Cost of Living Vietnam

by Teresa Luna
(USA)

How much is the monthly cost of living in Vietnam?

I have some friends who work as English teachers in Vietnam. They teach at Raffles International College.

I would like to know how do you think they earn and how much is the cost of living there?

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Reply from Travel-Budget-Asia.com


Wow, Raffles. They opened their first school in Ho Chi Minh City in about 2005.

I interviewed for them and their first and only offer was for full time. Unlike other schools, you must be in your office or somewhere on campus for a full 40 hour week.

Most schools just need you to show up for your classes and if you don't have any more classes then you go home.

Raffles International College first offered me 1,400USD a month but I refused because I was working 27 hours a week at another school and making near $2,000USD.

Raffles went as high as $1,600USD in the end so my guess is that your friends are making about 1,500USD a month.... if they are full timers.

Raffles is not your typical school. Their courses consist of

• Design Courses

Graphic Design, Multimedia Design, Fashion Design and Interior Design

• Business Courses

Management, Marketing, Finance and Hospitality

Of course, Raffles offers an intensive English Program, which is most likely the department your friends are working in.

The courses are so well laid out in the teachers guide that you really don't need to know much about the topic of the class you are teaching. Raffles is great for people looking for new opportunities because they desire to hire people who have not been tainted by other training in the field.


It is easier to teach people THEIR way of doing things without enduring many problems or questions.

You can live in Ho Chi Minh City for anywhere between $500USD and as much as $1,601USD.

It is so hard to answer the question about the cost of living in Vietnam. Some people go to Vietnam, bank $1,000USD a month for their future plans and live on the other $500USD.

Others spend every penny they get, live like kings without any plans for the future.

Which are you?

It gets cheaper the longer you stay in Vietnam because you will make friends and learn of houses that are cheap and you eventually find the better restaurants and other spots.

The cost of living in Vietnam will lower over time. The first 4 months might find you spending more than you should on food that doesn't belong to any specific food group.

Best of Luck and have a Happy New Year 2011,

Philip