Is 1700 USD enough for two to live in Hanoi?

no $1700/mth is not enough when the average income for Vietnamee citizens is $150/mth. Please give the difference to the charity of your choice than it will be enough.

Joking aside you'll live the upper middle class lifestyle with that sort of monthly budget and everything will be first class for you. High speed, daily maid surface, pool, air condition and security residential stay and plenty left over for your travel and entertainment enjoyment. I'd be surprise if you can even spend $1700 every month for 12 months straight.

great anwser

Thanks for the reply! now it is helpful. That gives some relief as I was also considering it on a highest possible side to evaluate the proposal. And with your clarification, I can now have a fair idea. Thanks!

Do you have any idea on the availability of vegetarian (no eggs, meat or beef) food in Hanoi?

it's never enough

jritoo wrote:

Thanks for the reply! now it is helpful. That gives some relief as I was also considering it on a highest possible side to evaluate the proposal. And with your clarification, I can now have a fair idea. Thanks!

Do you have any idea on the availability of vegetarian (no eggs, meat or beef) food in Hanoi?

Here's are the magic words "Quán Cơm Chay".

Quán = eatery or a place to drink
Cơm Chay = rice with vegetables or vegetarian dishes

Look for places that are run by Buddhists since there is a sect that believes eating animals is wrong.  People are reincarnated into animals so eating them (eating meat) is like eating our fellow man.  Sorry or am I thinking of Hindu?

Anyways, I've eaten at a vegetarian restaurant ran by Buddhists and the food is delicious.

cang_nduc wrote:

it's never enough

Bingo!  So you just live with what you've given. "Live within your means".

Thanks! that was useful.

With 1700$/ month for two, u can have a good life in any city in Viet Nam. In some big cities, in Viet Nam, average income is about 2000$/ 1 month. U can have lots of nice trip around Viet Nam every month if u know how to spend money in Viet Nam.
Good luck for u

Thanks!

Trangta wrote:

With 1700$/ month for two, u can have a good life in any city in Viet Nam. In some big cities, in Viet Nam, average income is about 2000$/ 1 month. U can have lots of nice trip around Viet Nam every month if u know how to spend money in Viet Nam.
Good luck for u

How can you have an "average" income of $2,000/month if the Prime Minister only makes $805 USD/month? 

The salary of Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng is roughly VND17 million a month (US$805)

I think you're talking about high income CEO's, bankers, people that work for foreigner corporations, not average citizens.

The average income for the country is $150 a month.

http://www.vietnamonline.com/az/average-salary.html

Trangta wrote:

With 1700$/ month for two, u can have a good life in any city in Viet Nam. In some big cities, in Viet Nam, average income is about 2000$/ 1 month. U can have lots of nice trip around Viet Nam every month if u know how to spend money in Viet Nam.
Good luck for u

That's $2000 per YEAR, not month.  Here are some sources

http://en.baomoi.com/Info/HCMC-personal … /33221.epi

http://www.vcsc.com.vn/Shared/Views/Web … lang=en-us

Yeah. I had a mistake 2000$/ year

Trangta wrote:

Yeah. I had a mistake 2000$/ year

But dead on about having a good life with lots of nice trips for $1700/month.  Just don't forget about feeding abandoned babies with all that extra dough/bread (dough/bread = money).

hic, i only get 3,5m/month

cang_nduc wrote:

hic, i only get 3,5m/month

"only"?  You're slightly above average my man.  3,500,000 VND = $166 USD

The average income for the country is $150 a month.

My fiance makes almost 6 mil per month. I told her she doesn't have to work. I can make 6 mil from just 1 click of my mouse on a stock trade. But she insist on working because she said if she doesn't work she'd be bored.

khanh44 wrote:

My fiance makes almost 6 mil per month. I told her she doesn't have to work. I can make 6 mil from just 1 click of my mouse on a stock trade. But she insist on working because she said if she doesn't work she'd be bored.

Khanh....how long have you and your wife been living in HCMC?  I am thinking of retiring soon and go back to VN.  Being a Canadian, do you still have to file tax each year?  Do you have Social Security offered by Canada that you can collect when you come of age (like in the US)? 

Do you go back to Canada once in a while?

