnam four times for over 4 month. Hence I am so looking forward to move there. Love HCMC, love the food, love the people. So I am really excited.

StefanR wrote:

I think having the Western Style helmets would kill me with a heat stroke....
Any recommendation where I can get a good quality helmet in HCMC?

You can try any of these two brands.
- Protec helmets Vietnam (popular among locals)
  Protec showrooms - HCMC.

- HJC helmets are also available in VN.
  (scroll down, they have  'open face' and 'half face' models)
HJC showroom is in Hanoi.

Here is an old post on the subject of helmets.  Some of the addresses may have changed but it might be a good start.  https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=210351

In particular notice the complaint of the OP in that thread that the helmets that he found were too tight on the forehead.  This is a real problem for many westerners.  Viewed from the top, European heads are more oval while Asian heads tend to rounder.  This means that helmets made round will pinch in front.  You might have better luck with the bigger brand name stores like Andes.  Go to the bigger company stores rather than smaller franchise type places. 

Personally, I had a friend bring helmets from the US for both me and my wife.  They were the half helmet style that many US policemen wear.  My wife found the helmet heavy at first but after a while she got used to it.  If you have room in your luggage, you might consider bringing a helmet with you.

Spouse and I saw this early yesterday morning:

Motorcycle hit bicycle: one dead
and 
Same accident.

It was devastating.

Please wear helmet and above all, please ride defensively.

StefanR wrote:

...
In addition of personal items, some cloth and my required medication I am wondering what are some of the items I should bring with me moving to HCMC.

...
Are there any items I will find hard to get in HCMC?

...

@StefanR, beside the excellent suggestions listed above from fellow expats, I would like to share with you a few additional items that I plan to bring with me for my upcoming move to Saigon, in case it helps

- Network router (this is for getting better internet speed, @dudumomo has a great post about it)
- Sunscreen, suit brush, shoe brush, good shoe polish (I suspect these are hard to find in Saigon)

avhexpat wrote:

- Network router (this is for getting better internet speed, @dudumomo has a great post about it)

Routers are perfectly available in HCMC but like most electronics will be about 20% more expensive than in the US.  If you bring one, be sure to take it out of the original packaging so that you can assert that it is used when you go through customs.

avhexpat wrote:

Sunscreen, suit brush, shoe brush, good shoe polish (I suspect these are hard to find in Saigon)

Readily available at any of the big supermarkets.  You aren't going to live among the Montagnards are you?      Ho Chi Minh is a big modern city of over 8 million.

avhexpat wrote:

- Sunscreen, suit brush, shoe brush, good shoe polish (I suspect these are hard to find in Saigon)

Reiterating what THIGV said in the above post:

Kiwi shoe polish has been around in Vietnam since before I was born, and I'm an old woman.  My brother taught me to use it when he gave me my first pair of Bata.  In the shoe repair / polishing shop a couple of blocks from our apartment now, I've seen row after row of different brands of leather polish, even ones from Coach and Bally.  Shoe brush is sold next to shoe polish. 

There are also many street corner shoe polishers in Saigon.  Shoe polishing is perhaps the other oldest profession, they've been around since I was a child also.

Sunscreen and sunblock are sold in malls, supermarkets, and even convenience stores.  Suit brush and lint remover are sold at chain supermarkets.

Ciambella wrote:

There are also many street corner shoe polishers in Saigon.  Shoe polishing is perhaps the other oldest profession, they've been around since I was a child also.

Yes the shoe polishers are so talented, on Phạm Ngũ Lão St they even polish your sneakers. If you don't watch out! 

THIGV wrote:

...  If you bring one, be sure to take it out of the original packaging so that you can assert that it is used when you go through customs.
...

THIGV, thanks for this very helpful tip. Hope it'll be smooth going through custom.

THIGV wrote:

...  Readily available at any of the big supermarkets.  You aren't going to live among the Montagnards are you?      Ho Chi Minh is a big modern city of over 8 million.

