Many consider them the top three places to live comfortably in Vietnam. Not only can they be much less expensive locations to live, than most western nations, they can also be absolutely beautiful places to be. Now, let’s see a danang living guide below.
Da Nang (Largest city in Central Vietnam)
First up, let’s look at Da Nang. It is one of the cities that sits on the beach and is great for people who love to golf.
In the early part of the 2000s, Da Nang experienced an economic boom and it has been steadily growing ever since. Da Nang is considered a major industrial and economic hub making it conducive to expatriates.
It’s a region with a lot of hustle and bustle. Skyscrapers, tons of restaurants and luxury hotels make it feel more like a major city in the United States. It’ll be almost like you never left minus the massive expense of living in places such as Europe, ANZ or the US
The area is not considered cluttered or overcrowded. There are wide roads and sidewalks for those who prefer to ride bikes or walk to their destination.
Those who live there say it has a truly remarkable small town feel and is kept free of litter. Da Nang has an active recycling program and the beaches are also incredibly clean.
Panoramic View of Da Nang
Partly because of its close proximity to the beach Da Nang is listed as a first class city. It also has a higher urbanization ratio than any of Vietnam’s other provinces or centrally governed cities. However, it can also be one of the more expensive places to live as an expat.
This 496 square mile coastal city is located in central Vietnam and is the country’s fifth largest city. It is also known for its beautiful, sandy beaches and extensive history as a French colonial port. Reportedly there are approximately a million people living in this sea side city.
Da Nang also isn’t far from the Ba Na hills, which are just west of the city. It has spectacular views of the city, marble mountains, limestone outcrops and some of the most amazing pagodas and caves that contain Buddhist shrines.
Weather
The weather in Da Nang over the course of a year will range from 19 to 35 degrees Celsius (66-95F). The temperature rarely goes below 17C (63F) or above 37C (98F), making it overall a pretty temperate climate.
As with the rest of the country, the seasons in Da Nang are separated by wet and dry. The driest, hottest half of the year is January through October and the cooler, wettest part of the year is November and December. November is the month that Da Nang typically sees the most rainfall.
As you can see, the weather in Da Nang is warmer and drier longer than the other cities we have explored thus far. The humidity can get up there (sometimes hovering close to 98%), though it averages between 65-80%,
which is generally tolerable.
Transportation
Getting around the town in Da Nang is actually easier than in most other parts of Vietnam. The bridges and roads are wide and well maintained making it one of the nicer cities to drive in.
Again, if you plan to own a car, the expense will be high as in other parts of Vietnam.
Da Nang is spread out over a wide area, so you may want to consider purchasing a motorbike if this is the city you choose to live. While the roads are safer in Da Nang, than in most other cities in Vietnam, the use of a helmet on motorbikes is required across the country. So if you choose to own one, make sure you have and always use the proper headgear.
Public transportation can be expensive in Da Nang though there are generally less reported instances of taxis overcharging for fares.
Da Nang has an airport for both domestic and international flights and access to trains and buses as well.
Food
The food in Da Nang is known as being traditionally Vietnamese. It also has the reputation for having the best traditional cuisine in all of Vietnam.
You will find some great street vendors on the back streets of Da Nang that the locals seem to enjoy just as much or more than any tourists passing
through. This is one of those places that you will want to follow the locals’ lead and see what places they are going to before deciding for yourself.
However, keep an eye on food prep conditions. Look for places that prepare the food fresh versus just heating up pre-cooked food. Some of the back street vendors aren\ as clean as others and you will definitely want to avoid getting sick, especially in your first few weeks living in Da Nang.
There are even a few expat owned restaurants in the city. Being on the coast there is a great selection of seafood places to check out, and you can also find Western cuisine as well including French, Greek, Italian and even a few Mexican style places. So overall it is likely you will find something you like in Da Nang!
Nightlife and Shopping
Because Da Nang is a popular tourist destination, there are plenty of things to do at night. You will find lots of clubs, but there are also quieter settings for people to gather and converse without loud “techno” music possibly blaring in the background.
Making friends with fellow expats and the locals will be a good way of finding places that aren’t necessarily catering to or as well known by the tourists.
There are many places to shop once you get to Da Nang. There are multiple grocers, malls, street carts, vendors and a variety of boutiques that allow you to find just about anything you need to comfortably live in Da Nang.
Some of the most well-known supermarkets are Metro, Big C and Intimex.
If you are looking for unique, hand crafted items, to decorate your new house or apartment with, you will definitely want to check out Non Nuoc village. You can watch the vendors here make all sorts of items from scratch.
Recreational activities
For the fitness enthusiast, there are a few gyms that you can join that offer state of the art equipment and aerobic classes including yoga.
As a resort city, that does cater to tourists, you will find plenty of activities which includes off-roading, surfing, cooking classes that teach you how to prepare traditional Vietnamese cuisine and much more.
This is another Vietnamese city that is always on the go and, for the new expat, that means there is no shortage of things to do in the way of health, fitness and entertainment.
Cost of living
For Da Nang’s cost of living we will continue to use the example of a one bedroom, 900 sq ft apartment and break down the general costs in VND (Vietnamese Dong).
- Rent for a furnished apartment in the city centre area 8,100,000
- Rent for a furnished apartment outside the city centre 4,900,000
- Utilities including heat, gas and electric 1,300,000
- Internet at 60 Mbps per month is 185,000
The cost of living in Da Nang can be somewhat higher than the corresponding costs in Da Lat or Nha Trang. However, in comparison to many Western standards, it can still be much less expensive.
Now, on to our final two locations to explore!