Looking for accommodation in HCMC.

Don't panic    Very difficult to line up anything before you arrive, and you don't want a place sight unseen anyway. Cheapest sources are Vietnamese websites, but apartments go fast so the listings go stale. Forget English language websites for apartments, they are overpriced for expats. Maybe craigslist for an expat to expat listing?

Stay in a cheap 2star hotel when you arrive (agoda.com). Ask your work for help. Get a Vietnamese from the company to help you with listings and landlords, or put an add in the Jobs forum for a helper, maybe $10/hour for a student? Put an ad in this housing forum, agents should contact you. Consider the roommate route. Look around Bui Vien street for postings, maybe travel agents there can help. I wouldn't recommend living in that zoo tho (backpackers area).

D1 is actually big, too big to walk across in heat. So pinpoint your employer's address and extend your search outward. FYI most apartments (definitely the cheapest) need 1 year leases. You can find shorter leases but it reduces your selection and increases your rent. Shorter leases also let you escape a bad situation faster. Ok that's all the tips I have.

Thanks for all the info!

Hi, I'm Kim Thanh, I'm from Vietnam. I think you shouldn't rent a house in d1, d3 because it's so so expensive and you will never know how is vietnam. Binh Thanh or d2, d4 have many foreigners live here, it takes 10 15 minutes to go to d1. You can rent the cheapest house in d12 and have a vietnamese life style here but it takes 40 minutes to go to d1.

Go to this site       https://nha.chotot.com/quan-1/thue-can- … 988849.htm     
Fully refurbished building. Sky TV,  Aircon, good Wi-Fi, fridge, washing machine, motorbike parking on the ground floor, walk to Co-op, cheap food galore along the Main St (Tran Khac Chan) . Check it out on Google maps. Phone Anna on +84 90 8301994 or 090 830 1994 if you are in Nam already. Prices between 6 Million VND and 7.5 Million VND depending on which apartment you take. She has two apartments left. It's in D3 but the main road takes you directly into the city centre in less than 10 minutes by Yamaha or 9 minutes on a Honda. It's 3.6km (on Google) to the Rex Hotel. The Commonwealth Bank is also at the very end of the road in the city,
Use  chotot.com.vn to find motorbikes. Click on the triangle next to Tat ca dhanh muc  to expand it and click on the motorcycle icon Xe co. I picked up a slightly ratty Yamaha Nouvo 3 for US$200 (4.5 Million VND).  You can use the search for a particular brand or model.
A cheap hotel in a good location is The Lucky Star Saigon at 400,000 per night, the receptionist, Mau, speaks good English and will help you find a place or motorbike or translate directly off the screen. That hotel is also near a Co-op and has motorbike hire or parking. Check it out on Agoda.com.
Another person to call regarding accommodation right next door to Ben Thanh market is a lady called Dao on 093 848 91 99. She is currently repainting an apartment now. It's 6 million a month, which I wasn't too keen on as motorcycle parking is across the road in the open for VND300,000 pm and the unit wasn't too flash. You pay more for D1. You will always pay electricity on top of the rent at 10,000 for 3.5 - 4 kw.
Get a Sim card sorted out at  a Thegioididong shop. Viettel is the cheapest company. I went for calls plus 1.5GB of internet at 75,000VND. I think choosing my own number was also another  75,000VND. Thegioididong shops are big yellow and black buildings. There is one on the corner of the street from the Lucky Star and also Anna's apartment. There is always someone who speaks good English there.
The best dentist in Vietnam is at 199 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St . Minh Khai Dentist does teeth cleaning for US$20. It will be the best dental premises you have ever walked into no matter where you come from. No appointments required. It's that big!  Ask for Kiki. Her English is excellent. She may approach you before you can ask!  It's also in walking distance from the Lucky Star. Good luck.

Hi
Did you find a bed to stay in HCM? If you want to stay in cheap and good place with nice Vietnamese and Indian cuisines, let me know.
Thank and have a nice day