{"id":1066,"date":"2013-10-27T15:16:55","date_gmt":"2013-10-27T08:16:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/?p=1066"},"modified":"2019-07-03T11:56:34","modified_gmt":"2019-07-03T04:56:34","slug":"a-guide-to-move-to-and-live-in-vietnam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/a-guide-to-move-to-and-live-in-vietnam\/","title":{"rendered":"A Guide to Living in Vietnam"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_4097\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4097\" style=\"width: 940px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4097 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/move-to-and-live-in-Vietnam-3.jpg\" alt=\"How to move to and live in Vietnam\" width=\"940\" height=\"788\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/move-to-and-live-in-Vietnam-3.jpg 940w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/move-to-and-live-in-Vietnam-3-300x251.jpg 300w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/move-to-and-live-in-Vietnam-3-768x644.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4097\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">How to move to and live in Vietnam<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Living in Vietnam has become a popular <a href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/2018\/05\/15\/vietnam-itinerary-how-long-to-stay-in-ho-chi-minh-city-hanoi-hoi-an-halong-nha-trang\/\">destination<\/a> for not only short-term travel but long-term expat living as well. \u00a0Due to the increased prominence on the global scene, many expats (American, German, French, Chinese and Koreans to name but a few) call Vietnam their home. \u00a0Currently, there are roughly 90,000 foreign nationals living here.\u00a0 Living in Vietnam is a unique and enriching experience, but it can also be daunting when you don\u2019t know what to expect.\u00a0 Even securing the opportunity to work and stay in the country can be challenging at first glance.\u00a0 The Vietnam travel tips we&#8217;ve given you already apply to many aspects of life here. But we also want to give you some general guidelines on how to secure a job, how to stay and work in the country, and what life in Vietnam is like.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_75 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/a-guide-to-move-to-and-live-in-vietnam\/#AN_EXPAT_GUIDE_Moving_and_Living_in_Vietnam\" >AN EXPAT GUIDE: Moving and Living in Vietnam&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/a-guide-to-move-to-and-live-in-vietnam\/#SECURING_WORK\" >SECURING WORK\u00a0&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/a-guide-to-move-to-and-live-in-vietnam\/#PERMITS_TO_WORKSTAY_IN_VIETNAM\" >PERMITS TO WORK\/STAY IN VIETNAM&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/a-guide-to-move-to-and-live-in-vietnam\/#COST_OF_LIVING_FOR_EXPATS\" >COST OF LIVING FOR EXPATS &nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/a-guide-to-move-to-and-live-in-vietnam\/#LIFESTYLE\" >LIFESTYLE&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/a-guide-to-move-to-and-live-in-vietnam\/#SERVICES\" >SERVICES&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"AN_EXPAT_GUIDE_Moving_and_Living_in_Vietnam\"><\/span><strong>AN EXPAT GUIDE: Moving and Living in Vietnam<span id=\"content\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><a class=\"_ps2id\" href=\"#securingwork\" data-ps2id-offset=\"\">Securing work<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"_ps2id\" href=\"#workpermits\" data-ps2id-offset=\"\">Permits to work\/stay in Vietnam<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"_ps2id\" href=\"#costofliving\" data-ps2id-offset=\"\">Cost of living<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"_ps2id\" href=\"#lifestyles\" data-ps2id-offset=\"\">Lifestyles<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"_ps2id\" href=\"#services\" data-ps2id-offset=\"\">Services<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SECURING_WORK\"><\/span><strong>SECURING WORK\u00a0<span id=\"securingwork\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Jobs in Vietnam for <em>skilled<\/em> expats are plentiful in tourism, finance, and manufacturing industries. As the general economy is experiencing rapid growth here and there are jobs in Vietnam for foreigners in these industries.\u00a0 By far the biggest job search repository for jobs in Vietnam is VietnamWorks.\u00a0 There are also a handful of other sites that recruit people for the Asia Pacific region as a whole.\u00a0 Another good resource is the classifieds section of local news outlets &#8211; try Tuoi Tre or Lao Dong.\u00a0 Another excellent resource for both information and sometimes job opportunities are Expat groups on Facebook.\u00a0 There are many local businesses that have a need for foreigners and advertise on expat groups.<\/p>\n<p>Many native English speakers are also able to work here as ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers.\u00a0 Keep in mind that although English teachers are in high demand, Vietnam has recently cracked down on teachers without proper certification.\u00a0 Most agencies that place teachers in Vietnam will only recruit teachers with a CELTA certificate and with the correct number of hours of experience.\u00a0 But, if you look for jobs independently, the only way to teach without the right credentials are by private hire.\u00a0 In order to teach at international schools, you would need to go through international job fairs or create a contact within the administration of the school itself.<\/p>\n<p><em>Look up<\/em>: <a title=\"VietnamWorks\" href=\"http:\/\/www.vietnamworks.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">VietnamWorks<\/a>, <a title=\"Tuoi Tre\" href=\"http:\/\/tuoitre.vn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Tuoi Tre<\/a>, <a title=\"Lao Dong\" href=\"http:\/\/laodong.com.vn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Lao Dong <\/a><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"_ps2id\" href=\"#content\" data-ps2id-offset=\"\">BACK TO CONTENT<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"PERMITS_TO_WORKSTAY_IN_VIETNAM\"><\/span><strong>PERMITS TO WORK\/STAY IN VIETNAM<span id=\"workpermits\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you plan on working here for a very short period of time, you or your employer can apply for a business visa which allows you to visit Vietnam in a business capacity.