Haha, at least not yet

Ciambella wrote:

avhexpat wrote:

- Sunscreen, suit brush, shoe brush, good shoe polish (I suspect these are hard to find in Saigon)

Reiterating what THIGV said in the above post:

Kiwi shoe polish has been around in Vietnam since before I was born, and I'm an old woman.  My brother taught me to use it when he gave me my first pair of Bata.  In the shoe repair / polishing shop a couple of blocks from our apartment now, I've seen row after row of different brands of leather polish, even ones from Coach and Bally.  Shoe brush is sold next to shoe polish. 

There are also many street corner shoe polishers in Saigon.  Shoe polishing is perhaps the other oldest profession, they've been around since I was a child also.

Sunscreen and sunblock are sold in malls, supermarkets, and even convenience stores.  Suit brush and lint remover are sold at chain supermarkets.

Thank you Ciambella, I'm glad to know that these items are readily available in Saigon.

I will bring the sun cream I still have from a big sales in one of the lcoal shops....otherwise I will buy it there.

Interesting point regarding the helmets. I will try to get one in HCMC, but my sister want to visit me later the year anyway....if I need a helmet she can bring one from Germany.

Well, consideirng I might arrive with 3 suitcases and two hand luagge items, are there any risk I will be chekced and they claim some fees? I am not bringing any expensive items, mainly cloth and personal belongings. My camera and laptop are probably the most valuable items. Just wondering if I have to expect anything.

Also, I was told you can only pay in money into an account if you can prove where it comes from. Would it make sense to declare the cash I bring with me at the border, so I can pay it into an account? Not sure I would like to have all the cash around in a room I rent out. Though I travelled through Vietnam with €1000 in cash and was not really worried. Might feel a bit more comfortable having the cash into an account (if I get one opened asap anyway).

StefanR wrote:

I

Also, I was told you can only pay in money into an account if you can prove where it comes from. Would it make sense to declare the cash I bring with me at the border, so I can pay it into an account? Not sure I would like to have all the cash around in a room I rent out. Though I travelled through Vietnam with €1000 in cash and was not really worried. Might feel a bit more comfortable having the cash into an account (if I get one opened asap anyway).

Yes please declare the cash to the Customs at the airport. It's easy.
Later you can open a local bank acct and deposit the cash there. Use a local debit card to withdraw money as/when needed.

Haha, then you will run across expats like me who have no interest in showing immigration clerks my dollars, or using a Vietnamese bank if I can help it!  My accounts are in the states. I bring a chunk of dough back every visit and hide it, for emergencies, like when my foreign ATM card or credit card breaks, twice already. When in Vietnam, do as the Vietnamese (hide money and gold at home ).
Otherwise for spending money I use my ATM card (no or low fees, and favorable currency conversion) to withdraw from my stateside bank.

Search the forum for banking it is a big topic.

Count me and my spouse among the people who don't declare our money (it's never more than the maximum allowance for 2 people anyway) and who don't keep money in a Vietnamese bank.  Or rather, we did, but not anymore.

After going through some trial and error of our own and after learning from Gobot's experience, we've been doing the same thing as he does, and I truly think it's the best way for us  (thank you, Gobot!  )

We withdraw (from our US account) any local currency anytime we wish from any local ATM we come across as often as we want without paying any ATM fee.  It's just as convenient as withdrawing VND from a VN bank, but with the bonuses of no monthly balance, no transfer fee, and no ATM network.

We use our credit cards anywhere they're accepted without paying any foreign transaction fee.  Our money is in the States while we have immediate access to local currency without paying any fee anywhere to anyone.  If an emergency arises, our cash and the combination of credit limit from our credit cards will see us through any imaginable problem.   

And that's the reason we hold on to our USD and keep it near us at all time.

Interesting views. I might keep it with me at the start. Though when I start working (hopefully sooner than later) everything goes into the account anyway.

Well, this has helped a lot so far. All the required paperwork is nearly done, I will get my tourist visa as well now, and I am currently considering a few rooms as well. getting closer and closer, it all feels so real now. I must admit, I am really excited to be finally in HCMC for good, and that the planning is over (and the hard work really starts!!!!).