Appartment prices on a budget?

That price range will likely work, though you may be very jealous of your friends who put out up to $600 a month.

The cheapest apartments will say "services EXCLUDED". That means you may have to set up your kitchen, buy linens and be your own maid without a doorman, AND you'll have to pay utilities on your own.

"Services INCLUDED" usually means it's similar to a hotel, in that your kitchenette has all dishes and cookware, your linens are provided, there is maid service at least once or twice a week, and some if not all utilities are paid.

Unless you know someone personally in the area, avoid doing anything long distance before you arrive.

Instead when you arrive, invest $5 to $15 a day in a hostel or cheap hotel and do your search then.

Unless you are fluent in the Vietnamese language, it's a good idea to hire an interpreter guide who has nothing to do with the real estate business. Have them go along with you as you do your viewing and negotiations.

You can have ideas for specific properties already set up, and even appointments with real estate agents that you find on this site or others, but you really need the face to face contact to get the best deal, or any deal for that matter.

You're probably going to have to pay a hefty deposit in order to secure something long term, which is how you get the best deals.

Probably a good idea to get one of the long term visas: 1 year tourist, requiring border run every 3 months, or more expensive 1 year business visa, which does not require border runs.

I say that because, if you have a 3 month Visa but want to rent a place for 6 months or a year...would you rent to you in that situation? The visa is just one sign of your level of commitment to life in Vietnam.

If there is one thing the Vietnamese people appreciate (along with humility and gratitude and a few other things) it's COMMITMENT.

I hope your search Is successful.

To clarify, some landlords want a 3 month deposit on a long-term rental to an Expat, so with your budget, be prepared to pay as much as $1,200.00 just for deposit, plus first month's rent.

Try this, what I just did:

Google: Vung Tau

Click on the map view (it may open in browser or maps app)

Clear search bar and type: hotels

If you are in Chrome, you can then filter for "cheap".

I came up with about 2 dozen places, most for $7 or $8 dollars a night, at 3 or 4 star review ratings (a couple places may be hostels).

You can get even slightly lower rates when you negotiate with them in person for a month at a time.

Just saying, don't feel in a rush to have to find an apartment quickly. You could spend a month or two in an affordable hotel (up to $13 a night) with the flexibility to move on to just the right apartment or homestay when you've found it.

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

If there is one thing the Vietnamese people appreciate (along with humility and gratitude and a few other things) it's COMMITMENT.

Where'd you pick that up? From a high-glaze travel brochure?
I showed this to my Vietnamese wife and she laughed out loud.
I wonder if you'll spread the same wisdom after living in Vietnam for a year.
As you have described, these people certainly exist in Vietnam (as in other countries). But at least in HCMC these are certainly not in the majority.

Andy Passenger wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

If there is one thing the Vietnamese people appreciate (along with humility and gratitude and a few other things) it's COMMITMENT.

Where'd you pick that up? From a high-glaze travel brochure?
I showed this to my Vietnamese wife and she laughed out loud.
I wonder if you'll spread the same wisdom after living in Vietnam for a year.
As you have described, these people certainly exist in Vietnam (as in other countries). But at least in HCMC these are certainly not in the majority.

I picked it up during the first year I lived in Vietnam: 1971-1972

If you surround yourself with people who don't value commitment, congratulations on finding what you value.

To find a hotel, just use Agoda. They don't list all hotels, but enough to get you started.

Just come on a tourist visa. Once you land a job, the school will help to get a work visa.

Then find a long term apartment. There are Vietnamese websites, search the forum, translate in chrome, but of course wait until you get here to choose. Ask your new teacher buddies for recommendations too.

Eddy on vacation wrote:

I've heard mentioned appartments from as low as $200 usd per month, I would be able to go up to $400 a month but would love to get something nice in a nice location possibly even sea view, just wondering if that's possible for $200 usd a month or even $300 - $350?.

I seriously doubt you'll be able to find a sea view apartment in Vung Tau for $350 (a bit less than 8.2M in today's exchange.)  We're 600 meters from the beach (6 or 7 minute walk) in a very nice, very quiet, and very small building with mountain view and we pay 12M ($515) for a 2 bedroom apartment.  A poster on this forum pays the same price plus management fee for a studio apartment with sea view (he's on the 13th floor of an 18 floor building).

For $400, you may be able to find a nice studio apartment within walking distance of the beach but not with sea view, or you can find one with a sliver view of the sea from a high floor but not within walking distance of the beach.  Either or, not both.   You should also know that living on a high-rise building means paying management fee in addition to the rent.

In re: deposit, do not ever agree to more than one month deposit.  Never ever!  If the agent says it's a requirement, your answer should be:  "Thank you, I'll pass."  More than one month deposit is not a requirement, and you should remember your best weapon:  "No, thank you!"

PS:  The building we're living in have vacancies at the moment, with one-bedroom (not studio apartment) goes for 10M and two-bedroom for 12M.  Every apartment is on its entire floor.  No neighbors on either side.  The owners do not advertise, do not rent out to walk-ins, do not accept short term, and do not rent to everyone who asks.  It's amongst the highest quality apartment buildings you can find in VT.  They only ask for one month deposit and no extra fee.

Ciambella wrote:

PS:  The building we're living in have vacancies at the moment, with one-bedroom (not studio apartment) goes for 10M and two-bedroom for 12M.  Every apartment is on its entire floor.  No neighbors on either side.  The owners do not advertise, do not rent out to walk-ins, do not accept short term, and do not rent to everyone who asks.  It's amongst the highest quality apartment buildings you can find in VT.  They only ask for one month deposit and no extra fee.

Hmmm...maybe I will visit Vũng Tàu sooner than January... 😉

OP (original poster): THIS is the person to listen to. You are fortunate to have @Ciambella's input.