\u00a0 To live and work here for longer than three months, your employer will have to apply for a work permit for you and prove your skills and qualifications.\u00a0 Note that there are additional requirements for people who work in the health care industry in order to ensure that the workers meet strict qualification guidelines.<\/p>\n<p>Although there are many people who work here for an indefinite amount of time or retire here, Vietnam currently does not offer a long term or retirement visa scheme.\u00a0 This is surely to change in the future as long term expats look at Vietnam as one of the best kept secrets for overseas retirement. The only way to work or stay here long term is to renew a tourist or business visa continually as it expires. \u00a0At this time, the maximum length of a temporary resident permit is 3 years (recent reports suggest this may change to 2 years in the near future) and the longest tourist visa available is for 3 months (6 month &amp; 1 year are said to exist, however we don&#8217;t really know of anyone that has been able to obtain one recently). \u00a0Another option that may be available to you is a 5 year Visa exemption which is given to people whose parents were born in Vietnam or are married to a Vietnamese citizen. \u00a0Fortunately, these visa related tasks are relatively easy to take care of while you are abroad through a travel agency, through your company&#8217;s HR department, or on your own at the embassy in your home country.<\/p>\n<p><em>Look up<\/em>: <a title=\"5 Year Visa Exemption\" href=\"http:\/\/saigoninacup.com\/2010\/03\/25\/5-year-visa-exemption\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">5 Year Visa Exemption Process<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"_ps2id\" href=\"#content\" data-ps2id-offset=\"\">BACK TO CONTENT<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"COST_OF_LIVING_FOR_EXPATS\"><\/span><strong>COST OF LIVING FOR EXPATS <span id=\"costofliving\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Housing<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Foreigners who are residents of Vietnam can purchase a condo or apartment in Vietnam but are not allowed to own the land.\u00a0 At this time, the process of purchasing property as a foreigner is quite cumbersome but the rules may change in the coming months.\u00a0 Nevertheless, most expats prefer to rent homes in Vietnam as the average rent is on the lower end for Asia (with some exceptions the closer to the center you choose to live).\u00a0 Some of the best places to rent in Ho Chi Minh City include expat friendly Districts like 1, 2, 3 and 7. Rental properties in these areas can range from $250 USD per month to upwards of $10,000 USD per month.\u00a0 You can rent a decent fully furnished apartment for around $500 in District 7 but the same apartment would cost more than $2000 in District 1.\u00a0 In comparison, $4000 is usually the starting price for bungalows outside the city centre in District 2 (commonly refered to by the area Thao Dien).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Groceries<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The cost of produce in Vietnam is quite low.\u00a0 Assuming a family shops locally for fruits and vegetables, spending less than $10 a week on produce can be expected.\u00a0 Local foods such as rice or noodles are cheap as well.\u00a0 Even meat is much cheaper and more affordable than in other countries.\u00a0 Foreign goods, however, come at a major premium!\u00a0 The markup can be more than 300% on international household goods.\u00a0 Of course, grocery stores that cater to the expat community have a much higher markup than local shops that sell the same foreign goods, and it is a price that one pays here for convenience.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1069\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1069\" style=\"width: 594px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-1069\" src=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/grocery-shopping-vietnam.jpg\" alt=\"Many imported foods can be found here but at a very high cost! In contrast, local foods are quite cheap. \" width=\"594\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/grocery-shopping-vietnam.jpg 743w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/grocery-shopping-vietnam-300x269.jpg 300w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/grocery-shopping-vietnam-150x134.jpg 150w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/grocery-shopping-vietnam-400x359.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 594px) 100vw, 594px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1069\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Many imported foods can be found here but at a very high cost! In contrast, local foods are quite cheap.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><em>Look up<\/em>:<a title=\"Annam Gourmet\" href=\"http:\/\/www.annam-gourmet.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"> Foreign foods at Annam Gourmet<\/a>, <a title=\"Location of Phuong Ha\" href=\"http:\/\/goo.gl\/maps\/hvm42\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Phuong Ha foreign foods<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Restaurants\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you eat at local restaurants, the prices are astoundingly low in comparison to cheap meals elsewhere in the world.\u00a0 It is entirely possible to purchase a hearty and complete meal for less than the cost of fast food.\u00a0 Western or higher end restaurants are more expensive in comparison to local eateries but most of these restaurants are still considered cheap by international standards.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> you can skip the restaurants with aircon entirely and dive into <a href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/street-food-culture-in-saigon\/\">street food options<\/a> which cost much less than formal dining establishments. Not to mention you will get a real taste of street food culture in Vietnam.