Moving to HCMC - advice needed!

It is a great offered.
I am citizens in hcm.city.  And I will answer many questions with many things your concern.
01. Water for use cooking is okay.  Because it supply from authority through treatment.  Water for drinks, you can buy pure water with many brands: Lavier, aquafina.. 2,2usd per 20L/ bottle.
02. Food's.  You can buy in supermarket. I think it not to expensive.
03. About health treatment.  There are many graduate international hospital in hcm.city.
04. The pollution air. Yes,  it is a little to your wife. Road in hcm.city are dust and smoke. You should rent a car for transportation and a apartment with high floor.

Don't worry too much.

Only the pollution, the noise and the dangerous/chaotic traffic is a big problem.
In district 2 and 9 the air is better. District 7 is also ok.
But you need some time to commute to work to district 1 (or elsewhere).
With your income and expenses you can have a verty good live here.

Sean Brown wrote:

Good morning, everyone. I am offered a job in HCMC, before making a decision, may I, please, ask you for advice?
1. My job offer is monthly salary USD 5,000 + USD 20,000 a year schooling (I have a 7-year old daughter)+ USD 24,000 a year accomodation allowance. Is this offer ok for a family of 5 (me, my wife, 2 children (7 and 2 years old) and maid)?
It's all relative, I suppose. It really depends on what your job is. What I can tell you is that it will be more than enough to live very, very comfortably. Keep an eye on the schooling fees because that might catch you out. Refer to this as a general rule of thumb http://img.nordangliaeducation.com/reso … -2018.pdf.
2. I've read about a lot of health hazards in HCMC. Is tap water safe for at least showers and washing dishes? Is the air really polluted (my wife has asthma).
Tap water is 100% fine for what you've mentioned. Don't drink it, though. The air is terrible in and around D1, however, it's nothing that a face-mask wouldn't sort.
3. What is the most family-friendly district to rent an apartment/house?
Depends on your preference and whether you want to live in a complex or not. Thao Dien would be a good starting point.
4. Healthcare - I've read that many expats go to Singapore for any treatment. Is it realy that bad in HCMC?
In a word, no. As long as you have money, everything is ok. There might be the odd thing here and there that can't be done here, but on the whole, it's very good.
5. I've read, that local fruit & veg  produce is heavily fertilized. Are imported / organic fruit & veg costly?
Can't answer that as I have no idea.

I appreciate any advice. I need to reply to that job offer, I've watched loads of videos and went through dozens of websites, but they all colntradict to one another.
Thank you

Good luck!

@Delafon you hijacked a thread. Start a new one.
ps Get a lawyer for the bait and switch. I assume your contract describes the address and size of the correct unit.

@ Gobot

You mean???

Sean Brown wrote:

5. I've read, that local fruit & veg  produce is heavily fertilized. Are imported / organic fruit & veg costly?

Most Vietnamese will tell you that the fruit from China is laced with chemicals and some will tell you that even Vietnamese fruits and vegetables are suspect if they look too large and bright.  My personal opinion, based not so much on direct knowledge but a 30+ year career in agriculture including my own vegetable operations, is that Vietnamese farmers today are using chemical fertilizers in amounts that optimize production.  No farmer spends on inputs that don't result in increased yield.  No farmer uses insecticides unless he feels he has insects that threaten his crop.  The industry goes through lots of back and forth about optimal levels but excessive levels are rarely economically positive.  Agribusinesses don't give away inputs for free. 

On the consumer side, I think that those who think the fruit is too large are basing their accusations on a memory of fruits that were undernourished.  Imported produce is generally from China, with some from Thailand.  A lot of Vietnamese are against Chinese imports for political reasons, but they are hard to avoid completely.

The vendors at my neighbour market in Saigon do not sell Chinese fruits and veggies.  I know that for certain because everything they sell are fresh picked, with dirt and roots and straw (in the case of eggs) still cling to the produce.  Still, I only buy from two or three vendors whom my relatives have vetted.  Those vendors even taught me how to spot Chinese veggies and how to avoid fruits that are injected with ripening agent.

Since our move to Vung Tau, I only buy seafood from one vendor whom my niece absolutely trusts. and whose family boats I've seen coming in with their daily catch.

With enough research, you'll find that there are plenty of places that sell clean produce, and with your income, you shouldn't have any problem subscribing to regular delivery of organic fruits and veggies from clean producers (Rau sạch 8 Khỏe, for instance).  If you chose to buy them in supermarket, however, then look for the labels VietGAP, GlobalGAP, HACCP, and ISO 22000.  Even if you buy only imported food, the cost shouldn't make a dent in your income.

For beef, there are plenty of shops in Saigon that sell Australian beef, I would buy from them instead of from the supermarkets.  Ask them what day/s of the week their shipment comes in and shop on that day.

EVERYTHING in Saigon can be delivered, from an order of McDonald's hamburger to a new vehicle.  If you buy it, they'll deliver, and there's no delivery charge most, of not all, of the time.

Come on Sean, you will get old quickly worrying too much. Save that time to play tennis and drink some beer!
Saigon is awesome. Just the air and the traffic are a bit concerning.
I have been living here in Thao Dien D2 for 1 year. Love it here. You may find this location a perfect place for your family. Nice houses and apartments, super delicious restaurants, wine shops, western supermarket,  street food, craft beer, friendly locals, best international schools around, quite close to the center D1, what else you could wish for more?

