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Moving to Vietnam to teach English is an exciting adventure. From the low cost of living and incredible food to the opportunity to experience a vibrant new culture, it's easy to see why thousands of teachers choose Vietnam every year. However, like any international move, there are plenty of surprises that you only discover once you've arrived.
Whether you're preparing for your first teaching job in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, or elsewhere in Vietnam, knowing what to expect can save you time, money, and unnecessary stress. From understanding the weather and navigating Vietnamese bureaucracy to managing your finances and settling into everyday life, a little preparation goes a long way.
In this guide, I'll share six things I wish I had known before coming to teach in Vietnam. These practical tips will help you settle in more quickly, avoid common mistakes, and make the most of your experience living and working in one of Southeast Asia's most popular destinations for English teachers.
#6 You can get most things in Vietnam easily
When coming to a new country it can be easy to worry about what to bring and what might not be available in Vietnam. The good news is that you can find pretty much anything in Vietnam from an oven for your kitchen to your favourite snack foods. Stores like the MM Mega Market and apps like ‘Grab’ or ‘Shopee’ are the must go to places for pretty much anything you need.
#5 The weather can change suddenly
Make sure to research the weather of the city you are moving to. In the South the seasons are divided into the dry season and rainy season, there is no Winter weather its essentially Summer year round. In the North there is a more distinct winter period and the weather can at times drop to around one hundred degrees celcius with relatively little central heating. Whether you are living in the South or the North its important to be ready for the sudden change in weather, either with some warmer clothes (If living in the North) or a rain mac if living in the South. Due to the wind that often accompanies rain umbrellas generally wont help you stay dry.
#4 Expect getting settled to take time
Getting your visa, your contract signed, opening your bank account, many of these steps require quite a lot of bureaucracy and in Vietnam that often means two copies of everything hand signed and delivered in person at each step of the journey. Vietnam’s bureaucracy still very much runs on paper and people. It’s important to relax and take it slow and steady. Try to keep your day or time open each time you need to do something that involves banks, or the government. Be prepared to spend your whole day working through a process. This can be annoying but it’s important to know that this is normal and take it in stride don’t allow it to frustrate you, assume every step will take many hours of waiting and be pleasantly surprised when something doesn’t.
#3 Learning Vietnamese in the cities is not a must do but it helps a lot
Vietnamese people are very friendly, and in cities, especially in tourist frequented areas the level and ability of English is often enough to help you with most problems or challenges. However, the best way to make friends and get off the beaten tourist path is to learn key phrases in Vietnamese. Knowing the basics, like how to greet others, is a must learn for your first few weeks in centre negotiate prices at markets and how to order food in restaurants is also a big advantage in allowing you to find more affordable food and keep your cost of living low.
#2 Have cash, card, apps
In Vietnam many shops will still ask for cash payment whilst others in modern malls will only accept card payment or services like Apple Pay. Cash is especially important in any rural area but also in the cities, once you leave the touristy areas of a city it is also very common that cash is relied on. The best thing to do when going out is always keep enough cash on you to at least pay for the service/product you want to buy and then aim to use your preferred method of payment like card or app first. This way you can be sure you will never find yourself in an awkward position where you are asked to pay in cash but didn’t bring any.
#1 It’s easy to save, but it’s also easy to spend
If you are living in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh or really any city in Vietnam the cost of travel and eating out is very affordable. Expect to pay 55,000VND for a meal (1.50 GBP or $2) in a local restaurant. 7,000ND for a bus ticket or metro ticket (about 20p, 27cents). However opposite every affordable local restaurant there are also international restaurants Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Western food all of these restaurants are more expensive, expect to pay around 300,000-400,000VND a meal (10-13 GBP, $12-$16). Similarly grab is a very convenient way to get around in Vietnam but can also add up especially in the rain. For short distances expect to pay around 20,000VND (60p, 75 cents) for grab bike and around 35,000VND for a grab car (1GBP, $1.3). For 30 minutes of travel expect to pay 80,0000VND (2.25GBP, $3) for grab bike to 130,000VND (3.66GBP, $5) for grab car. This may sound cheap but overtime can add up especially if you take it to and from work every day.
Final thoughts
Teaching in Vietnam is an exciting and rewarding experience, but being prepared makes all the difference. Knowing what to expect before you move will help you settle in faster, avoid common mistakes and enjoy life in Vietnam from day one.