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1068\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1068\" style=\"width: 580px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-1068 \" src=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/eating-in-vietnam.jpg\" alt=\"From fancy restaurants to local eateries to street meals, Vietnam offers a unique dining experience in every price range! \" width=\"580\" height=\"606\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/eating-in-vietnam.jpg 725w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/eating-in-vietnam-286x300.jpg 286w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/eating-in-vietnam-143x150.jpg 143w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/eating-in-vietnam-400x418.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1068\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">From fancy restaurants to local eateries to street meals, Vietnam offers a unique dining experience in every price range!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Schooling<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Some of the international private schools in Vietnam are among the best rated in the world and fare really well in rankings each year.\u00a0 Vietnam also has a variety of options to choose from.\u00a0 Whether you want your children to go through the International Baccalaureate program or the British system, you can have your choice.\u00a0 It does come at a cost &#8211; tuitions at some of these schools can be more than $20,000 USD per year!\u00a0 Fortunately, many companies pay for employees\u2019 children to attend private school.\u00a0 If not, local schools are an option as well.\u00a0 The public schooling system in Vietnam functions quite well, as the literacy rate of Vietnam is over 90%!\u00a0 However, the public system does suffer from underfunding and lower exposure to the English language.<\/p>\n<p><em>Look up<\/em>: <a title=\"International Schools in Vietnam\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_international_schools#Vietnam\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">List of International Schools in Vietnam<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"_ps2id\" href=\"#content\" data-ps2id-offset=\"\">BACK TO CONTENT<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"LIFESTYLE\"><\/span><strong>LIFESTYLE<span id=\"lifestyle\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Health<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Pollution increases in Vietnam day by day as society becomes more industrialized and as cars become a more affordable mode of transport.\u00a0 However, many people have remarked that in comparison to other cities in South East Asia or even in North America, the air pollution is hardly noticeable.\u00a0 If you spend a lot of time on a motorbike or in traffic, a mask may help to protect yourself from exhaust fumes.\u00a0 Water contamination and foodborne illness is always a concern in this part of the world.\u00a0 For people who plan to live here for an extended period of time, investing in a filtered water dispenser is a good idea.\u00a0 Even local people drink boiled or filtered water.\u00a0 But brushing your teeth or washing vegetables with tap water can help in getting accustomed to the local bacterial flora. \u00a0 For more information on this, take a look at our <a href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/2013\/03\/16\/how-to-avoid-getting-sick-while-eating-and-traveling-in-vietnam\/\" rel=\"\u201ddofollow&quot;\">health and safety post<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1070\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1070\" style=\"width: 604px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-1070\" src=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pollution-vietnam.jpg\" alt=\"Wearing masks and drinking filtered water \" width=\"604\" height=\"262\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pollution-vietnam.jpg 755w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pollution-vietnam-300x130.jpg 300w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pollution-vietnam-150x65.jpg 150w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pollution-vietnam-400x173.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 604px) 100vw, 604px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1070\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Air and water pollution are serious concerns for people living in Vietnam. Wearing masks and drinking filtered water are just two ways to counteract that problem.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Domestic Help<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Labour is quite cheap in this part of the world.\u00a0 As a result, many foreigners who live here employ domestic staff, sometimes multiple people.\u00a0 You can expect a housekeeper to do cleaning, cooking, organizing, and even looking after children.\u00a0 You may even see many nannies on vacation with the families that they work for.\u00a0 Many foreigners are successful in teaching their housekeepers to make western food. So it is possible for you to have a similar diet to what you are accustomed back home!\u00a0 The price per month for a housekeepers varies a lot. But someone who takes care of household chores and cooks can cost an average of $200 per month.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Safety<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Vietnam is an incredibly safe country.\u00a0 For a city as large as\u00a0<a class=\"_ps2id\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/how-to-stay-safe-and-avoid-scams-in-vietnam-part-2-south-vietnam\/\" data-ps2id-offset=\"\">Ho Chi Minh City<\/a>, the crime rate is very low, especially violent crime.\u00a0 Petty crime can be an issue here but if you walk about the streets smartly and don\u2019t act flashy, you are likely not to have a problem.\u00a0 The freestanding homes and bungalows usually have a security booth and many of the occupants hire a private security service.\u00a0 These homes that are independent of compounds tend to have a really high wall as well to deter thieves.\u00a0 That being said, homes, both in and out of compounds, can get broken into so any precautions you would take in your home country most likely also apply here.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"_ps2id\" href=\"#content\" data-ps2id-offset=\"\">BACK TO CONTENT<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SERVICES\"><\/span><strong>SERVICES<span id=\"services\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Language<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Vietnamese is a difficult language to learn and understand for native English speakers.