My Affordable Apartment in the Heart of Ho Chi Minh City (District 1)

Welcome to my newly rented, affordable apartment in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City aka Saigon, Vietnam! This apartment is located in District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and is within a short walking distance to the famous Bui Vien Walking Street.
I am renting this apartment for 12 million VND, or approximately $500 per month.
I go over the costs of bills and the cost of living at this apartment, and share some insight into what is it like living in District 1 Saigon. I talk a bit about how I found the apartment as well, and if you’re more interested in that you should check out this video where I searched for affordable apartments throughout the city of Saigon:
• 5 Budget-Friendly Apar...
I take you on a full tour of my new 1 bedroom-1 bathroom apartment, the apartment building, and the rooftop which features views of District 1 and District 4 Saigon. The apartment came fully-furnished, with a “western-style” bathroom, a spacious bedroom, an open concept kitchen and living room, and a balcony with a view of District 1. This apartment is tucked away in an easily accessible alley in Co Giang ward of D1. Living here feels like a more local-Vietnamese-style living experience as opposed to living at a large apartment complex in say Thao Dien District 2 or Phu My Hung District 7. The surrounding neighborhood has tons of delicious local Vietnamese restaurants, and it is only a 3 minute walk to the vibrant Bui Vien nightlife scene.
Thanks for watching! I hope you enjoyed the video.
If you did, please leave a like and subscribe to my channel for more content.
If you found this video helpful, or if you just want to support my channel, you can send me a tip via PayPal.
www.paypal.me/bigtimebentley
Thank you! 😊
#affordableapartment #hcmc #saigon #costofliving

[@johnathanchen92]

Imo, $500 is overpriced for this place. You can get a bigger apartment with a same price somewhere else. You can even rent an entire house with that price if you are willing to move outside of the center area.

[@nofood1]

I pay $390 for a whole house in Da Nang, so yea…

[@Thekuskus777]

Nice place 😅and u look skinny and fit 😮😮

[@kimberlybentleyme]

Great place Ty! That is the one I hoped you would get. As far as figuring out a maid service...umm you can clean. The place is not too big, I have faith that you can do a little cleaning. Frosty actually sent me a meow text and asked that you pick up a little. She likes pristine floors and dust free counters. She can't keep her gorgeous frosty white fur in a messy abode. Love you Son 😅😊

[@BigTimeBentley]

haha maybe you can send Frosty a text back and train her to clean for me 😅

[@ChrissieSM]

I totally agree!

[@ChrissieSM]

Kimberley, please let us know if Tyler is OK. His fans (me included) want to know, as we have not seen any videos for more than a month.

[@ChrissieSM]

Please let us know if Tyler is OK. We have not seen any videos for over a month, we are (his fans) worried about him.

[@anonymousperson2345]

❤👍Very nice apartment 👌 Thanks for sharing 😊 Love Frosty the Snow Cat Bentley !!! She's so adorable and chatty🐈 😻 ❤

[@BigTimeBentley]

haha yeah she's cute. I'm glad you liked the video

[@ThuPham-qx4qo]

The man with the cat is the keeper!Thank you for keeping her!

[@BigTimeBentley]

Happy to do it she’s a lovely cat 🐱

[@doodahgurlie]

Frosty needs to earn her keep by editing your videos for you, that fur ball slacker! LOL! I like your new place, it looks efficient and modern enough.

[@BigTimeBentley]

yeah she does! 😀

[@LaurenceFarrell-e4y]

Nice apartment! Do you know if there is something similar in District 1 that I could rent for just a 1 month contract? I would like to avoid Airbnb fees.

[@allanc9472]

For US$500 dollars, you can get a high rise nice apt with infinity pool, gym and nice view in Malaysia. Vietnam and Thailand are sometimes overrated. You have such a crappy view, sorry.

[@user-fi3pe7rn7n]

you seem like a nice genuine person. welcome and enjoy your stay!

[@BigTimeBentley]

Thank you! 😃

[@Suk.mahdik]

Not bad for 500$. My electricity and management fees alone are 10milion month. In d2

[@tomthai5019]

Tyler....Nice, CONGRATS on your new place!!! 👍🥰👋 I'm moving in a few weeks too to Monterey, CA. It won't be $500, it'll be more like $2k and unfurnished...LOL Wanna trade places???

