The cost of living in Vietnam for a comfortable single remote worker is roughly ₫21-40 million a month (about $810-1,560), including a 1-bed apartment, coworking and private health insurance. Ho Chi Minh City is the most expensive of the main cities for rent, while Hanoi and Nha Trang are the cheapest.
Last checked: October 2026. USD conversions use the 1 October 2026 rate (1 USD = 25,935 VND, open.er-api.com) and are rounded.
In short:
- A comfortable single professional in Ho Chi Minh City should budget roughly ₫21-40 million a month (about $810-1,560), with a 1-bed apartment at ₫7.9-15.2 million.
- Vietnam has no dedicated digital nomad visa; most remote workers use the e-visa, which allows a stay of up to 90 days with multiple entries.
- You become Vietnamese tax resident after 183 days in a calendar year or in 12 months from arrival, or by having a rented home with a definite lease term, and residents are taxed on worldwide income.
The short verdict
Vietnam is one of the cheapest places in Asia to live well. On Numbeo’s figures, day-to-day costs outside rent run about ₫11.6-12.8 million (roughly $445-490) a month in the big three cities, well below Thailand’s. The trade-offs are paperwork and tax: there is no long-stay remote-work visa, so you live in 90-day blocks, and a fixed-term lease can make you tax resident sooner than you expect.
Monthly budget
A comfortable single professional in Ho Chi Minh City, 1-bed apartment in a good area, working from a coworking space.
| Item | VND / month | Approx USD | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-bed apartment | ₫7.9-15.2m | $305-585 | Numbeo HCMC: ₫7,853,003 outside centre, ₫15,220,860 centre (Sept 2026) |
| Utilities + home internet | ~₫3.0m | ~$115 | Numbeo: ₫2,692,210 utilities (85 m² basis) + ₫271,786 broadband |
| Coworking | ₫2.6-6.4m | $100-245 | Hot desk prices for Dreamplex, CirCO, Toong and The Sentry (Dreamplex pricing guide, Aug 2026) |
| Food and eating out | ₫5-9m | $195-345 | Our estimate from Numbeo prices (₫50,000 cheap meal, ₫600,000 mid-range for two, ₫46,524 cappuccino) |
| Transport | ₫0.3-1.5m | $12-58 | Numbeo: ₫300,000 monthly pass; top end is a rough allowance for ride-hailing |
| Gym | ~₫0.7m | ~$26 | Numbeo: ₫673,077 |
| Health insurance | ₫1.6-4.6m | $63-178 | SafetyWing Nomad Insurance, ages 18-39 (Essential to Complete) |
| Rough total | ₫21-40m | $810-1,560 |
Numbeo’s own estimate for a single person in HCMC, excluding rent, is ₫12,762,747 (about $492). Utilities look high relative to rent because air conditioning runs most of the year. Numbeo figures are crowd-sourced; serviced apartments on short lets in District 1 or Thao Dien cost more. The Dreamplex guide is published by a coworking operator, so treat its own prices as list prices.
City comparison
Numbeo data, 1-bed apartment rent and its single-person estimate excluding rent.
| City | 1-bed centre | 1-bed outside centre | Single person, excl. rent | Numbeo last update |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ho Chi Minh City | ₫15.2m ($587) | ₫7.9m ($303) | ₫12.8m ($492) | 26 Sept 2026 |
| Da Nang | ₫13.6m ($526) | ₫9.0m ($346) | ₫11.6m ($446) | 22 Sept 2026 |
| Hanoi | ₫10.6m ($409) | ₫7.2m ($279) | ₫11.9m ($458) | 1 Oct 2026 |
| Nha Trang | ₫10.6m ($407) | ₫7.2m ($276) | not reliable (few entries) | 6 Aug 2026 |
- Ho Chi Minh City: the business capital, with the most coworking and the highest central rents. Dreamplex lists District 2 (Thao Dien) hot desks slightly cheaper than District 1.
- Hanoi: the cheapest centre rent of the big three on Numbeo. The FCDO flags air pollution as a health risk in Vietnam, and it is worth checking air-quality data before a long stay.
- Da Nang: beach city with mid-range rents and the cheapest transport pass (₫130,000). Several Numbeo comments say recent price rises may not yet show in its figures.
- Nha Trang: coastal and cheap, but Numbeo’s data comes from only 26 contributors in the past year, so treat it as a rough guide.
Visa options for remote workers
- No digital nomad visa: as of 2026 Vietnam does not offer a dedicated digital nomad or remote-work visa (per The Digital Nomad Asia’s 2026 summary). Proposals for 10-year golden and investor visas have not been turned into law; the same summary says a separate 5-year talent visa launched in August 2025 (verify who qualifies).
