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Da Nang, Vietnam

Da Nang, Vietnam: Beauty and Comfort

Reviewed by Kathleen Peddicord

Kathleen is the Live and Invest Overseas Founding Publisher. She has more than 30 years of hands-on experience traveling, living, and buying property around the world.

Da Nang Marble Mountains, in Vietnam. — iStock/saiko3p

Da Nang is located within 100 miles of three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the ancient towns of Hoi An and Hue and the Hindu ruins of the Champa Kingdom at Mỹ Sơn.

This makes Da Nang a perfect base for the history buff. Its proximity to such major attractions allows residents of Da Nang the opportunity to enjoy a huge selection of restaurants, spas, golf courses, and other amenities.

Da Nang is not a tourist town. Clean and modern, Da Nang’s new skyscrapers give its downtown a decidedly cosmopolitan look. However, you won’t find the hustle and bustle here that you find in other Vietnamese cities.

Other than along the riverfront, there are few, if any, vendors, and we saw no beggars during our entire time in Da Nang. The city has the look and feel of a comfortable, safe, and economically viable place to live.

No matter which direction you look, beauty surrounds Da Nang. The South China Sea’s clear, warm waters form the city’s eastern boundary.

The clean, fine-sand beach starts at the northern edge of the city and continues southward all the way to Hoi An.

During the autumn months, the normally calm waters will often have waves large enough for surfing. Yet Da Nang is not a beach town.

Also, the beaches receive surprisingly little use, and no matter the time of year, it’s generally easy to find a deserted stretch of sand.

1. Cost Of Living In Da Nang

2. Expat Community

3. Things To Do In Da Nang

4. Visa And Residency Information

5. Climate In Da Nang

6. Da Nang, Vietnam - FAQs

Expat Community

Retiring in Da Nang offers a chance to experience a completely different culture. But you can be reassured that there are some western amenities. A strong expat community live here, and you can find some big stores selling some of your favorite brands.

Da Nang has expats from around the world and you will have no difficulty meeting up with fellow English speakers. There are a couple of international schools here including theGreen Shoots International School. This international school has campuses in Hoi and and Da Nang and follows the British Curriculum.

Cost Of Living In Da Nang

There’s something about Da Nang that feels different from other places in Southeast Asia, and certainly quite different than any other place in Vietnam.

For instance, it’s a big city of nearly a million people. But, it has a small-town feel about it.

Da Nang is more than just a transportation hub, it makes a wonderful destination in its own right.

Most importantly, Da Nang is a top-pick for expats living in Vietnam.

Average Costs

A couple can live comfortably on less than US$1,100 per month and about US$200 less renting a house.

Two- or three-bedroom houses in nice areas of Da Nang start at around US$400 per month and for large, luxury homes, range up to around US$800 per month.

Midrange and top-end condominiums start at about US$600 per month, with an upper range of around US$1,000 per month for condos with an ocean view.

Single-family homes tend to be larger and less expensive to rent than condominiums.

Electricity runs around US$100 per month for a two- or three bedroom home during the hot months—more if you use the air conditioner during the day as well as at night.

Cellular telephones are not “locked” in Vietnam. You are free to use any provider you want and switch at any time.

Promotions are offered constantly, making calls extremely affordable. If you buy minutes during a promotion (which are usually displayed on the screen of your mobile phone) and don’t make a lot of international calls, you can expect your monthly calls and texts to cost less than US$3 per month.

The water that comes out of the tap is considered potable, and is charged by units, with one unit being one cubic meter, or 1,000 liters. Each unit about a US quarter. Most people spend less than US$5 per month for tap water.

Cooking stoves usually run on propane gas. Cooking gas is supplied in tanks similar to those used for outdoor barbecue grills in the West.

They are exchanged when empty and cost about 300,000 VND to fill (click here for currency conversion at today’s exchange rate.) Unless you do a great deal of cooking at home, you’ll find that a tank of gas will last for several months.