Sean Brown wrote:

5. I've read, that local fruit & veg  produce is heavily fertilized. Are imported / organic fruit & veg costly?

In super markets like BigC or Annam Gourmet Market you can every time buy apples from USA or France for about 45k Dong a kg (the bigger, the more expensive).
I personally don't touch the big, highly cultivated, expensive apples you also can buy everywhere. I think the smaller an apple is, the more natural it is.

As for the other fruits and vegetables, I agree with THIGV in #7.
I think that in large supermarket chains, the quality of purchased products is checked.
I am also not that worried about buying fruits and vegetables from the street vendors.

There are also a lot of organic food stores in HCMC.
But they seems to be a little expensive.

Hi Sean,

I moved to HCMC in July to teach at a International School. I live here with my wife and 3 young children (7, 5 and 2) compared to the UK the lifestyle is great. It's sunny all the year round, we live in a big 4 bedroom apartment with a big shared pool just outside Phu My Hung. I love D7 and Phu My Hung as it is less high rise than D2 and more laid back. I guess where you choose to live will depend on what school you send your child to. The last thing you want is for them to be on a bus for 2 hours a day! D7 have SSIS (very good Tier 1 School) and I teach at American International School. The school has a growing reputation and amazing facilities and is more affordable. In D2 you have BIS and ISHCMC (both Tier 1 schools) and Australian International School.

My kids have settled very well and love being able to swim all the year round. Their is a strong expat community in HCMC for families! Your salary is more than sufficient to live and have amazing holidays in Asia. Travel is very cheap and accommodation reasonable. Western foods are easily available and their are 2 supermarkets in D1 on Ham Nghi Street.

There are however a few down sides! The air quality is not great so be prepared for you children getting ill due to the change in environment. The traffic is a challenge too! FV Hospital in D7 have always been great when I have used them and we have just invested in Air Purifiers for our apartment!

You have to weigh up the pros and cons but in my opinion it's well worth the move and I love it here.

Hope this helps and let me know if you need any further advice.

Regards  Ivan

Hey Sean,

Temporarily moved here  with a family of 5 (wife + two kids + maid/nanny)

1. You got a pretty sweet deal with the offer. Base salary is more than enough to live comfortably, although it can get quite expensive if you splurge on a western style lifestyle. Mix in a few local spending habits when going to restaurants and you'll be fine.

Not too sure what the cost of schooling for your 7 yr old, but I've put my 4 year old into an international  Kindy School in D7 and its very affordable on your salary+school allowance. The school is spotless in terms of cleanliness (much more than back home). Teachers are nice and pay extra attention to the kids.

Your accomodation allowance of 2k/month can get you a 3+ bedroom apartment (120+ sqm) fully furnished in a high end complex, complete with amenities. Large pool, gym, lifts, 24/7 security, parking

2. Im in D7, and water is fine in most expat apartment complexes, although i do get delivery of bottled water for drinking. 3 x 20L of Vinhhao  will cost about 150k vnd, free delivery if you order 3 or more bottles. I go through 60 L approx every 2-3 weeks.

Pollution is a problem for the little ones. Went to the international hospital in D1 and the foreign doctor who is a specialist in infectious diseases and also a paediatrician had pretty much said air purifiers are pointless unless your case is extreme.
3. D7 is great i hear D2 is good as well.

4. I get my domestic worker to go do the grocery shopping and she's familiar with where to get the good stuff at the local market.  I've never had a problem with any of the veges.
The supermarkets in D7 has a huge variety and they look quite good. Truth is you probably wouldnt really know if you saw it, unless the produce is extremely out of the ordinary.

Life is sweet here if you have $$, which you do on that salary. Im really enjoying having a live in Nanny/House keeper that gets kids to bed and ready for school,  has a cup of coffee and plate of fruit cut of for me for breakfast every morning, cooks dinner and cleans the place up.
What more could you ask for?

Sean Brown wrote:

Good morning, everyone. I am offered a job in HCMC, before making a decision, may I, please, ask you for advice?
1. My job offer is monthly salary USD 5,000 + USD 20,000 a year schooling (I have a 7-year old daughter)+ USD 24,000 a year accomodation allowance. Is this offer ok for a family of 5 (me, my wife, 2 children (7 and 2 years old) and maid)?
2. I've read about a lot of health hazards in HCMC. Is tap water safe for at least showers and washing dishes? Is the air really polluted (my wife has asthma).
3. What is the most family-friendly district to rent an apartment/house?
4. Healthcare - I've read that many expats go to Singapore for any treatment. Is it realy that bad in HCMC?
5. I've read, that local fruit & veg  produce is heavily fertilized. Are imported / organic fruit & veg costly?

I appreciate any advice. I need to reply to that job offer, I've watched loads of videos and went through dozens of websites, but they all colntradict to one another.
Thank you

1. A 5K salary will depend on you and your spending habits. 20k will be enough to send one child to a decent international school. 24k will be enough to accommodate a family of 5 in D7.

2. The tap water is safe for showering, dishes, laundry, etc, but we decided to install a whole house filter anyway.

3. D7.

4. Healthcare is probably lacking for emergency services but FV has been great for non-emergencies. FV is a bit costly compared to to other hospitals, though. Luckily, my employer offers a really low deductible plan with comprehensive coverage.

5. Can't comment on costs or farming methods but my wife sticks to AEON and Annam Gourmet Market when it comes to groceries. No local markets.

Lastly, try and negotiate for a private car and driver if you can.

Yes, private driver would be ideal. Or otherwise a budget for Uber/Grab. It's dirt cheap compared to what you would pay at home so might be a feasible thing to negotiate.