Ho Chi Minh Info Thread

[datou]

S$1 meal outside D1 excluding the mangoes which is 20k dong per kg.

[datou]

Buffet lunch for S$7 in a restaurant.
No seafood, hv diff flavors of pastries, ice cream n tea to choose from.

[datou]

A typical 0 star hotel is below S$20 in D1 Bui Vien.
Clean maybe no safe deposit box n lift.


Transport
I try not to take taxi which i considered not cheap.
Bus is 6k dong n Grabcar/bike is much cheaper than taxi.
Anyway bus is available to n fro from the airport to D1 from 5k to 30k if u don't have bulky luggage.

Medications n shopping are also cheap like prices in Philipines.

My last trip of 20 days in HCM total spending excl airfare was less than S$800 including some mongering activities.

So i would say abt $1.2k per month for me to retire comfortably in HCM. Cost will be even lower if i rent an apt over hotel.

[ngankokyeu]

Originally Posted by naemlo

I am curious where u got this info from? Based on what voted as cheapest city???

Here you go

https://e.vnexpress.net/news/busines...s-3638605.html

Actually this article posted in the other thread.

[ngankokyeu]

Originally Posted by datou

A typical 0 star hotel is below S$20 in D1 Bui Vien.
Clean maybe no safe deposit box n lift.


Transport
I try not to take taxi which i considered not cheap.
Bus is 6k dong n Grabcar/bike is much cheaper than taxi.
Anyway bus is available to n fro from the airport to D1 from 5k to 30k if u don't have bulky luggage.

Medications n shopping are also cheap like prices in Philipines.

My last trip of 20 days in HCM total spending excl airfare was less than S$800 including some mongering activities.

So i would say abt $1.2k per month for me to retire comfortably in HCM. Cost will be even lower if i rent an apt over hotel.

Bro, thanks for sharing.

You are indeed thrifty.

This is what I mean what you hope to achieve or wanted to live as. I knew of others who can spend big money in just 4D3N and also those who live frugal just like you.

Scenario 1.
Daily eat and drink at New World Hotel
Gamble at casino
Bring along a well dress gf
Gf may bring friends or sisters
Night time patronized clubs such as Lush, Gold 02...

Easily can spend 15 to 30 million dongs per day.

Scenario 2
Daily eat and drink at roadside or small shops
No gamble
Just patronize bj joints or use website fj
Dun go clubs or expensive drinking places

Daily can spend 500k

So no comparison of apple and orange. Just that HCM or whole Vietnam is big enough to cater to many different types of ppl.

Feel free to comment.

[naemlo]

Originally Posted by ngankokyeu

If you have time to spare then hcmc just recently voted cheapest city for expat to live in.

Originally Posted by ngankokyeu

https://e.vnexpress.net/news/busines...s-3638605.html

The link u pointed is on Vietnam instead of what u mentioned HCMC. 1 is city, another is country, or did u post the wrong link?

There are reports Thailand is cheaper than Vietnam, there are reports Singapore is the most expensive city, there are reports Singapore not the most expensive.

[sw33tm4n]

Originally Posted by ngankokyeu

Bro, thanks for sharing.

You are indeed thrifty.

This is what I mean what you hope to achieve or wanted to live as. I knew of others who can spend big money in just 4D3N and also those who live frugal just like you.

Scenario 1.
Daily eat and drink at New World Hotel
Gamble at casino
Bring along a well dress gf
Gf may bring friends or sisters
Night time patronized clubs such as Lush, Gold 02...

Easily can spend 15 to 30 million dongs per day.

Scenario 2
Daily eat and drink at roadside or small shops
No gamble
Just patronize bj joints or use website fj
Dun go clubs or expensive drinking places

Daily can spend 500k

So no comparison of apple and orange. Just that HCM or whole Vietnam is big enough to cater to many different types of ppl.

Feel free to comment.

