Photo courtesy of VN Express

Katie Smith, a 29-year-old from the UK, relocated to Da Nang, Vietnam, attracted by its affordability, scenic beaches, and inexpensive living costs. Once a teaching assistant in the UK, Smith now works as a remote TEFL teacher, living with her boyfriend Dan, 32. The couple spends around £20 a week on groceries and enjoys meals at local markets for as little as £2.

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Vietnam ranks as the most affordable country according to the 2024 Expat Insider survey by InterNations, with 86% of expatriates finding the cost of living reasonable. After backpacking across Asia, Smith chose to settle in Vietnam last October, escaping the high expenses of the UK. Her previous UK salary was insufficient for sustainable living, prompting her move abroad.

Smith enjoys the low cost of personal care in Vietnam, citing affordable prices for manicures and hair treatments compared to the UK. Local markets provide cost-effective alternatives to cooking at home, allowing frequent dining out. Transportation costs remain low, with motorbike rentals and ride-hailing services offering economical travel options.

While Da Nang offers many advantages, the city’s regular construction activity poses a minor inconvenience for Smith. Despite this, she appreciates Da Nang's charm, a stark contrast to her brief experience in Hanoi, where pollution and traffic were challenging. Missing family remains difficult, but the lifestyle benefits in Vietnam overshadow the drawbacks.

Smith aims to save money before eventually returning to the UK, noting the challenges of renting and homeownership there. Although she finds saving difficult due to low costs and spending habits, budgeting in Vietnam allows the possibility of saving around £800 to £900 monthly, reported VN Express.

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  Adapted by ASEAN Now · VN Express · 20 Mar 2026

Interesting article. Hope Vietnam can consider retirement visa options soon.

What sort of Vietnamese visa are these folks staying in Vietnam on?

3 hours ago, connda said:

What sort of Vietnamese visa are these folks staying in Vietnam on?

Can't speak for everyone of course; people I've spoken to have 90-day e-visas that can be extended by 30 days. Then they do visa runs. Not in-out border runs though, they fly somewhere for a few days and apply for an e-visa again when outside of Vietnam. I have not come across anyone who has had any issues with this.

1) There's no visa extensions in VN.

2) Border hopping is permitted and unlimited number per year, but it'll be a visa waiver, different lengths for different passports, but 45 days is common.

3) A 90 day tourist visa costs $25 USD and can only be applied for once outside the country, so in the departure lounge, takes around 3 days to be processed (but they state upto 7 days processing).

An agent can get them processed within hours so you don't have to leave the airport on the other side, just literally go from Arrivals to Departures and check-in for the next flight back, the agent charges $25-35 USD on top of the $25 USD visa. Well worth it as a night in BKK hotel with transfers far exceeds the agent fees.

4) Da Nang is now full of tourists, it has changed in the last year or two. Firstly flooded by Russians and now tourists from everywhere. The place has been ruined, the costs have shot up, accommodation used to be 4-6m VND per month in 2024, now 20m VND for the same apartment. Food prices have trebled (restaurants and street food) but supermarkets have remained static.

5) Worth going for a visit but it's already spoilt for long-term stays.

6) No retirement visas offered and even Spouse visas are only 2-3 years in length requiring renewals (2 years in Da Nang, 3 years in HCMC and Hanoi).

3 hours ago, QPRFC said:

1) There's no visa extensions in VN.

2) Border hopping is permitted and unlimited number per year, but it'll be a visa waiver, different lengths for different passports, but 45 days is common.

3) A 90 day tourist visa costs $25 USD and can only be applied for once outside the country, so in the departure lounge, takes around 3 days to be processed (but they state upto 7 days processing).

An agent can get them processed within hours so you don't have to leave the airport on the other side, just literally go from Arrivals to Departures and check-in for the next flight back, the agent charges $25-35 USD on top of the $25 USD visa. Well worth it as a night in BKK hotel with transfers far exceeds the agent fees.

4) Da Nang is now full of tourists, it has changed in the last year or two. Firstly flooded by Russians and now tourists from everywhere. The place has been ruined, the costs have shot up, accommodation used to be 4-6m VND per month in 2024, now 20m VND for the same apartment. Food prices have trebled (restaurants and street food) but supermarkets have remained static.

5) Worth going for a visit but it's already spoilt for long-term stays.

6) No retirement visas offered and even Spouse visas are only 2-3 years in length requiring renewals (2 years in Da Nang, 3 years in HCMC and Hanoi).

Once places are discovered they are never the same again, the same thing happened with Bali and it's now a tourist ruin, an absolutely horrific place.

I wonder if there are smaller cities in Vietnam that have good infrastructure and facilities for expats.

The visa issue alone would be a turn off for me, as I just don't like fussing with immigration issues.

I've been to Vietnam three times over a 25-year period with and without my Thai woman, and I just couldn't get past the people. I found them to be like cold, wet fish. I'm sure there are exceptions but I find the Thai people to be a lot warmer and infinitely more light-hearted. And I think the infrastructure here is a lot better. Though you likely don't have the traffic issues traveling around Vietnam like you do here.