I acquired on the “night here, morning there” call with James Clark of Nomadic Notes lately. James is really a digital nomad working from Ho Chi Minh City—Saigon—in Vietnam. He is not there constantly, however for lengthy enough stretches to obtain a sense of what it really costs to reside there.
I’m beginning to compile info for any book I’ve being released the coming year on reducing your expenses in two by moving abroad. It’s not necessary to always proceed to among the least expensive places to reside to do that, but Vietnam certainly is among the least expensive places to reside or travel. Here are a few popular features of our conversation, using the inside scoop on daily life expenses in HCMC.
How have you stroll into a situation where you are able to travel and support yourself in the road?
I discovered which i loved traveling a great deal after i began and loved working on the web, and so i determined a method to work with myself and doing both. During the last 10 years I’ve been doing website design on a trip, working from various places all over the world. I’m from Australia, however i haven’t had a previous address there since 2010. I’ve mostly experienced Southeast Asia.
I’ve lived in Vietnam the majority of the past year, in Ho Chi Minh City. I attempted out lots of places on for size for on a trip, using different spots like a base. I understood a buddy who resided here and loved it, plus there have been another online buddies I understood were based here. Therefore it was simple to move here making this my new house. Sometimes throughout the day at cafes [thus a substantial $5 each day coffee budget] and you will find most likely 15 people I understand here who’re working online, on companies. It’s nice to possess individuals to day and bounce ideas from.
What’s the visa situation for residing in Vietnam?
Whenever you fly in you can aquire a 30 days visa on arrival or perhaps a three month one are applying for online before you decide to come. I’ve got a multi-entry visa. Some buddies have business visas, but that’s more difficult to obtain and also you usually have to be employing people or else you are backed with a company. I must leave the nation periodically and go back to begin a new three-month cycle.
What exactly is it like establishing a rental there?
The initial place I rented only agreed to be an area inside a house for $250 per month, but you will get one’s own furnished one-bed room apartment in District 1 where I’m for $500 that’ll be decent. Which includes a maid who comes three occasions per week and does your laundry. These include internet. Electricity isn’t incorporated, that is $20 per month approximately, more if you possess the ac running constantly.
Each time I’ve came back, I’ve found a location within eventually for any short-term rental. I’ll book a guesthouse room for just one night and subsequently day I’ve found a location.
Exactly what do spent monthly?
Used to do an in depth blog publish noting my expenses for just one month which was under $800, living rather frugally. You can spend more money with an apartment and venture out more, but nonetheless, for $1,000 you are able to live very well here.
It’s so cheap to consume great food there, I suppose it is not a great deal from your budget.
Yeah, the area I’m renting at this time doesn’t actually have a kitchen. But no matter. I am not an excellent prepare anyway and your meals are so great here, I wouldn’t bother. [On eating at restaurants and groceries for the reason that one-month tally, James spent as many as $246.]
You can aquire a large amount of great worldwide food here, however the street meals are excellent. A filling bowl of pho costs about $2, half that outdoors the central district.
Can there be something that is more expensive than you would expect or perhaps is an undesirable value?
The shopping isn’t so great here when compared with somewhere like Bangkok if you wish to buy clothes or something like that. You would not buy electronics here since the taxes are actually high on the top of greater prices to start with. Therefore if my Macbook dies, I am not replacing it here, that’s without a doubt. Still, there many people that walk around with iPhones here, that is really surprising!
Resourse: http://cheapestdestinationsblog.com/2013/12/18/what-it-costs-to-live-in-ho-chi-minh-cityn-city-vietnam/
FIRST DAYS LIVING IN VIETNAM (HO CHI MINH CITY) | DIGITAL NOMAD VLOG 15
Video COMMENTS:
heywassupsalam: Vietnamese iced coffee is💯 it gives me anxiety & that's how I know it's working😹
Chris the Freelancer: Haha so true
mrearlygold: Café Da!
Damien W: That's somoething I love about Saigon though – the fact that they don't bow down to foreigners. So to me it feels like a more "authentic experience" if that makes sense.
Chris the Freelancer: Yes. That makes sense
Nisanth Chunduru: @Chris I'd say Da Nang. Some of my best experiences in Vietnam have been in and around (Hoi An, Lang Co, Hue etc.) Da Nang. I feel its very underrated as a digital nomad destination. And here's why\n\nhttps://www.instagram.com/p/BGw6MA2mJwj/?taken-by=nisanth074\nhttps://twitter.com/nisanth074/status/745911660859297793\n\nIf you fly to Da Nang, you should consider staying at the same Airbnb I stayed at https://www.airbnb.co.in/rooms/7470443 The host is an amazing person and the Airbnb is quite simply one of the best in Vietnam.\n\nHoi An is the icing on the cake. It just an hour away on a motorbike and the drive (like the city) is very scenic.
David Tang: Hate that they sell dog meat
Bryan M: David Tang Funny we are OK with eating one animal but not another. Is it a cuteness thing or a personality thing? I'm guessing personality. Cows and Pigs are cute.Although horses kind of fall into the "food" category but they don't.
LarryM: Bryan M hogs are murderous demons
Thanh Binh Ngo: Are you PewDiePie?