I was there for a week. Spent $250 bucks as expenses including eating good food.
Including good hotel and flight expenses, I spent close to $100 bucks per day. Can definitely be cheaper at least 20% - 40% if you take budget hotels, cheap food and budget flight. But why make yourself so thrifty especially you are on a holiday?

[FireShark]

Originally Posted by sw33tm4n

I was there for a week. Spent $250 bucks as expenses including eating good food.
Including good hotel and flight expenses, I spent close to $100 bucks per day. Can definitely be cheaper at least 20% - 40% if you take budget hotels, cheap food and budget flight. But why make yourself so thrifty especially you are on a holiday?

Actually; if you stay in village areas; it even more cheaper

[datou]

Originally Posted by ngankokyeu

This is what I mean what you hope to achieve or wanted to live as.

So no comparison of apple and orange. Just that HCM or whole Vietnam is big enough to cater to many different types of ppl.

Feel free to comment.

Fully agreed on the above bro. Everyone's circumstances n expectations are different so just do whatever to make oneself happy.
Regarding the expat survey it only serve as a guide, many factors does not concern us as we are not expat working there n i m sure it does not consider mongering costs which is one of our main concern.
So best is to experience on site n judge ourself.

Originally Posted by sw33tm4n

I was there for a week. Spent $250 bucks as expenses including eating good food.
Including good hotel and flight expenses, I spent close to $100 bucks per day. Can definitely be cheaper at least 20% - 40% if you take budget hotels, cheap food and budget flight. But why make yourself so thrifty especially you are on a holiday?

I m one of the thrifty guys.
I m thrifty cause i m not rich retiree and on holiday abt 300 days out of one year to siam the high costs in Sillypore.
So my kind of holiday is diff from yours.

[naemlo]

Originally Posted by sw33tm4n

But why make yourself so thrifty especially you are on a holiday?

Different ppl, different ways of spending... no right, no wrong... There will be 1 type of backpacker tourists, calculate almost every expenditure or restrict daily spending.

Personally, I am not looking into luxury traveling but normal, I dun bother of a few dollars saving.

[FireShark]

Originally Posted by naemlo

Different ppl, different ways of spending... no right, no wrong... There will be 1 type of backpacker tourists, calculate almost every expenditure or restrict daily spending.

Personally, I am not looking into luxury traveling but normal, I dun bother of a few dollars saving.

Me too; no luxury but simple & normal will do. But always spend a lot on good food especially on Heo Quy.

[juswan2knwu]

As request by 1 of the senior Samster for Vien Dong Spa review.

Price has gone up, VIP room is VND$750K now.

Room is well-kept and brand new, personal Sauna, steam room, toilet and etc. Only complaint is the cupboard for keeping clothes smells musky. Yucks.

Tip the bellboy VND$50K as recommended by some senior Samster in the earlier HCMC thread to bring me some really high standard ML.

A well-endowed and tall lady came in and her service was very good but the VND$500K tips was not accepted, not even VND$700K!!? VND$700K only have HJ and she keeps insisting for VND$1M for HJ and autoroaming.

When I came out, I saw a fairer and slightly more prettier gal but dun know her number.

Gal no: 22
Age: 23yrs old
Looks: 6.5/10
Boobs: around C Cup (all natural, dark brown nipples)
Body: Slim but not firm, no exercising, soft...
Masaage: 7/10
HJ: (good but not valuing as not a fan)
Autoroam: yes (for VND $1M), licking her all over and fingering
Kissing: yes (with light French kiss)
RTF: nope and too expensive for a HJ
Total Damage: VND$1.8M (VND$1M + VND$750K + VND$50K)

[Wdydx]

1.8m for massage and HJ, that's really expensive.

[naemlo]

Originally Posted by Wdydx

1.8m for massage and HJ, that's really expensive.

Dun worry too much for him, he has money to burn.

[naemlo]

Originally Posted by TomMAffolter

he treat 1.8m like we treat 180k thats why so easy for him to mistype

1.8 mil for a massage n HJ is out of my league.