[@BigTimeBentley]

haha congrats on your new place too! Where are you moving from?

[@tomthai5019]

Moving from Rancho Cucamonga, CA which is about 1 hour from Culver City. Moving from SoCal to Northern California…LOL Not sure how different the vibe will be in Northern California.

[@BigTimeBentley]

@@tomthai5019 yea I’m familiar with Rancho Cucamonga. Been to Monterey once when I was like 16 and remember liking it. Good luck with the move. Just bring the so cal vibes to nor cal with you! 😎

[@tomthai5019]

Thanks for the advice, I’ll just bring the socal vibes there. Really enjoying vids you’ putting out, keep it up!!!

[@California95]

@@tomthai5019 It'll be fun in Monterey if you enjoy outdoors...hiking and beaches.

[@thetravelingteacher1001]

You could get the same apartment at much lesser price.

[@heptoxidem3829]

Congratulations on your new place. It looks very nice and the price is great

[@BigTimeBentley]

thank you!

[@user-ep3ck5re4o]

Nice digs - great location 👌👍

[@CSI426]

Nice, cozy, little place perfect for one person and a cat.

[@ianking9425]

Nice place, central Dustrict 1!!! Love the natural wood cupboards/closets....good price for the location w/ inside parking for your motorbike...and dryer capavility...building looks well maintained also....and most importantly...Frosty approved!!!😅

[@BigTimeBentley]

haha yeah I also like the wood. And yeah Frosty seems to love it 😊

[@California95]

Well, that's a warm and cozy apartment and $500 monthly is pretty reasonable in D1. Love your Frosty! She has a beautiful white fur! Great video and thanks for sharing!

[@BigTimeBentley]

Cheers thank you!

[@faizu3113]

How you find these?

[@Sondakhan]

HAHAHAH Meaaaa meow your cat is presh.

[@BigTimeBentley]

thank you!

[@user-ep3ck5re4o]

Nice location 👌👍

[@dontworrybehappy1942]

500 bucks a month in the heart of DT, over here we have 2 pay at least 3G.

[@BigTimeBentley]

yeah definitely a decent price for the location I think. 3Gs would get a very nice apartment here.

[@AlexM-g9p]

$500 is expensive for this flat in HCMC. I would say he overpays at least $100. Keep in mind that the average salary in vietnam is $300 a month and $1k is considered a great salary for some datascientist.

[@yamuiemata]

I know having a dog is problematic in saigon but a cat....wtf Why would the owner care

[@hisnameisvu]

Wow incredible thank you for the tour of your apartment brother

[@BigTimeBentley]

No problem 👍

[@luke_stout]

Can’t wait for all the new adventures from the new place! 👍🏻

[@BigTimeBentley]

cheers I'm looking forward to uploading them!

[@ChuckCharte-sy3pr]

More counter space for me I need a toster oven otherwise nice place for a single man

[@BigTimeBentley]

glad you liked it!

[@MikeB-in1nd]

Very affordable good thing you’re not claustrophobic.

[@horstwassermann5957]

Congratulation on your new apartment. Since the food is quite inexpensive, I think the rent is a bit high.

[@aren1998]

Super nice apartment😀😃

[@BigTimeBentley]

thank you!

[@weareorigin]

$50-$100 monthly electricity. I can see why locals want to conserve power.

[@jonwear9791]

Very nice and cozy.

[@BigTimeBentley]

Thank you!

[@quangtruong159]

$500 is a good deal! Also good location and nice apartment Tyler 👍👍👍

[@BigTimeBentley]

thank you! I agree

[@quangtruong159]

@@BigTimeBentley I would move to district 1 when I live in SG. Nice place.

[@BigTimeBentley]

@@quangtruong159 nice! I’ve lived I other districts too but I think I like district 1 the best too

[@andydai8993]

Thanks!

[@BigTimeBentley]

thank you very much! Frosty meowed thank you too!

[@Thekuskus777]

@@BigTimeBentley 251,000 dong what can u buy w this??

