How much does it really cost for a foreigner to live in Da Nang, Vietnam?
Instead of relying on generic cost-of-living calculators, here is a look at the real monthly spending of Emma Johnson, a foreigner living in Da Nang, Vietnam.
Emma has been tracking her expenses in a spreadsheet, giving us a detailed look at what one person can actually spend on rent, electricity, food, transportation, entertainment, healthcare, and everyday life in Da Nang.
For this particular month, Emma’s total spending came to:
$2,250.75 USD
This is one foreigner’s real monthly budget, not an official average or a recommended cost of living for every expat in Da Nang. Lifestyle makes a huge difference, particularly when it comes to restaurants, entertainment, housing, and air-conditioning.
Emma Johnson’s Da Nang Monthly Expenses
| Category | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| Housing & Utilities | $496.24 |
| Food | $869.82 |
| Entertainment & Activities | $459.80 |
| Going Out & Entertainment | $111.48 |
| Other Expenses & Subscriptions | $336.96 |
| Transportation | $60.56 |
| Healthcare | $27.38 |
| Total Monthly Spending | $2,250.75 |
1. Housing & Utilities: $496.24
Emma spent $496.24 on housing and utilities during the month.
Long-term apartment rent: $403.93
Her long-term apartment cost $403.93 per month, which works out to approximately $13.03 per day at a fixed exchange rate.
Electricity: $92.31
Electricity was 2,400,000 VND, or approximately $92.31.
The relatively high electricity cost was mainly due to running two air conditioners.
For foreigners considering long-term living in Da Nang, electricity is an important expense to include in the budget, especially during the hotter months.
Housing & utilities total: $496.24
2. Food: $869.82
Food was Emma’s largest monthly expense, accounting for almost $870 during the month.
This is a useful reminder that the cost of living in Da Nang depends heavily on lifestyle. While Vietnamese food can be very affordable, regularly eating at restaurants, ordering drinks, eating Western food, and dining out can significantly increase your monthly budget.
Breakfast: $54.65
- 10 meals
- Average: $5.47 per meal
Lunch: $307.51
- 28 meals
- Average: $10.98 per meal
Dinner: $356.27
- 28 meals
- Average: $12.72 per meal
Snacks, drinks & juice: $92.81
This included:
- Fresh juice
- Smoothies
- Street food
- Pastries
- Coffee
- Tea
Groceries: $36.15
Groceries were purchased from local markets and supermarkets.
Drinking water & refills: $8.07
Other food expenses: $14.37
Total food spending: $869.82
3. Entertainment & Activities: $459.80
Emma also spends a significant amount on activities and staying active in Da Nang.
Pickleball: $227.79
Pickleball was one of her main recreational activities.
Court fees and games: $133.36
- 33 sessions
Gear and clothing: $67.51
- Pickleball shoes: $37.69
- Uniqlo shirt: $29.82
Private pickleball coaching: $26.92
- 2 private lessons
Massages: $120.53
Massages were another regular expense.
Emma typically spent around $10–$12 per person per session.
Total entertainment & activities: $459.80
For expats living in Da Nang, activities such as sports, fitness, massages and social events can become an important part of the monthly budget.
4. Going Out & Entertainment: $111.48
Additional entertainment spending came to $111.48.
Anniversary dinner: $55.30
Emma spent $55.30 on a Cajun Snow Crab Boil for an anniversary dinner.
Movie & cinema: $29.23
- Spider-Man ticket: $23.08
- Snacks: $6.15
She also noted that the new cinema at the mall has reclining seats with blankets and pillows.
Other spending
- Teacher gifts: $8.10
- Crunchyroll & anime subscriptions: $7.27
- Coffee & snacks while out: $7.15
- Community / FIRE meetup: $4.67
Total: $111.48
5. Other Expenses & Subscriptions: $336.96
This category includes a mixture of monthly expenses and annual costs divided into monthly allocations.
Annual expense allocation: $148.83
These expenses included:
- Life insurance
- Travel insurance
- Credit card fees
- Annual Spotify plan
- VPN
- Visa run costs
Vietnamese driver’s license conversion: $107.69
Emma also spent $107.69 on converting her driver’s license in Vietnam.
Google One storage: $49.97
Phone plans: $15.58/month
This covered three phones with 6GB/day plans.
Household & personal care: $14.89
Including:
- Laundry detergent: $10.31
- Shampoo: $2.46
- Dishwashing gloves: $1.54
- Glue: $0.58
Total other expenses: $336.96
6. Transportation: $60.56
Transportation was relatively inexpensive.
Monthly motorbike rental: $43.08
Gas: $8.07
Emma filled up approximately four times during the month.
GrabBike: $9.40
She used GrabBike for seven personal rides.
Total transportation: $60.56
For many foreigners living in Da Nang, a motorbike is one of the most practical ways to get around the city and explore surrounding areas.
7. Healthcare: $27.38
Healthcare spending was relatively low during this particular month.
Dental cleaning: $23.08
Teeth cleaning for two people cost 600,000 VND.
Medication / pharmacy: $4.30
Approximately 112,000 VND.
Total healthcare: $27.38
How Much Does It Cost for a Foreigner to Live in Da Nang?
According to Emma Johnson’s actual spending for this month, the total was:
$2,250.75 USD
That included:
- Apartment rent
- Electricity
- Restaurant meals
- Groceries
- Drinks and coffee
- Pickleball and sports
- Massages
- Entertainment
- Motorbike rental
- Gas
- GrabBike
- Phone plans
- Healthcare
- Personal care
- Subscriptions
- Visa-related expenses
- Other annual expenses
However, this should not be interpreted as the average cost of living for an expat in Da Nang.
It is a real-life case study of one foreigner’s monthly spending.
Could You Live in Da Nang for Less Than $2,250?
Definitely.
Emma’s spending reflects her personal lifestyle, and food was by far her largest expense.
A foreigner who:
- rents a cheaper apartment,
- cooks more often,
- eats primarily Vietnamese food,
- drinks less coffee and juice,
- spends less on entertainment,
- uses a motorbike instead of Grab,
- and avoids premium restaurants
could potentially live in Da Nang on a much lower monthly budget.
At the other end of the spectrum, expats choosing luxury apartments, imported food, international restaurants, frequent travel, nightlife, taxis and other premium services can spend considerably more than $2,250 per month.
What Does Emma’s Budget Tell Us About Living in Da Nang?
The biggest takeaway is that Da Nang doesn’t have one single cost of living.
Your monthly budget depends heavily on how you choose to live.
For Emma, the biggest expenses were:
- Food: $869.82
- Housing & utilities: $496.24
- Entertainment & activities: $459.80
- Other expenses & subscriptions: $336.96
- Going out & entertainment: $111.48
- Transportation: $60.56
- Healthcare: $27.38
Food, housing and lifestyle choices account for the majority of the budget.
Final Thoughts
Emma Johnson’s $2,250.75 monthly spending provides a useful real-world example of what it can cost for a foreigner to live in Da Nang.
It is not a universal expat budget. It is simply one month of actual expenses from one foreigner living in Da Nang.
That’s what makes the numbers interesting.
Rather than asking whether Da Nang is simply “cheap” or “expensive,” it’s more useful to ask:
What kind of life do you want to live in Da Nang?
For some people, Da Nang can be a very affordable place to build a new life in Vietnam. For others, especially those who maintain a more international lifestyle, the monthly budget can look surprisingly similar to what they would spend elsewhere in Asia.
Emma’s spreadsheet is one small but useful snapshot of that reality.