\u00a0 Vietnamese is a tonal language so it is particularly hard to hear the differences between similar words.\u00a0 Fortunately, many people in Vietnam speak English. Especially those connected with the tourism industry and people who are in contact with English speakers on a regular basis.\u00a0 The average English proficiency is actually quite low throughout the country so you may face communication issues while traveling in the country.\u00a0 However, people travel here and live here without knowing a word of Vietnamese and get by just fine!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1072\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1072\" style=\"width: 694px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-1072 \" src=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Vietnamese-language.jpg\" alt=\"The Vietnamese language is quite complicated in some ways because it uses tones to differentiate between words and meanings. Just a slight tonal difference gives the word a completely different meaning! \" width=\"694\" height=\"103\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Vietnamese-language.jpg 868w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Vietnamese-language-300x44.jpg 300w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Vietnamese-language-150x22.jpg 150w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Vietnamese-language-400x59.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 694px) 100vw, 694px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1072\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Vietnamese language is quite complicated in some ways because it uses tones to differentiate between words and meanings. Just a slight tonal difference gives the word a completely different meaning!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Telecommunication<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Most parts of the country have an excellent\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/how-to-use-a-mobile-phone-in-vietnam\/\">mobile network<\/a> and 3G coverage.\u00a0 You may experience little or no 3G coverage and a poor mobile signal in more remote areas.\u00a0 Even internet coverage is quite good for regular browsing and moderate amounts of downloading although you may find it slow compared to North American internet speeds for heavy downloading or streaming.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Health Care<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Vietnam has made considerable advances in healthcare in the recent years. There are numerous hospitals and clinics set up to meet the needs of expats.\u00a0 If you have any special conditions or ailments, we suggest that you visit the websites of some of these clinics.\u00a0 The experience and specialties of the physicians on staff are usually described well. \u00a0For serious illnesses, surgeries, and sometimes childbirth, many expats fly to Singapore or nearby countries for treatment. \u00a0Dentistry is also fairly advanced here and there are quite a few international initiatives aimed at providing quality dental care in Vietnam.\u00a0 In fact, some routine cosmetic procedures such as teeth whitening are considerably cheaper here than abroad.\u00a0 Most medicines are also available here, both name brands and generic versions at a fraction of the cost.\u00a0 Getting general medications and even antibiotics is a much easier process here whereby you can simply walk into a pharmacy and ask for the medicine you want without getting a prescription from a doctor.<\/p>\n<p><em>Look up<\/em>:\u00a0 <a title=\"Westcoast Dental\" href=\"http:\/\/www.westcoastinternational.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Westcoast Dental<\/a>, <a title=\"Vietnam Family Medical\" href=\"http:\/\/www.vietnammedicalpractice.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Family Medical<\/a>, <a title=\"International SOS\" href=\"https:\/\/www.internationalsos.com\/en\/about-our-clinics_vietnam_3536.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener \u201dnofollow&quot;\">International SOS<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"_ps2id\" href=\"#content\" data-ps2id-offset=\"\">BACK TO CONTENT<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Vietnam is a very dynamic country and living here is just as much of a dynamic experience. \u00a0If you need any advice on living in this part of the world or more Vietnam travel tips, we are happy to help! Just leave a comment below or you can always contact us directly. We designed this blog as a service to help those traveling and living in Vietnam so we are always open to suggestions.<\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Living in Vietnam has become a popular destination for not only short-term travel but long-term expat living as well. \u00a0Due to the increased prominence on the global scene, many expats (American, German, French, Chinese and Koreans to name but a few) call Vietnam their home. \u00a0Currently, there are roughly 90,000 foreign nationals living here.\u00a0 Living [&hellip;]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":1070,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"An expats guide for moving to and living in Vietnam.","_seopress_titles_desc":"Vietnam has become one of the very popular countries to live in. Here we offer you a short guide to move to and live in Vietnam.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[432],"tags":[207,208,209,210,200,201,202,203,204,205,206],"class_list":{"0":"post-1066","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-local-life","8":"tag-work-visa","9":"tag-business-visa","10":"tag-jobs-in-vietnam","11":"tag-residency-permit","12":"tag-living-in-vietnam","13":"tag-expat-vietnam","14":"tag-cost-of-living","15":"tag-lifestyle","16":"tag-health-care-vietnam","17":"tag-5-year-visa-exemption","18":"tag-residence-permit"},"acf":[],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1066","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1066"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1066\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5353,"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1066\/revisions\/5353"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1070"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1066"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1066"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1066"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}