[@truthray2885]

You look pretty warm in that elevator at the beginning, friend.

[@h011yw00d]

Pretty nice place for $500 a month in Saigon/HCM which can get really expensive because it's a big city. I probably would choose a smaller city so it's a bit cheaper like Nha Trang (foreigner beach city) especially coming from a big city in Los Angeles (skyscapers, tons of buildings jammed together, finding parking & having to pay for parking eww). I much prefer the quiet suburbs than big cities. But I guess the bigger city has more food options and for youtube content. 👍

[@BigTimeBentley]

Yeah I've thought about moving to a smaller city in Vietnam too but for now I still like living in Saigon.

[@Henyo_George]

Hi Tyler, nice apartment. Is it month to month or you have to sign a long term contract?

[@Kristoferwitha_k]

Lol dude you can make your bed? Lazy

[@sonder007]

Why do people park their motorbikes in the lobby and in hallway 😂

[@BigTimeBentley]

that bottom floor is for parking bikes

[@user-ep3ck5re4o]

Because they can 🤨🤨

[@meanoch]

Did this place come furnished? Also what’s your everyday shopping like? Clothing, household goods and furnishings?

[@BigTimeBentley]

came furnished yes. I rarely buy clothes, but if I do I'd spend like $10 on a t shirt, maybe $15 on a pair of pants. household goods...I bought a desk lamp for like $15. Some glasses for the kitchen at $2 each. A frying pan for $12.

[@Aplusxs]

Looks a lot like the area i stayed in Vietnam near Đ. Calmette

[@jasonbourne3869]

What can you get with a $500/month room in North America? Well, let's see, you can rent a room in the basement of a house, and you have to share 1 bathroom with minimum 2 other renters in the basement. Compared to what you have there, I'd say, it's pretty darn good

[@BigTimeBentley]

one of the main reasons I live here in Vietnam is the affordable cost of living

[@spokeman]

How is the noise level in general and also from other neighbors in the building? How difficult do you think it would be to have a small dog in this unit and the others you looked at? Thanks. I like this one. You have a good deal for District 1.

[@BigTimeBentley]

A cat or small dog would be ok I think. The noise level can be annoying at times but for the most part it really isn't too bad. People are generally respectful of their neighbors

[@spokeman]

@@BigTimeBentley No roosters though right? :)

[@VietNguyen-vj4su]

how about mosquitoes? I assume the walls are made of concrete (noise-proof)?

[@BigTimeBentley]

I haven’t noticed any mosquitos. And yes the walls are sound proof

[@mattlcasto]

Very nice place!! Love the cat. ❤ What's the average temperature in your apartment with those AC units? Are they very dependable?

[@BigTimeBentley]

I usually set the A/C's at 27 Celsius when I'm just chilling (no pun intended), at like 23 or 24 C when I go to bed...They're decent enough to keep the place cool and comfortable. I had central a/c in the luxury apartment I rented (my first video on my youtube channel), but aside from that I've always had these A/C wall units. They definitely use less power than central A/C but the central a/c probably does a better job of keeping the apartment really cold.

[@Sondakhan]

This is super interesting cause i just rented a place, and my roommate is renting a place (moving out of a sweet friend/landlord deal). $2k for a 1b/1b in San Diego with shared wall. $2k for a 3b 2b house in Colorado. Both of comparable quality to your place. I can only imagine what $2k gets in Vietnam.

[@BigTimeBentley]

interesting comparison to the American rental market. Yeah two grand would get a very nice apartment here in Saigon. something comparable to my "luxury apartment" from my first video or maybe even better than that. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bIfVqnmrq698rNk

[@JaySFO2SGN]

$2K will get you a condo in the most desirable complex in amongst the most exclusive areas. Life would be very good and I’ve lived in San Diego so can compare. Size for $2K would depend on the project you choose but you could live in any of them. D1, D2, D3. Want a San Diego vibe choose Thao Dien (D2) which is closest mentality wise. Can do well at $1K as well. Pay up because honestly very few can handle the grind and living in the local neighborhoods like Tyler can. You gotta be very easy going. If you can then you can save a lot of $ but try it for a few weeks first minimum.