Andy Passenger wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

If there is one thing the Vietnamese people appreciate (along with humility and gratitude and a few other things) it's COMMITMENT.

Where'd you pick that up? From a high-glaze travel brochure?
I showed this to my Vietnamese wife and she laughed out loud.
I wonder if you'll spread the same wisdom after living in Vietnam for a year.
As you have described, these people certainly exist in Vietnam (as in other countries). But at least in HCMC these are certainly not in the majority.

He will be spreading the same wisdom until (if ever) he's able to understand a few things they say to each other ("Hey, our sister really hit the jackpot with this white gold mine") but sometimes ignorance is bliss and there's nothing wrong with living with an illusion if it makes you happy and gives you a sense of being on a moral high ground

WillyBaldy wrote:

Andy Passenger wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

If there is one thing the Vietnamese people appreciate (along with humility and gratitude and a few other things) it's COMMITMENT.

Where'd you pick that up? From a high-glaze travel brochure?
I showed this to my Vietnamese wife and she laughed out loud.
I wonder if you'll spread the same wisdom after living in Vietnam for a year.
As you have described, these people certainly exist in Vietnam (as in other countries). But at least in HCMC these are certainly not in the majority.

He will be spreading the same wisdom until (if ever) he's able to understand a few things they say to each other ("Hey, our sister really hit the jackpot with this white gold mine") but sometimes ignorance is bliss and there's nothing wrong with living with an illusion if it makes you happy and gives you a sense of being on a moral high ground

Commitment itself is meaningless without an object (commitment to what?).
I'd guess sister is excited about her "gold mine" because he has proved he is committed to supporting her. She in turn is committed to keep him happy and generous, even if he has promised to marry her, yet keeps calling her his "girlfriend". That works for them because she can tell when a man is committed and when he isn't. She's not afraid to let him fly away to Europe, because she is convinced he has no one interested in him there. So he either provides for her when he's with her, or sends her money when he isn't, and she is quite content with that level of commitment to her alone.

Other Vietnamese women must have a commitment to their families, for they are her greatest commitment. If the man convinces her that he will love and provide for her family as his own, then that level of commitment will convince her (and her parents) that she should become his wife.

It's all relative, without moral absolutes covering all situations, so there is no moral high ground from my point of view.

However, it's sad (to me) when people have no commitments to anyone outside themselves in their lives. There is a special sense of purpose in fulfilling commitments made to others that they will never experience. Yet when those people surround themselves with like-minded people, they have created what makes THEM happy. More power to them.

Back to my remark in context, no matter how sleezy one thinks a landlord may be, if the landlord has a choice between renting to an airhead vs. someone who truly appears to be committed to building a life in Vietnam, then it's not a moral decision, it's a business decision. The person committed to sticking around will beat out the airhead every time.

Cheers!

Thanks so much, very helpful.  I would like to find something around 6M-7M dong I think as I want to save as much money as I can while teaching in Vietnam. If I cannot get sea view then I will have to settle without it, if I find I am saving enough money and I can afford to go up to 8M-9M then maybe I can get the sea view

Don't worry. Just arrive and stay at a hotel for a week or so.

There's an incredible surplus of accommodation and housing in Vũng Tàu. Once you arrive, ask around and maybe use an agent. There are loads of ads on various FB pages/groups.

There are also some ads here on this site:
https://www.expat.com/en/housing/asia/vietnam/vung-tau/

As mentioned above, don't agree on anything in advance. Wait till you arrive and see with your own eyes.

I pay 5 million for a fully furnished one-BR with balcony, seaview, kitchen, A/C, hot shower, flat screen TV, etc. Landlord asked for 2-month deposit plus first month's rent.  This is one of the older buildings. Newer places, of which there are plenty, are more expensive, of course.

Anyway, it's a renter's market. Take your time.

johnross23 wrote:

I pay 5 million for a fully furnished one-BR with balcony, seaview, kitchen, A/C, hot shower, flat screen TV, etc.

Wow good catch, johnross

Well, it's at OSC, which is a bit run down, and I moved in 3 plus years ago.

I think you could still find a good (not great) place at that price with firm negotiation and, as someone mentioned above, a commitment to a long-term contract.

My friend has a lake-view on the other side of the building, which includes the mountains and a bit of the sea beyond that, for the same price. You get some nice sunsets facing that way, so a seaview is not the only game in town.

Anyway, the main thing is that you can definitely find a place that fits your budget in VT.

If you're completely broke, just sleep in the park, take a shower at the beach, then grab a couple coconuts off the tree for breakfast. At least you won't be waking up in HCMC.

Eddie,

There is a lot of good advice above.
The only thing I'd like to emphasize is that even hotel costs are reasonable,
Even $15 a day is only $450 per month, that's 10,300,000 VND

Come, find a job, meet colleagues and then they will help you and you will have a sense of what you want and need.

Good luck
Richard

Thanks for sharing that, that's fantastic, I would love more information about it. I sent you a message if you would rather tell me over message.

***

In VT, it's very easy to find walk to beach, mountain view, 6/7million no contact monthly 1br apartment/studio with free water and 3.5kw electric.  Some are brand spanking new. They're not advertise. You have to walk-in and ask. Sometimes the receptionist speaks very little English. My worst experience is that the Vietnamese quote one price in the morning and another at noon. So if you find one you like sign and pay at that moment. Otherwise the price will be completely different in a few hours or next day. Their words aren't reliable. That's my personal experience.

Hi I was wondering if you can give me a rough idea  as to how much I can expect to pay to own a 2 bedroom apartment with a sea view in Vuug Tau?..oh and are they freehold?