Lots of info required about Saigon - PLEASE HELP !
- Login to post comments
Hi there,
I may be relocating to Saigon from PP and I have quite a few questions re;
- Best value / most interesting / fun places to live ( not necessarily infested with expats ). Recommendations for areas to google or rental websites. I don;t want to live in a 50 floor high-rise nor do I want to pay top dollar for a villa. Just me, wife and baby.
- Income Tax rates for private individuals earning $US. Googling seems to tell me its a flat 20% ?
- Ease of getting licenses for car and bike ( without international licenses ) and then cost of a new scooter and a relatively decent second hand 4x4.
- Staff costs ; cleaner, babysitter etc.
That's just for starters...
Can someone help out and I would rather use hotmail. thanks
hh
1) Place to live: depends obviouasly on your budget. Suggest An Phu or Binh Thanh (District 2)or Phu me Hung. Try www.thenest-vietnam.com or similar, just googfle villa rental HCM. Decent villa can be had around $ 500. By far the best way though is to invest a day in a taxi , identify a district that seems to suit you then and drive up and down streets and look for 'to rent' signs on houses. There is always an owner or representitive (who speaks english) nearby believe me. Prices are generally cheaper than PP , deals can easily be negociated.
2) Tax rates, mmm - depends on who is employing you
3) Driving: Simple answer is you dont drive in VN. Bike is OK, and no one has a licence really. Car, just forget it. Very very few expats risk driving on Vietnam roads, too dangerous in case of running into someone and hurting/killing them ; traffic is ridiculous. A decent 2nd hand bike will run under $ 1000, a new Vespa around $ 8000+. If you must have a car, a 2nd hand fully abused Ford Escape for example would be around $ 20K.
4) Cleaning staff around $ 120 pcm, ask around.
I suggest you pop along to SpamCham , held monthly at at Jaspas Restaurant in Dong Khoi street , where you'll meet plenty of friendly expats who can give you more hints. Or Budda Bar in Thao Dien An Phu - about 10 mins from city centre.
Thanks very much for the info. I am really surprised about the comment about rentals becuase all my searches on the internet and craiglist etc were showing rents were much more expensive over there. All the villas on The NEst are $2000 +++ !! Where are the $500 ones ?
Glad to hear I can just buy a scooter and drive. What happens if you get pulled over ?
Thanks for the tips ....
HH
-Plenty of decent little villas around $ 500 - $ 750, particularly in An Phu/ Binh Thanh area. As mentioned though, is really best to simply trawl the streets - thats where the deals are. The really good value places, same as in PP, are not or do not make it to, the net.
-If you get pulled over? Speak English -they wont understand you anyway- and offer a 100,000 vnd note. You'll be OK if you ride sensibly, obey the road rules - i.e. ride like a Vietnamese in herd mentality- and wear the helmet.
8000 for a vespa? OMG
Purple Vespa for Sale!
Leaving Cambodia and unfort leaving my vespa...
Asking price: $425
http://www.expat-advisory.com/forum/asia/cambodia/buy-sell-swap-phnom-pe...
whats are import duties and regs to bring a vespa from here?