Monthly Budget For A Couple Living In Da Nang, Vietnam


Expense	Monthly Cost	Notes
Rent	VND 14,700,000	Unfurnished, two-bedroom apartment.
Gas	N/A	Usually included in rent.
Transportation	VND 1,500,000	for taxis use.
Electricity	VND 1,050,000	A/C usage.
Water	N/A	Usually included in rent.
Telephone	VND 500,000
Internet and Cable	VND 650,000	15,000 for internet, and 500,000 for cable.
Cell Phone	VND 75,000	Basic plan.
Groceries	VND 2,564,000	Basic items for couple.
Entertainment	VND 1,850,000	Movie tickets: 55,000 per ticket; dinner and drinks for two: 325,000-895,000; drinks for two: 155,000.
Medical Appointment	VND 300,000	A basic doctor/clinic appointment; per visit.
Household Help	VND 2,500,000	Full-time, live-in maid.
Total	VND 25,689,000	US$ 1,106.07

Click here for currency conversion at today’s exchange rate.

Public Transport

Da Nang has the best roads in Vietnam. The government has big plans for the city, and has invested a lot of money into the infrastructure. They are well maintained and more importantly easy to navigate.

Driving here is less chaotic than elsewhere in Vietnam. However, there are a lot of motorbikes and scooters on the road, and driving here will still take some getting used to.

Da Nang has plenty of taxi’s which are inexpensive and reliable. There is also a service called Grab, which works like Uber. Download the app and book a ride from your smart phone. Grab is generally cheaper than a taxi.

Reputable taxi companies include

Mai Linh Taxi: +84 511 352 5252
Tien Sa Taxi:+84 511 379 7979
Vinasun Taxi: +84 511 368 6868

The cheapest way to get around is via bus. The price is set at 5,000 VND per journey regardless of how far you are travelling. For more information on navigating Da Nang by bus, you canvisit the DanaBus website here.

Things To Do In Da Nang

Vietnam guide has put together a comprehensive guide to Da Nang’s top attractions. This includes opening hours and contact details.Click here to find out more.

Da Nang is a great destination for foodies.The street foodhere is cheap and delicious. There are restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets. As well as Vietnamese food you can find lots of good French restaurants, thanks to France’s previous presence in the region.

There are a lots of golf courses here, be sure to schedule your game early before it gets too hot.

One of the main reasons people are choosing to live in Da Nang is the beaches. Although the area is becoming more popular with tourists you can still find lots of quiet, peaceful beaches to laze away the day. As a general rule, the southern beaches are the most popular. The northern beaches are off the beaten track but also free from amenities. Some beaches here are private and may charge you to enter.

Da Nang is by no means a major shopping destination. However there are a few malls here which will should be enough for most people. Western brands can be hard to come by as most malls stock goods from Vietnam, China and Korea.

Make sure to visit the illuminated dragon winds its way across the bridge, and the colors change throughout the night. If you are lucky enough to be there at a weekend the dragon breathes fire at 9pm.

A Buddha Statue

Also, Da Nang is home to Vietnam’s biggest Buddha statue. This statue is different from all the other Buddha statues though. Buddha is a woman. Although people today tend to think of Buddha as a man, it is actually a state of enlightenment as well. The giant female Buddha shows both men and women can come into resonance with the Buddha.

Visa And Residency In Vietnam

Vietnam doesn’t offer a retirement or digital nomad visa.

On the other hand, it has an investor’s visa.

The minimum investment threshold for this type of visa is about $123,150. And, it is expensive relative to its quality of life and compared to countries like Montenegro, which doesn’t stipulate a minimum threshold for its investor’s visa.

Climate

Da Nang has a tropical climate and you can expect significant bursts of rainfall through much of the year. The dry season is fairly short starting sometime in February and ending in May.

The rainy season in Da Nang peaks in October but September, November and December all receive heavy rain. Rain is likely to come in short and heavy bursts and even on a rainy day you can expect a few hours of sunshine.