THANKS,
TT

USD 1,700 is ok for you  2 in any place in Vietnam. It's around 500 usd for accomodation, 200usd for good domestic helper. 300usd for meal and other facility cost. The rest is for your travelling and dining out. It all depends on how you would like to spend as I find that Hanoi is quite expensive place comparing to neighbor hood countries.

Good luck!

thuy4tien wrote:

khanh44 wrote:

My fiance makes almost 6 mil per month. I told her she doesn't have to work. I can make 6 mil from just 1 click of my mouse on a stock trade. But she insist on working because she said if she doesn't work she'd be bored.

Khanh....how long have you and your wife been living in HCMC?  I am thinking of retiring soon and go back to VN.  Being a Canadian, do you still have to file tax each year?  Do you have Social Security offered by Canada that you can collect when you come of age (like in the US)? 

Do you go back to Canada once in a while?

THANKS,
TT

I'm not that old lol. I got 30 more years before I collect Old Age security so my situation probably doesn't apply to you but I'll let you know what I know so to speak.

I'm going to live in Vietnam this January and  I plan to keep my Canadian Residential status. So I'll be filing my Canadian taxes. It would cost me more in withholding taxes to sever my ties with Canada because I have multiple rental income and stock investments. As well severing my ties would make me ineligible for registered tax sheltered accounts. Sure the negative is I have to pay worldwide income to Canada if I work in Vietnam or earn interest in my Vietnamese bank account.

But if I wanted to sever my ties with Canada I would have to give up my driver's license, Canadian bank account, credit card and not possess cars, motorcycles, furnitures and clothes in Canada. Pretty simple I think and would be a good option for retirees as you don't have to file your Canadian/foreign taxes.

I can also be in Vietnam and collect Old Age Security when the times come and they'll deposit it directly into my bank account.

THUY4TIEN
    I SEE YOUR FROM HOUSTON. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, AS A U.S CITIZEN YOU WILL HAVE TO FILE A FEDERAL INCOME TAX RETURN NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE. IN ADDITION, ONCE YOU EGIN TO RECEIVE YOUR SS PENSION AND LIVE IN VN YOU MUST REPORT TO THE U>S> EMBASSY IN VN AND SHOW YOUR FACE IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO GET YOUR CHECK IF YOU ARE A RESIDENT OF VN. THIS IS BECAUSE VIETNAM IS A "RESTRICTED" COUNTRY BY THE SSA (VN DOES NOT REPORT VITAL STATISTICS TO THE U.S.). IF YOU REMAIN IN VN ON A TOURIST, BUSINESS, OR  VEC I DON'T THINK THEY CAN FORCE THE REPORTING ISSUE. IF THEY COULD ALL TOURIST ANYWHERE WOULD HAVE TO REPORT.
  SORRY THIS IS A BIT OFF TOPIC TO THE ORIGINAL POST.

Hi bta87 !

Could you please avoid posting in all caps?

Thanks
Armand

khanh44 wrote:

I'm not that old lol. I got 30 more years..
I'm going to live in Vietnam this January and  I plan to keep my Canadian Residential status. So I'll be filing my Canadian taxes. It would cost me more in withholding taxes to sever my ties with Canada because I have multiple rental income and stock investments. As well severing my ties would make me ineligible for registered tax sheltered accounts. Sure the negative is I have to pay worldwide income to Canada if I work in Vietnam or earn interest in my Vietnamese bank account.

But if I wanted to sever my ties with Canada I would have to give up my driver's license, Canadian bank account, credit card and not possess cars, motorcycles, furnitures and clothes in Canada. Pretty simple I think and would be a good option for retirees as you don't have to file your Canadian/foreign taxes.

I can also be in Vietnam and collect Old Age Security when the times come and they'll deposit it directly into my bank account.

HEHEHE...Thanks Khanh. I am only 47 yrs. myself.  Retirement won't happen to me until I turn 67. Let me know if you want to meet up. My wife and I plan to visit my father (in VN) in November. I'll be there for 1 month. Let me know...reply to my private email: thuy4tien(at)yahoo(dot)com.  Sounds like Canada has better ties w/VN than the US. My father still couldn't get SS check direct deposit into VN bank. Sounds like you travel back-n-forth every year?? I mean, with that much assets, you'd probably got a tax preparer to file it for you??

