Living in Asia - Why Everyone Should Give It a Go

LWe Out Here on 05/08/2023 - 21:27
Last edited 07/08/2023 - 10:23

So I'm creating this thread to have a discussion about the pros and cons of moving to Asia.

A bit of background about myself - 35yo Male, Born and raised in Sydney now residing in Vietnam for the past 6 months.

After 2 long years of covid cooped up inside Australia, I decided I had enough of the rat race in Sydney and made the plunge to move overseas to a different country. Why Vietnam? Cheap cost of living, abundance of teaching jobs, rapidly developing infrastructure and amenities, amazing food and people, to name a few.

Most of my friends thought I was crazy - leaving a comfortable life in Oz to move to a completely different way of living and culture. In Oz, I had a high paying job, friends/family, mortgage paid off. I still question certain aspects of my decision today, and appreciate the things we had like free healthcare and being able to buy things like fresh milk and pasta that wont cost an arm and a leg!

However, in my opinion, I've made the right decision. Life was very mundane in Australia, it was mostly work, go home, gym, eat, repeat. Multiply by 5. Then have a couple days off then do it again. Not saying it was all bad, but after 35 years, I had enough. Not withstanding the insane cost of living - bills galore and only going up and up as most of you reading can attest.

Fast forward to today, Vietnam offers me so much more. In the spirit of Ozbargain, I'll detail my semi frugal life here. Cheap cost of living, inflation here is barely felt. Eating out, travel, entertainment, gym, does not cost an arm and a leg here. Vietnamese street food is incredible and cheap, even some of the western food I've had here is better than back home. Cheap rent (im paying $250/month for a studio near the beach), gym ($25/month), food (varies but no more than $5 a day for 3 filling meals) etc.
People here are way happier than back in Sydney (angry people everywhere) on much less, life does not end after 9pm like in Sydney where everyone is inside watching Netflix, just happy to wander around seeing all the sights, sounds and smells (life does not stop here)! Sitting street side sampling all the tasty delicacies on plastic tables and chairs brings me so much joy.

So just wanted to keep this fairly short, I just wanted to give my perspective on why I made the decision to move out of Australia and maybe inspire some reading who may have the same thought. Cost of living is only getting worse in Oz, housing crisis, every damn thing going up. Happy to hear your thoughts.

Cheers

Travel Asia

closed Comments

  • Dack Smith on 10/08/2023 - 12:33

    I heard Laos is really cheap and a nice place to live

    You should try it OP

    OP?

    No response to own thread?

    Cue MGS Snake death music

    Op? Opppeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!

    Oh btw do you listen to Radio Hanoi Hannah much?

  • AustriaBargain on 10/08/2023 - 13:10

    I have citizenship in multiple EU countries. I think I'd rather retire to a small town outside a big city over there than live like a king in Vietnam. There has to be at least one country in the EU with sane house prices.

    • Hangryuman on 10/08/2023 - 13:27

      'one country in the EU with sane house prices'

      guess you haven't read about $1 houses in Sardinia or somesuch, or $10K chateaux in rural France - there's plenty of cheap housing

      but absence of electricity or water connections, local taxes and building requirements and difficulty navigating unfamiliar other language local authorities, not to mention possible local corruption and mafia influence, tend to make what appeared very attractive at first glance, not a viable proposition even after years of trying and spending

      • AustriaBargain on 10/08/2023 - 13:29
        +1

        Ew, I don't think I'd like living in France. They look at you like you have (profanity) smeared across your face when they realise you can't speak French.

  • mrdng on 10/08/2023 - 14:51
    +12

    I grew up in Vietnam and migrated to Melbourne when I was 27yo. I can say that I know a lot about it :)

    Vietnam used to be a poor country, and it has been developing really fast. Anyway, the "nice" experiences a few people shared here are true only if you have the money to spend and, if you're white Caucasian, you'll enjoy another layer of privilege, which me and my friends called "white privilege"

    Vietnamese are quite "racist;" I think it's just a nature of human beings. But they will treat you nicely and politely, like everywhere else if you behave yourself and don't act like an ashle. If you're white, they will treat you even better, maybe because of a century colonised by the French, and then the Vietnam War when the American introduced a lot of "richness" into the poor and undeveloped country; most Vietnamese thought that white people are rich, highly educated, and experienced. But as the country's getting richer, more and more Vietnamese live and study abroad and come back to Vietnam; at the same time, the number of Millionaires (US dollars) are increasing at a very fast rate; those "white privileges" will fade away soon.

    If you know your way around, you can still make a lot of money in Vietnam. For a white English speaking person, you can easily get an English teaching job with a decent income in VN, much much better comparing to other Vietnamese, who on average earns only $400 a month, that that is the number from Saigon, the richest city in VN. So just by being white and speaking English, you will have enjoyed a much better lifestyle comparing to a normal Vietnamese.