[@California95]

And $2600 for a one unfurnished bedroom in San Jose. It's getting out of control here!

[@BigTimeBentley]

wow that's a lot...what are the prices like in SF?@@California95

[@sethfrostheart]

feels better than your studio actually. looks more modern and definitely less claustrophobic👍

[@BigTimeBentley]

cheers I like this apartment too!

[@LanNguyen-cs2ft]

Very nice apartment, the prices you pay 💰 good price 😍👍’ happy for you dear’

[@BigTimeBentley]

thank you!

[@tonyztiger75]

Never leave the cat

[@davebuc4823]

from what i have seen from different people in different cities and especially saigon, it think you got a very good deal! nice size and close to so many different areas is great. good deal to have the cat as they become like family. i feed 3 and 4 strays and enjoy them all the time.

[@BigTimeBentley]

Cheers yeah I think it's a pretty good deal too...the only thing that my previous place had which I wish this place did was twice a week maid service and laundry and sheet changes done for you as well...that was pretty convenient...but yea it's nice they allow cats

[@davebuc4823]

and i thought also pretty rare to have washer and dryer for apartments as well. i think you did good with this one and you might check around for maid service. @@BigTimeBentley

[@chesterphung1143]

Lovely great job bros 😮❤🎉😮

[@BigTimeBentley]

Thanks! ☺️

[@luminouslink777]

How many deposits and how long renting period? Any flats with gardens?

[@BigTimeBentley]

1.5 month deposit on this place so roughly $750 (I think it's only one month if you don't have a pet)...you can find apartments with gardens at other buildings I think but this one just has the small balconies

[@luminouslink777]

@@BigTimeBentley I have a cat.

[@steveedina]

Hey, what about cost of internet access? What about speed up and down do you get?

[@BigTimeBentley]

the internet is included in the rent price. Just checked and it's 85 mbps download and 89 mbps upload

[@steveedina]

@@BigTimeBentley wow. Very slow…

[@BigTimeBentley]

@@steveedina the upload speed is fast enough. Download speed could be a bit better I guess but it’s pretty solid

[@user-ep3ck5re4o]

Love Frosty the Snow ❤️👌👌

[@bis1254]

I see your girlfriend hiding under the blankets on your bed!

[@BigTimeBentley]

lol just a body pillow

[@bis1254]

😉@@BigTimeBentley

[@beegaming8919]

nice place.

[@BigTimeBentley]

thank you!

[@ChrissieSM]

It looks as if there was a body under the bed sheet.

[@BigTimeBentley]

haha my body pillow

[@ChrissieSM]

@@BigTimeBentley, you need your girlfriend, not a pillow! Haha!

[@soidoggystyle2030]

Congrats on the new apartment. For a grown man with such a small apartment to clean, you do not need to hire a cleaning person to clean after you Bentley. Wait until you are a big bungalow house owner one day, the cleaning and maintenance will be almost like a full time job. Maybe you can get the girl friend to help out with cleaning the apartment with you once a week.

[@BigTimeBentley]

thanks! yeah I could probably get by on my own but I think once a week maid service is probably worth the cost

[@California95]

Get the girl friend to help out with cleaning his apartment once a week??!!! Hello!!! She's not a janitor or a maid!!! hahaha...

[@soidoggystyle2030]

@@California95 You obviously don't have a clue about Vietnamese culture.

[@California95]

@@soidoggystyle2030 oh that’s how you treat women in Vietnam??!!! Grow up!

[@soidoggystyle2030]

@@California95 That is not how I personally would want to treat a woman friend in Vietnam, but I have learned from experience that many Vietnamese women take it as kind of an insult if you hire another woman to clean your apartment for you.

[@tokyotoronto6028]

500usd for this shit?

[@user-ep3ck5re4o]

Disrespectful clown - very rude 🤨🤨

[@tuyetkeith6733]

I love your apartment

[@BigTimeBentley]

cheers thank you

[@Thekuskus777]

@@BigTimeBentley I want to move there. Maybe u could give me tips !🎰

[@theyhateme8763]

is this were the house felons?

[@theyhateme8763]

what a dump

[@user-ep3ck5re4o]

So are you clown 🤨🤨🤨