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Jan 31, 2019 / 15:22

Vietnam among world’s cheapest places to live in 2019

Southeast Asia is one of the world’s most popular tourist and retiree destinations.

Vietnam has been named among five of the cheapest places in the world to live in 2019, according to a list released by International Living, a monthly newsletter covering lifestyle topics.
 
Da Nang, Vietnam.
Da Nang, Vietnam.
Southeast Asia is one of the world’s most popular tourist and retiree destinations. With its tropical climate, mouth-watering food, and bewildering range of shopping delights, the region melds together big-city buzz with the charm of small historic towns, and low-key beach life.
Esther and Lloyd Bedik, two St. Louis, Missouri natives, live in Da Nang, the largest city in Central Vietnam. The Bediks rent a two-bedroom apartment overlooking the gorgeous Han River, which runs right through the city.
“Our apartment is about 1,200 square feet, and it came fully furnished, even with a built-in oven, which is quite unusual for Vietnam,” International Living wrote.
The best thing is the view of the riverfront from the balcony and from our bedroom. They could live much less expensively, but the view made me feel like I had to have this apartment.
“Our rent is US$800 per month, and it includes parking, as well as use of the pool and gym. It would be way more than we could afford in the States. In St. Louis, we’d be paying around US$2,200 per month for a comparable apartment with a view of the Mississippi,” the author wrote.
Cambodia tops the list, followed by Vietnam, Thailand, Peru, and Bolivia.
In 2018, Vietnam welcomed 15.5 million visitors, a 19.9% increase from 2017, statistics of the tourism authority the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism showed.