- Visa exemption: UK nationals can visit for up to 45 days for tourism or business (UK FCDO). Other nationalities get different periods.
- E-visa: available to all nationalities, allowing a stay of up to 90 days with multiple entries (UK FCDO). Fees have been reported at $25 single entry and $50 multiple entry (Gulf News, 2024) (verify). You are restricted to the entry and exit points you choose when applying.
- Longer stays: the FCDO says stays beyond 90 days require contacting the Vietnamese Immigration Department. Many people leave and reapply, but repeated back-to-back e-visas are at the authorities’ discretion (verify).
Healthcare and insurance costs
The UK FCDO warns that “medical bills can be expensive” and recommends insurance with full medical cover and air ambulance evacuation. Contact your insurer quickly if you are referred to a hospital. The FCDO keeps a list of facilities where some staff speak English, which is worth saving before you arrive.
SafetyWing’s nomad policy costs $62.72 per 4 weeks (Essential) to $177.50 a month (Complete) for ages 18-39, roughly ₫1.6-4.6 million. Older age bands cost more.
Tax note
PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries says you are Vietnamese tax resident if you spend 183 days or more in either the calendar year or the 12 consecutive months from arrival, or if you have a permanent residence in Vietnam, which includes “a rented house in Vietnam with a definite lease term”. That second test is the one nomads miss: a 12-month lease can count even if you are under 183 days.
Residents are taxed on worldwide income, with employment income taxed at progressive rates up to 35% on annual taxable income above ₫1.2 billion. Non-residents pay a flat 20% on Vietnam-source employment income. Get advice before signing a long lease or staying half the year.
Who it suits, and who it doesn’t
Suits: budget-conscious remote workers and bootstrapping founders who want city life for well under $1,600 a month; people who move every few months anyway; anyone who likes street food and a fast-growing city.
Doesn’t suit: anyone who wants a single long-term visa and a settled base; people sensitive to air pollution; higher earners who could become tax resident through a lease and face rates up to 35% on worldwide income.
More cities: Best cities for digital nomads in 2026: 12 picks by budget and lifestyle · Visa options: Digital nomad visa countries: which countries have one (2026 list) · Does your country have a nomad visa: Does my country have a digital nomad visa? 35 countries answered (2026)
Related guides: Expat health insurance for digital nomads: SafetyWing vs Genki vs Cigna and more · Cost of living in Bali for digital nomads (2026): Canggu rent, visas and areas · Cost of living in Thailand (2026): Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya
Quick answers
Q: How much does it cost to live in Vietnam per month?
A comfortable single remote worker in Ho Chi Minh City should budget roughly ₫21-40 million a month, about $810-1,560. That covers a 1-bed apartment at ₫7.9-15.2 million, utilities and internet, coworking, food, transport, a gym and private health insurance. Hanoi and Nha Trang have lower centre rents.
Q: Does Vietnam have a digital nomad visa?
No. As of 2026 Vietnam has no dedicated digital nomad visa. Most remote workers use the e-visa, available to all nationalities, which allows a stay of up to 90 days with multiple entries. UK nationals can also visit visa-free for up to 45 days. Stays beyond 90 days need the Immigration Department.
Q: When do digital nomads become tax resident in Vietnam?
You are tax resident after 183 days or more in a calendar year or in 12 consecutive months from arrival, or if you have a permanent residence, including a rented house with a definite lease term. Residents are taxed on worldwide income, with employment income taxed at rates up to 35%.
Sources
- Numbeo: Cost of living in Ho Chi Minh City
- Numbeo: Cost of living in Hanoi
- Numbeo: Cost of living in Da Nang
- Numbeo: Cost of living in Nha Trang
- Dreamplex: Office rental cost in Ho Chi Minh City 2026
- SafetyWing Nomad Insurance
- UK FCDO: Vietnam entry requirements
- UK FCDO: Vietnam health
- The Digital Nomad Asia: Vietnam digital nomad visa 2026
- Gulf News: How to apply for a Vietnam eVisa (2024)
- PwC: Vietnam individual tax residence
- PwC: Vietnam taxes on personal income
- Exchange rates: open.er-api.com
This is general information from the Nomad Forums team, not immigration, tax or legal advice. Rules change; check the official source or a qualified adviser before applying.
Over to you: If you have lived in Vietnam on back-to-back e-visas, how did your re-entries go and how long did you stay in total? And what does a 1-bed actually cost you in your district?