Cost of Living- Vietnam

[Mfg Eng]

Hey bros, sorry about this but am constantly editing my posts to add information instead of disrupting the flow of the thread. Please forgive me but I feel it’s better to edit a post then create a dozen more.

I do want to thank all for the kind words and support you are giving me- not just now but the last coming on nearly a decade. This also includes the old site. Bull, Sorbate, 3mI am greateful. Thankful is happy to be given to be greateful is giving back, best I can, to all not just who I feel deserves it. 3ml what you did benefited a young family by the way.

 

[Mfg Eng]

I just noticed- nearly every single car and SUV 10yrs or older has pound marks all over them. Mainly the sides, not like Canada where I see them on the front and rear bumpers.

 

[Rocky]

Hey bros,

I just wanted to start a quick thread here in Vietnam at 9:45pm. There is a SHIT LOAD more to come but had to post this…. 8 that is 8 full plates of live seafood (no lobster) I just ate off a BBQ for 430,000 dong ($22.63CAD). Clams, snails, oysters, river shrimp, more clams (wish it was some hot Vietnamese clams I see here, fuck are they ever slim and hot) mantis shrimp, I will post pics when I can get programs installed on this phone.

Jesus, $0.70CAD beer. 4km ride cost me $1.40USD on Grab. Hotel is $18.38CAD per night and it’s ultra clean and in the heart of the action.

Brain MRI and LDCT lung scan just cost me 4,400,000 dong- $231CAD. Best part is no cancer. My mom, mom’s mom and her dad all died of lung and brain cancer. Piece of mind…. for now. Went to the hospital at 1pm, in at 2pm, results with the doctor 2:35pm……

Lots more to come like a 400km flight for $37 USD everything in but it’s time for bed for me tonight. Good night fellas

I moved to Thailand in 2020 for a few years, albeit have moved back to Canada for a bit, plan is to move back once I have finished some things in Canada.

It's definitely a culture shock at first, having lived in Toronto my whole life living in South East Asia made me realize how theres a whole other world outside of Canada and it's a lot better in most ways.

Just a few words of advice that I wish I knew...it really is a whole different world there and many times I had to relearn things about life, in many ways. One thing that is quite important is that a lot of laws & things that protect the consumer / person in Canada, don't exist or even if they do, are circumvented so you just have to be a bit more careful than usual.

Other than that life is amazing there, and it's good to hear you are cancer free.

 

[Mfg Eng]

Just retuned from Hoi An to Da Nang. Hoi An is called the ancient city and considered the epicentre of the highest quality silk and the seamstress/taloring in the world. It did not disappoint!

A small city by any standards at about 100,000 people. Many, many hundreds of years old with cobblestone roads in areas just like Italy. Lots of Japanese and early colonial European influences. Prices for everything is lower there and anywhere I have been in Vietnam. A bit better than locals only areas however the touristy river is 3-4 times the price of goods like food and alcohol. Rent was a bit over $17CAD and includes a pool, fridge, TV and air conditioning. WAY more tourist to local ratio. A local restaurant offers ice cold beer go $1 and a sweet and sour pork with noodles for $3.20CAD. Met an Aussie and an Englishman there and we hung out do two nights. Aussie was 67 retired GP and Englishman was 62 retired CNC setup man so we had a lot in common. The live there now. $370CAD per month which includes room keeping every three days, no kitchen but breakfast is $1.50CAD on the high end.

Took the bus back today for 30,000 dong ($1.50CAD) and got to see the sites including Marble Mountain which is what the name is a mountain with tons of marble that has had carvings in them, even the stairs!

The river is amazing! Lots of people though. You can buy a “Wish Lantern” light the candle and drop it into the river

Hoi An is like Burlington Ontario, they roll up the streets at midnight during the work week. Da Nang is like Toronto and Ho Chị Minh like Toronto on steroids

20-30yr differences in age are quite common here.

 

[OntarioDude]

I'm enjoying reading your adventures and experiences over there.