    For me, I can live anywhere. But I can earn 3x incomes doing the same job in Melbourne, with much less hours and stress comparing to the time when I worked in Saigon. And also, my kids enjoys a much better environment and educations here in Australia. Even though I'm paying a lot of tax to the AU Government and they're wasting my tax on stupid things, they're still better than the VN Government in many ways. That's why I chose to live here. I can live in the US also but I think I had made the right choice to live Down Under.

    I may retire in VN, but definitely somewhere cool as I don't enjoy hot and humid weather. Foreigners living long term in VN is a choice of a few privileged people, and, you can't compare preferences at all. I respect all perspectives.

    If you want to experience the country, go ahead, it will definitely enriching your life. If you decide to live there for long term, there are a lot of things to consider. It is not simple as the OP made it look like.

    I'm not surprised that the discussions of the people who spent a long time enjoying life there are from single, well-off men though :)

  • GoIdDigger on 10/08/2023 - 15:15
    +2

    Post and ghost - where did OP go? Lol

    • Grunntt on 10/08/2023 - 16:12
      +1

      Original post was on the 5th, came back on the 7th to edit it, as there weren't enough outraged commenters arguing amongst themselves, by adding -

      Dating here is also WAY easier, not that I struggled in Oz, but people here are less flaky and more open.

      Has been on the site a few times since then but can't/won't hold up his/her/their end of the discussion that they wanted apparently.
      You know - the sort of thing a troll does.

      • jackspratt on 10/08/2023 - 16:27

        Your forensic skills could do with an upgrade.

        Original post was on the 5th, came back on the 7th to edit it, as there weren't enough outraged commenters arguing amongst themselves, by adding

        Dating here is also WAY easier, not that I struggled in Oz, but people here are less flaky and more open.

        The sentence you quote was actually in the OP, and was deleted on the 7th.

        Likely because of the "outraged commenters", who you have subsequently joined.

        • Grunntt on 10/08/2023 - 16:39

          Your forensic skills could do with an upgrade.

          The sentence you quote was actually in the OP, and was deleted on the 7th.

          I have been told a few times that I'm a bit backward…

          Likely because of the "outraged commenters", who you have subsequently joined.

          Can't understand what it accomplishes to edit the original post rather than have the discussion in the comments as the OP originally stated they wanted.
          All that tends to do is make the commenters look like they are reacting to something not there. (hmmm… I guess I do see why they would edit something out of the original post).

          Can't actually see how you can include me in the 'outraged commenters' - I call out someone making a post asking for discussion and then totally ghosting it other than making an edit and you see that as 'outraged'? I think I see how you are able to sympathise with the OP

      • bohn on 10/08/2023 - 17:11

        came back on the 7th to edit it
        the sort of thing a troll does

        Perhaps he isn't has happy/content in Vietnam as he thinks ;)

    • vid_ghost on 10/08/2023 - 21:24

      His organs were harvested?

  • tio on 10/08/2023 - 15:17

    Caucasian English teachers in VN can get USD20/hr. So if you manage to get part time hrs, can avg AUD2000/month, a very decent earning even for HCM city or Hanoi standard. So yeah, if you can make it works over there, you have got a pretty sweet deal.

    • cupcake on 10/08/2023 - 15:31
      +1

      I heard that also. AU$2,000 a month income might be good in Vietnam, but not when one can make $2,000 a week in Sydney!

    • [Deactivated] on 10/08/2023 - 16:27
      +1

      Caucasian English teachers in VN can get USD20/hr …

      So, the pay rate is based upon a person's race?

      • tio on 10/08/2023 - 16:37

        demand vs supply, it's a free market over there, allegedly.

  • Willy Beamish on 10/08/2023 - 16:24
    +1

    tldr made money in australia, moved to cheap country to feel like kangz

    • Grunntt on 10/08/2023 - 17:36
      +1

      So, now that you have finally surfaced, exactly what do you have to add to the discussion that you say was the reason for your post?

    • nukewell on 10/08/2023 - 19:49

      No one forced you to post

    • vid_ghost on 10/08/2023 - 21:31
      +3

      $6k a month income with only $250 rent per month and $5 a day food. why bother working as a teacher? $4k is enough
      Also you must be accumulating so much money.
      I would be starting to get paranoid being that well off over there. Could make you a target

      I have two houses in Sydney at 43.. i wont be moving anywhere that could be a risk to my life…Drinking the wrong water from the wrong place could be a death sentence .. Take care bro!

      • cupcake on 11/08/2023 - 09:26

        Exactly!