Hi bta87!! What state are you from?  How do you do file your tax each year?  Let me know please....THANKS.

bta87 wrote:

THUY4TIEN
    I SEE YOUR FROM HOUSTON. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, AS A U.S CITIZEN YOU WILL HAVE TO FILE A FEDERAL INCOME TAX RETURN NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE.

Hi bta87!!! What state are you from?  How do you file your tax every year while you are in VN? Please let me know.
THANKS

Thuy4tein,
  I'm from the state of confusion!!!  Just kidding, I'm a Texan as well. I file mine electronically via TurboTax. It is one of the easier obstacles to living abroad, so not to worry.

khanh44 wrote:

My fiance makes almost 6 mil per month. I told her she doesn't have to work. I can make 6 mil from just 1 click of my mouse on a stock trade. But she insist on working because she said if she doesn't work she'd be bored.

So tell her to donate her time working at an orphanage.  She'll never get bored and she'd be doing something meaningful for the babies/children (or your charity working for the visually impared/blind).  You can be the breadwinner and leverage the power of the Loonie.

bta87 wrote:

.. THIS IS BECAUSE VIETNAM IS A "RESTRICTED" COUNTRY BY THE SSA (VN DOES NOT REPORT VITAL STATISTICS TO THE U.S.)....

The issue of restricted has come up before.  Let me see if I can find the thread.

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=291246

I don't think so. I think your referring to a recent post that provided very dated info that was indeed wrong as far as the "restricted" status goes

thuy4tien wrote:

HEHEHE...Thanks Khanh. I am only 47 yrs. myself.  Retirement won't happen to me until I turn 67. Let me know if you want to meet up. My wife and I plan to visit my father (in VN) in November. I'll be there for 1 month. Let me know...reply to my private email: thuy4tien(at)yahoo(dot)com.  Sounds like Canada has better ties w/VN than the US. My father still couldn't get SS check direct deposit into VN bank. Sounds like you travel back-n-forth every year?? I mean, with that much assets, you'd probably got a tax preparer to file it for you??

Yeah I'd like to meet up but I'll be in Vietnam middle January and you leave in December. Maybe next time. I'm plannig to settle down in Vietnam for at least a few years if not indefinitely.

I do my own taxes online using StudioTax. No offense to any accountants but I don't trust them to get me the most tax credit deductions.

Oh yeah I think Old Age Security is 67 now too. I know they changed the age requirement recently can't remember to what age. Man that's 32 more years.

Tran Hung Dao wrote:

So tell her to donate her time working at an orphanage.  She'll never get bored and she'd be doing something meaningful for the babies/children (or your charity working for the visually impared/blind).  You can be the breadwinner and leverage the power of the Loonie.

That's my plan. But first I need to settle down and get everything in order. Than I can tell her to quit her job.

I really hope to see this orphanage and see what I can do to help them out.

bta87 wrote:

I don't think so. I think your referring to a recent post that provided very dated info that was indeed wrong as far as the "restricted" status goes

Okay, now that I re-read the thread, it seems there were some conflicting information.  In light of that, we go with the worst case scenario, which is "restricted" status.

Hi.. Dear,
plz dont worry abt anythink.. im also vegetarian ok, call me:)  im living here from last 6 years.. if u really need any kind of help, let me know.. even im indian but now vietnames.. boz of love vietnam n vietnames.

bta87 wrote:

Thuy4tein,
  I'm from the state of confusion!!!  Just kidding, I'm a Texan as well. I file mine electronically via TurboTax. It is one of the easier obstacles to living abroad, so not to worry.

How much to download Turbotax application onto your tablet?

[moderated: advertisement]

Gosh Thuy, don't get me to lying, I just can't remember, but as I recall it is not much. Far cheaper than hiring someone to do them

I agree! Vietnam is a poor country with GDP average 1,300 $ one person/year (2013). So, you will have a good life with your income over 1700 $ one month!

   Darn! I better revisit my budget , I can't seem to get it under $2500 per month for me alone. Help!!!!

Nothing is cheap in HCMC... 1.7k is just enough for a month's expenses..

OP is talking Hanoi.