I moved to Vietnam from the USA in 2018. I first lived in Da Nang, then in Ho Chi Minh City. I’ve lived in five different districts in Ho Chi Minh City: District 8, District 7, District 2, Phu Nhuan, and Binh Thanh. I’ve spent hundreds of hours exploring Ho Chi Minh City on foot and by motorbike.
I’ve also rented several apartments along the way. I know about finding apartment or house rentals, costs, security deposits, dealing with agents and landlords, and more.
For each section below, I recommend a budget or mid-range hotel for you to use as a base to get a feel of the district. This is a quick rundown of what I consider the best districts to live in Ho Chi Minh City.
Quick note: The Grab app (download here) is very convenient for food delivery and taxis. I use it regularly. I order food nearly every day on it. It’s great, convenient, and reliable. No matter where you choose to live in HCMC, you can always order food on the Grab app.
If you have questions on districts or areas to live, ask me directly in my Saigon travel planning group.
Related reads:
• How to Get Around Ho Chi Minh City for First-Time Visitors
• How to Rent an Apartment in Ho Chi Minh City (An Expat’s Guide)
• Saigon Uncovered: 7 Best Areas to Stay in Ho Chi Minh City
Map of the Best Areas to Live in Ho Chi Minh City
Here’s a map of the best districts to live in HCMC. You can view the full map here.
How to use this map: Ahoy! Click the arrow in the top left-hand corner to view the layers. I color-coded the map with my favorite areas to live in Saigon: Phu My Hung (District 7), Binh Thanh District, Thao Dien (District 2), District 1, and District 3. My personal favorite place to live long-term is Phu My Hung. And if I wanted to be close but not in the action, I’d choose District 3.
Phu My Hung (District 7)
Hotel for exploring: The Golden Tree Hotel & Apartment (Agoda / Booking) is in a great area of Phu My Hung in District 7.
District 7 is one of my favorite districts in Ho Chi Minh City. A few years ago, I lived on the northern edge, on Tran Xuan Soan Road, facing District 4. I rented a studio along the river for 10.000.000 VND (~$400 USD) per month. This was a new building with an elevator, a parking garage with an electronic thumbprint lock, and cleaning twice per week.
This is a very local area, though. I would not recommend living here unless you’re comfortable making your own way.
However, the highly livable area of District 7 is Phu My Hung in the southern part of the district. This specific area is among my favorite neighborhoods in Ho Chi Minh City and also what I consider to be the best area for families.
There are gated communities with houses and villas, a good selection of Western amenities, gyms, supermarkets, and parks. The roads are wider and easier to navigate. Overall, it’s quieter and much less chaotic.
This is where the Saigon South International School is. There are many other international schools here as well.
Lotte Mart in District 7 is one of my favorite supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City. It has everything you need to live long-term.
There is also the Annam Gourmet River Park Premier. This supermarket is actually inside Phu My Hung, while Lotte Mart is accessible only by taxi or motorbike.
There is a large Korean population and some of the city’s best Korean food. If you need malls, the Crescent Mall is in Phu My Hung. SC VivoCity is nearby, though not as nice as Crescent Mall.
If I were going to live long-term in Ho Chi Minh City, and I wanted to be outside the city’s bustle but close enough to access it, I would live here in District 7.
Binh Thanh District
Hotel for exploring: The Bloom (Agoda / Booking) is in Ward 19, a great little area of Binh Thanh District.
Binh Thanh District is north of District 1, over the Saigon River. It’s a big district, but the best places to live are in a small area west of Dien Bien Phu Highway.
Specifically, you want to be in Ward 17, 19, 21, or 22. On Google Maps, these are called phườngs. Phường 17, Phường 19, Phường 21, and Phường 22.
This is a congested little area with many places to eat and get coffee and many condos to rent. Most of these wards are walkable. It’s a nice place to live and explore outside of the hectic District 1 to the south. However, these wards are still close to the city center and should be considered action-adjacent.
Good pizza in Ward 19: Oliver’s Pizza. Good budget sushi: Sushi Nhi. I have more great pizza places in HCMC here.
In general, day-to-day life in Binh Thanh is less quiet and peaceful than in Phu My Hung or some parts of Thao Dien.
However, Ward 22, or Phường 22, to the east along the Saigon River, is a bit of an outlier in Binh Thanh District. You’re in Ho Chi Minh City but in a slightly quieter area along the river. This area is one of the best places to live in Binh Thanh District.