      • dbui8743 on 11/08/2023 - 14:05

        Plenty of people that are heaps richer.

        6k$ a month is good, but not something people would kill you for over there.

    • hobo123 on 10/08/2023 - 21:32
      +6

      My parents escaped Vietnam on a boat and then arrived in Australia- if they had a chance to do it again they would 100%. They could easily go back to Vietnam now to live like kings (they have enough to retire in Australia let alone Vietnam) but they would never go back to live there. Most of my uncles/aunties have left Vietnam for Australia/USA when they have the means to.

      And when I go back to Vietnam and speak with locals in Vietnamese all of them ask me how they can get a visa to Australia and live there, or they ask me how I managed to get to Australia. If money and visa acquisition wasn't such a barrier I'd say more Vietnamese people would be immigrating to Australia than the other way around.

      People aren't agreeing with you as much as you expected is because maybe a lot of us are happy and grateful that we live in Australia? Not everyone is miserable and unhappy like you were in Australia.

  • TiredKitty78 on 10/08/2023 - 17:42

    Counter: Don't live abroad and don't tell people to live abroad. Because then they do and the prices inflate, and we all know from the housing issue here that that ain't good for the locals.

    But jelly OP, livin the good life. thumbs up

  • fullmetal on 10/08/2023 - 18:35

    Didn't the weak aussie dollar actually hurt your lifestyle?

  • dragonxx on 11/08/2023 - 00:00

    Vietnam is not as overly positive and Australia is certainly not overly negative as you said. There are always variables for consideration and each person has their own values for these variables. People with family with kids might have different view than you have at the moment.

    Op is lucky that he/she has options, and op can choose where to live and experience as long as you still feel happy - that's most important. If you ever get bored again, you can always come back to Australia haha.

  • Cyphar on 11/08/2023 - 04:08
    +2

    I've lived in Japan for 15 years, Singapore for 4 years, KL for 3 years and Beijing for a year. They are all great but I've always been happy to be back home in Australia.

    • mungas on 11/08/2023 - 08:25

      This is a story deserving an unpacking. My experience as a tourist in Japan has been amazing, I've fallen in love with it, but what was the experience living there? I assume the competition for work would be overwhelming and challenges would arise from there simply being too much demand?

      • MrMarket on 11/08/2023 - 09:03
        +1

        long working hours, no one takes leave so if you do you are at odd and an outcast, social work drink is a must, small houses
        probably good for a few years as a working tourist there to enjoy everything Japan has to offer.

        Been to a few countries still call Australia home and love it here, the open space, the beach, the nature
        I am an outdoor person so hard to find many countries that beats Australia with open space and hardly anyone around

  • Rukiata on 11/08/2023 - 09:32
    +2

    has no one commented on ops username? it matches his personality.

    must be a fit dude with no shame.
    if your female and traveling to live there alone might be dangerous. So this is not a good take at all.
    also i like open space and peace..

    • Faithgrrl on 11/08/2023 - 11:27

      Oh really? I was not aware the Vietnam isn't that safe for females.

      • bohn on 11/08/2023 - 11:49

        I haven't heard that either.. although, maybe it's because sexpests be doing their thang.

        • Faithgrrl on 11/08/2023 - 11:51

          Surely sexpats are only interested in the locals..

      • Rukiata on 11/08/2023 - 12:02

        traveling alone isnt safe? i thought that was common knowledge
        i know im scared to travel alone, i always come across strange people when im alone like some guy sniffing paint out of a bag at a bus stop but that was in vic.

  • Strange1 on 11/08/2023 - 10:40
    +4

    Love the arrogance of the OP "Why everyone should give it a go", ignoring the fact that it's quite suitable for him, as a wealthier white young male, looking for more dating opportunities (hmmmm) - that this should somehow be the lifestyle that everyone wants.

    Some good insights from people in this thread from people who would know what Vietnam is like, as opposed to living in a big city with incomparable wealth in contrast to the vast majority of the population.

    It certainly is a developing, lower-middle income country. I enjoy travelling there. From my tourist perspective, it's great ranging from the food to the people. Hope to visit there many more times. Is living in a communist country the right thing for me long-term (particularly with a young family?) No.

  • surg3on on 11/08/2023 - 12:48

    OP: I moved somewhere where people are paid less and I pay less.

    • MrThing on 11/08/2023 - 15:07
      +2

      And "dating" is exchanged for usd, thats why its so "easy"

  • LayG on 11/08/2023 - 15:47
    +1

    No surprise there at all. Funny how people pin it down to a communist country as if anyone could even make a change in the so called Democratic country.

  • Moderatorscrimshaw on 14/08/2023 - 15:42

    Thread closed, OP banned as a ghost account.

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