A look into an "average" month of spending in Da Nang as a couple 🇻🇳

A look into an "average" month of spending in Da Nang as a couple 🇻🇳

Hello! Many individuals, young couples, or families are interested in moving their life from the West to the East, specifically Da Nang, Vietnam. This includes myself. Now that I have lived in Da Nang for approximately 6 months, I took the time to re-examine living costs and want to share it to those who are curious what it roughly cost. Please note that these expenses are for myself, my boyfriend, and our pet cat and though we don't live extravagantly we do choose to live in a somewhat comfortable life-style which includes a house-rental, eating healthy food, cover health expenses for both ourselves and our pet, and have some fun evening out with friends.

The numbers have been rounded and adjusted for privacy, but the spending patterns are real.

Our total recorded outflow for the month was about $3,000 USD.

Here is roughly where the money went:

• Housing: $800
• Groceries: $430
• Cash withdrawals / ATM: $380
• Subscriptions: $90
• Eating out: $220
• Hotel / travel stay: $185
• Fitness: $175
• Pet costs: $80
• Cafés: $105
• Health: $25
• Grab: $110
• Bars: $90
• Scooter rental: $80
• Clothing: $75
• Electricity and utilities: $65
• Personal care: $60
• Plus smaller costs for travel, entertainment, household goods, phone, massages, transfer fees, and other everyday spending.

A few things stood out.

Da Nang can absolutely be much more affordable compared to out West. Our $800 housing budget allows us to live in a comfortable house; whereas, back in the States where I'm from, that can barely get you a studio.

That said, moving here is not automatically a “live like royalty for $1,000 a month” situation. Your costs can climb quickly if you want imported groceries, Western-style amenities, frequent travel, the convenience of Grab Eats, air conditioning running all day, or a lifestyle built around cafés, restaurants, and weekend getaways.

Food costs are a good example. We don't dine out all the time, but admittedly we do eat out way more than back home, and sometimes it is more financially feasible to eat out than cook your own meal. Due to health goal reasons, we do choose to cook our own meals and grocery bills can rack up when prepping for a protein heavy meals that require some imported ingredients.

Having a pet is also manageable day to day, but I would recommend keeping an emergency fund for vet care. Food, litter, and basic supplies are reasonable, but unexpected health issues can become expensive anywhere, especially when navigating a new country.

Honestly, this budget allows us to live in a life of comfort where we can have good food, live in a home we enjoy, make social plans, and afford some travel. Our goal is to make this a sustainable life as we are looking to live here for a while, and part of making it sustainable is to have clear view of our finances and assess if our spending aligns the life we want to live. After years working as a financial analyst, I now help individuals, couples, and families bring more clarity to their finances and build savings plans that feel realistic for their lives. If this kind of financial organization feels useful to you, feel free to reach out. Alternatively, for those are interested to know more about living here in Da Nang or what it is like to move here, I'm happy to chat.