When they treat you poorly or give you bad vibes or attitude is it because they think you are an American, do they know where you're from or do they treat anyone who doesn't look like them that way?

Thank you - stay safe,

OD

 

[Mfg Eng]

50/50

If I wear my Toronto Maple Leafs tank top I do get a better response that is true. 50% when I say am Canadian liven right up. Never a poor response. About 20% think Canada is part of the US.

50% do not like Caucasians. I stick out like a sore thumb. I have witnessed Americans with a southern drawl and they are really treated poorly by most. They need money, it’s rough here for many and they do “tolerate” well.

Im not alone, the Russians they dislike. Almost everyone of them I met has been very unfriendly to me and the citizens. Never tip, never smile unless speaking amongst themselves and super rude by Canadian standards. I avoid them now. Just smiling, nodding and acknowledging them sets 1 in 8 to 10 off and that is male or female.

I walk around with a smile on my face now regardless if I am looking at anyone or not. I feel happy regardless I am on my own and know no one. When a local makes eye contact with me I nod. The majority start smiling. I am a very lucky person to be here, be born in Canada and won the lottery being born to the parents I had. Still learning lessons from their teachings 40 years ago.

I have heard the phrase “resilience in the face of adversity”. These citizens take that phrase to an entirely new level. Long post so I will update when I return to Canada.

Thank you OD, I promise to do my best
Thank you and all the others for the kind words I was thinking I started a thread about cost of living then started speaking about a pile of other things other than the thread topic was putting some people off. I am thankful it is not

Just got bit a few times at dusk. Feels like a mosquito bite but can’t see anything flying. Not ants or they would start at my feet or where I am making contact with stuff sitting. Weird.

 

[Mfg Eng]

I cannot attach more photos for some reason. I am selecting them from a compressed folder but am getting nowhere. Anyone else have this happen?

 

[Mfg Eng]

Things can come hard and fast with a language barrier and lineup behind me so I don’t know exactly what the fuck just happened. I went into a convenience store that sells everything from cheap to high end wines and liquors to buy a beer for $0.80CAD. Behind the counter was some Johnny Blue, Chevas 18 and what I think was a XO cognac. I asked how much, she rang it up- 1,060,000 dong ($56.80CAD). 700ml (750ml is more North American and fine booze is often 700ml). Im thinking it might be XO brandy.

I will find out tomorrow! If it’s cognac I will buy 2

If not will ask the price of the Chevas Regal 18. Best price I ever saw was Cambodia at $100USD

 

[Mfg Eng]

Ah man it’s just like that Britney Spears song….

Oops I did it again,
I grilled 20 shrimp,
Then I did it again

Back to Doc Móc for all you can eat live seafood for $25CAD. It’s hard to resist! Everything is just swimming around, minding its own business then POW there I am with thongs pulling them out, disturbing their shit, causing problems for them throwing them onto a grill. They taste so fresh.

Last night i realized how important relationships are here. I have seen the locals laughing, drinking, eating and laughing more. I miss that. I went back to Duck Alley”. I ordered the duck salad and this time it came to the table extra, extra high. They put a full half duck on it this time. Same price. Fourth time there in two weeks. The woman recognized me right away and smiled from ear to ear. “Good to see you” she said in very good English (she looks about 25 so a lot of English in school). Same 20,000 dong tip- $1CAD.

Things go both ways here- when they realize you are long term they will get more friendly or less friendly, like the Caribbean.

THE most amazing rice porridge (aka congee) I have ever had- duck broth, heavy on the duck and duck fat. $0.25CAD for 1.5 cups.

$1000CAD here includes all I need, a lot of extras and some splurges per month. A quick review and I know I am taking about 3 return trips to places per day on Grab (just local stuff up to 6km max one way) and am running $8CAD per day. This is Da Nang. Ho Chị Minh would be about 30-40% more.

What a wonderful place, but I would not live here full time for years.