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10 years in Hanoi here. This lady talks sense. If you do not have money and family in vietnam then do not think living here is easy. Staying for a year or so is fun but then you will leave.

Rock solid information. I just rented a freshly rehabbed one story house on 3 lots in Nam Viet A. It wasn't cheap. As you say, there's moldy old claustrophobic tube houses available with twice the space at half the cost. It comes down to what's comfortable long term. An old studio might be okay for a 3 month scouting visit. But it's going to become a drag on your energy and focus. This video was a great overview of current market conditions.

Omg! I needed this video but for the Philippines! But I think either way you’ve given me lots to consider! Thank you 🙏🏾

Thank you! Such an honest and complete insight..
I didn't even consider humidity as part of daily life..

Good advice here from Mai. Expat/Viet Kieu here. I visit annually. Get the best place you can afford. Newer and cleaner as Mai said is critical. Quality of residency and air flow is important. If you decide to reside in Vietnam longterm, try it for 1-2 years before settling here permanently. Foreigners can get different types of Visa. Those of us who left Vietnam but were born there can easily get paperwork done to reside here longer or permanently.

Very useful and intelligent content. Thanks Mai for the video.

Thanks for sharing this video

Great video! Thank you!

I have commented this but I'll comment again. Vietnamese here. Many people WILL NOT like my comment but I will be straight. I HATE the idea of many foreigners coming to Vietnam mainly because my country is cheap. Vietnam should not become a discount lifestyle destination shaped by foreign purchasing power at the expense of its own residents. And the reality is this: Vietnam WILL NOT stay cheap forever. When costs rise, how many of these people are actually prepared to stay and contribute, rather than move on to the next “cheap” country? You also cannot escape yourself or your problems by changing geography—living abroad does not erase them, and no matter how long you stay, without real integration you remain an outsider.

Beyond prices, there is also a serious issue of capacity and fairness. Infrastructure, healthcare, housing supply, and public services are designed around the needs, tax base, and income levels of local citizens—not around sudden inflows of foreign residents with much higher purchasing power. When foreigners increase population pressure faster than planning and investment can adjust, especially those who do not fully contribute through taxes, skills transfer, or long-term commitments, the strain falls disproportionately on locals. Housing becomes scarcer, public services become more congested, and everyday systems operate closer to their limits. The result is resentment not because foreigners exist, but because the costs of accommodating them are socialized while the benefits are often private and unevenly distributed.

There is also a strategic development issue. Countries that grow sustainably do not compete on being cheap; they compete on productivity, skills, innovation, and value creation. If Vietnam brands itself—intentionally or not—as a low-cost lifestyle hub, it risks locking parts of its economy into low-value service consumption instead of higher-value production. That path benefits short-term visitors but slows long-term national upgrading.

Thanks for Sharing great great great information

Good video Mai. I miss Da Nang, and all you guys. I need to go back this year.

Just subbed. LOVE THE STRAIGHT AND HONEST TALK.

Thank you for this video.  Somethings you didn't mention - insects and noise.  I've been in Viet Nam for ten years and noticed insects (ants and roaches) are ubiquitous - but that comes with a tropical climate.  On a FB forum recently, somebody complained about insects and wanted to hold the landlord responsible.  Replies were unanimous:  That's life in Viet Nam; personal cleanliness and pest control are his responsibility.
Regarding noise, finding a lasting, quiet place is impossible.  I live in a smaller town about an hour north of Ha Noi and find sustained concentration a challenge due to chickens, dogs, horns, pigs, etc.  
Still, the challenges I mentioned are manageable.  I enjoy life in Viet Nam.

Loving your videos. Your life in Canada makes you very relatable to us who live in the USA.  Out of many of the YouTubers my wife and I have watched about living abroad, your videos have risen to the top of our favorites.  Your speech, delivery speed and points are all awesome.  You keep your videos moving and don’t speak so slow to put us to sleep.  Your content in interesting, your data and facts are exactly what we want to hear and the video/audio are polished.  Thanks so much for what you do!  You might see us soon in Vietnam 🇻🇳! It’s on our list of places to try before we decide of where we’ll land for hood.  Keep up the great work! 🙌🏽

Thank you Mai, your explanation about aligning with the current version of Vietnam is super useful!

Thank you so kindly Mai. Kind regards
Chris

Finally!! A balanced way of life and review.. I appreciate this video so much.

Great video!! THANK YOU!!!

Amazing video, advice, and reflections here. After visiting Vietnam for the first time and within two weeks I came to the same conclusion! Very insightful and useful for those considering Vietnam!