Employment Situation

Well, I stayed at an okay hotel with big screen Sony TV and movies, wifi for 250 k a day (night only: 140 k). That's about $ 10. Food is cheap. Wifi: not 100% reliable, especially in a small town near Halong. But then, no power for hours, that sucks big time.

Car? Forget it on your salary!

Pool? Fat chance - there was a healing hot well for 20,000 D nearby. Why not go to Thailand instead? I have a condo there with a pool and a gym. Your rent starts at $ 250 with utilities. Cars are cheaper, but you would be working to pay for your car. VISA? Qualify for a retirement VISA at 50+ for Thailand? VN, check the internet. Bought a re-entry VISA, but it was expensive.

Gee, it seems one can only just get by living in Vietnam, maybe better just for a holiday only.I was thinking about coming to Danang/ Hoi An area to look at a business opportunity ( trade or store),🍇🍺 ,but this site is frightening me away..

Seems like expats can afford to live without work or just earn enough to live..

Others thoughts, please.

YMMV as all depends how you budget (spend your money).

Had a deal with free room and 2 cooked meals every day. So it's a small room and not what you describe. OTOH, if you can live without Coca Cola and chocolate etc. and ride a motorcycle, you might save hundreds a month on a CAN $ 1,000 salary.

My wife makes more than me, so I shouldn't comment on this part of your post.

17 million VND a month is surviving and not living.

And don't be fooled into thinking that everyone here makes 1000USD a year as you couldn't be further from the truth.

You may also forget about a swimming pool and car right off the bat.

A 2 bedroom apartment you're talking 400 USD minimum plus utilities and food shopping.

Hence, you'll be lucky to have a pot to piss in at the end of each month.

How many hours do you work to make $ 1,000? Would you consider getting a 2nd job? Just wondering.

You can find love wherever you may be. Not to be rude, but why wouldn't a local woman want to be with you where you are now?

I agree max with t101. No way you have a decent live in Nam as you have to rent also. For a proper/ normal live you need 600 us extra a month and for sure, after 1 or 2 years you need an extra 400 us. Do not get fooled about cheap living in Nam.
At the end you need 1700 us to stay with the head above water.

"17 million VND a month is surviving and not living. "   I agree. What about emergencies? Just because Vietnamese can live on less, it will be huge culture shock for you. They are used to the heat, rats, shopping at markets everyday. How did you choose Vietnam? It is far from the easiest country to be an expat.

A partial answer from my short experience. I live in Saigon inner city, not the chic expat suburbs. And I really like it here!

Start with RetireCheap.Asia website and youtube channel. JC covers living in Thailand for under $1000. A lot of the info is applicable in Viet Nam, Cambodia, etc. There is a good $10 membership site too.
Another great resource are two US expats Reekay and Ned with youtube channels in Dumaguete, Philippines. There is not much expat info from Vietnam on youtube.

1. My studio apartment is very nice, but no kitchen! (I have a microwave + fridge = good enough for me), in a family-owned building, from an ad on Vietnamese language website, apt and all utilities including aircon electric is $340/month.
Aircon costs $50 - $75 a month in a small apartment if you use it every day. And you will.
Saigon is crowded and there is no place to grow food, no gardens. You have to live in a small town to see that much dirt in one place, cheaper there too.
Mushrooms? Dude you will have to really learn to love Vietnamese food on a small budget.

2. I just ran an internet speedtest. 17M down, 16M up. I don't have complaints about internet here, sometimes slow, like anywhere. There is wifi everywhere, even at the convenience store.

3. There are 2 public olympic size pools near me with swim lanes, 50.000 and 30.000 entrance fee.

4. Only trillionaires have cars. You probably can't get a license anyway, and good, then you won't kill anybody. Thailand has more cars, and I don't think a 100% duty on purchase price like here. Bus is only 25 cents. Or how about a 3-wheel motorbike? Guess US$3000.

5. Substitutes for most name brand meds are available w/o prescription. Internet search.

6. You won't be able to communicate with translation apps. You have to learn how to pronounce Vietnamese first. There are many new sounds. Plan on spending a lot of time. Start now! An advantage of city living is some (young) people speak a little English. You will have to depend on your new girlfriend.

7. Visas - search this forum for a thousand threads.

Before you get too serious about moving here, you need to visit for 2 - 4 weeks. Stay in 5 different cheap hotels in different places. It is not for everybody.
Crazy suggestion: find a woman who works, then you will have more money together. Unless she has kids, then much less. You can live with her family, she will be living with them already.
And I wouldn't say it is a paradise for meeting women. Why do men think that? Language barriers. Culture barriers. Traditionally shy and expecting men to lead, she will not approach you. Sex after marriage. Older men/younger women connections easier and more accepted in Philippines, Thailand.

Some good replies here. Thanks to all of you for some of the best and insightful replies I have ever found on any forum I have ever visited.

So Thailand ehh. I'm not opposed to that particular nation...have just heard some negative things about it. Philippines scares me because of the massive storms there.