This ward contains my favorite park in Ho Chi Minh City: Vinhomes Central Park.
This Vinhomes area is also home to the Landmark 81 skyscraper, the tallest building in Vietnam and the second tallest in Southeast Asia.
Vinhomes condominiums, including several high-rise apartment buildings, are also located here.
The Landmark 81 building has restaurants, a supermarket, a food court, a mall, and a high-end hotel: the Vinpearl Landmark 81, Autograph Collection (Agoda / Booking).
Thao Dien (District 2)
Hotel for exploring: The Common Inn Thao Dien (Agoda / Booking) is a budget hotel on a quiet street, and it’s great for checking out the Thao Dien area.
Thao Dien is a small area inside District 2. It’s considered an expat enclave and is a very popular place to live or visit.
I lived in Thao Dien in District 2 for a while. I rented a one-bedroom condo for 10.000.000 VND (~$400 USD) at a place called Genuss Serviced Apartment in the back of Thao Dien. The condo was fully furnished, with a couch, big bed, TV, washing machine, and a weekly cleaning service. The building has an elevator and an underground parking garage.
There are tons of options for short- and long-term rentals in Thao Dien. There are boutique serviced apartments, house rentals, villas, and bigger high-rise buildings like the Masteri complex.
The British International School has campuses in Thao Dien, which likely adds to the number of expat families living here. Some work at the school or live in the district so their kids can attend.
Thao Dien has supermarkets, boutique gyms, and fitness studios. It also has a very high concentration of excellent restaurants, cafes, and places to grab a quick bite.
Compared to Phu My Hung in District 7, Thao Dien has far better nightlife.
I rented a motorbike from DC Motorbikes (website here) for several months. The owner, Richard, is a great guy. He and his staff are very helpful. If you’re interested in a valid Vietnamese motorbike license, you can also arrange lessons and licensure from him.
District 1
Hotel for exploring: The Liberty Central Saigon Citypoint (Agoda / Booking) is in a great location on Pasteur Street in District 1.
District 1 is considered the city center of Ho Chi Minh City. The district is spread out a bit, though, so not every area is quite the same.
In general, there are a few very touristy areas of District 1. These are the Bui Vien area, the Ben Thanh Market area, and the Nguyen Hue Street/Dong Khoi Street area.
I wouldn’t recommend living near these areas unless you have a job nearby and want easy access to work. Otherwise, these areas are crowded, chaotic, and touristy — but some people like that energy.
District 1 also contains most of the city’s corporate and financial businesses. Many are located in the Nguyen Hue Street area and up north towards the Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon.
Because of all this, District 1 is generally the most expensive area of Ho Chi Minh City. Rent will be higher, and the cost of food will be slightly higher. Overall, it’s a more expensive day-to-day life. But the positive trade-off is that you’re in the action. The city’s energy is right outside your door. There are gyms (like Mach’s Gym), supermarkets (like Annam Gourmet), and tons of food choices all over.
Most of District 1 is very walkable, with plenty of sidewalks, but the streets can be hectic and trafficky.
If you want to live in the action, choose District 1. Personally, I would live action-adjacent in District 3, where it borders District 1.
District 3
Hotel for exploring: The Au Lac Legend (Agoda / Booking) is in a great area of District 3 for easy on-foot exploration.
District 3 is largely bordered by District 1. Accommodations are more affordable than in neighboring District 1, the cost of living is lower, and the tree-lined streets of District 3 are much more pleasant to wander. There is a higher concentration of small cafes, coffee shops, and eateries in District 3.
The areas surrounding the War Remnants Museum, Turtle Lake, and The Melbourne Cafe are all good spots to check out in District 3. More on HCMC’s museums here.
Some of my favorite gyms in Ho Chi Minh City are in District 3. This includes The New Gym, which has several branches in HCMC, and Gym One.
For a supermarket, you’ll have the Nguyen Dinh Chieu Co.opmart. It’s not the best supermarket, but conveniently located in the center of District 3 and will have all of the basics for living.
Cơm Gà Singapore is a chicken and rice place in District 3 that I visited numerous times weekly for six months. I highly recommend it for a quick and easy meal. It’s small, air-conditioned, and the prices are great. This was my go-to lunch spot after the gym.
You can read my Google Maps review here.
