Converted from Australian dollars at the rate on 12 October 2026, so treat them as rough.
If you want the sea and a slower pace without giving up a decent hospital, these are the five towns I’d look at: Vung Tau, Hua Hin, Pattaya, Hoi An and Nha Trang. A comfortable single life costs about A$1,400 to A$3,200 a month in them, and each has a good private hospital in town or a big city within about two hours.
They suit people, retirees especially, who like the idea of South East Asia but not the size and noise of Bangkok or Saigon.
The five towns compared
Budgets are for one person living comfortably: a good one-bedroom, eating out often, health insurance and a social life.
| Town | Comfortable budget (A$/month) | Nearest major hospital |
|---|---|---|
| Vung Tau, Vietnam | 1,500–2,500 | Ho Chi Minh City, about 2 hours |
| Hua Hin, Thailand | 2,000–3,200 | Bangkok Hospital Hua Hin, in town |
| Pattaya (Jomtien), Thailand | 1,800–2,800 | Bangkok Hospital Pattaya, in town |
| Hoi An, Vietnam | 1,400–2,200 | Da Nang, about 45 minutes |
| Nha Trang, Vietnam | 1,600–2,400 | Vinmec Nha Trang, in town |
For comparison, the same life costs about A$2,210 to A$3,340 a month in Bangkok. The cost of living guide has the big-city budgets.
Vung Tau, Vietnam: Saigon’s beach town
I’ll start with Vung Tau because it’s the one I know best, from my time living in southern Vietnam.
It’s a beach town on a peninsula about 100km southeast of central Saigon: around two hours by road, or a couple of hours by fast ferry. It has two main beaches (Front Beach and Back Beach), green headlands and a much slower pace than the city. Since the July 2025 merger it’s officially part of Ho Chi Minh City, so new addresses and documents say Ho Chi Minh City.
Vung Tau has a big foreign community for its size, and a lot of it is Australian. Some of the connection goes back to the war years, when it was the Australian army’s logistics base. More of it comes from the offshore oil and gas industry, which brought Western workers for decades. Plenty stayed, or came back to retire.
- Rent (1-bed apartment near the beach): 7–13 million VND a month (about A$390–720)
- Local meal: 40,000–70,000 VND (about A$2.20–3.90)
- Western restaurant meal: 220,000–360,000 VND (about A$12–20)
The community is what makes it easy. People have been there for years and know a good landlord. The downsides are fewer hospitals than Saigon, so serious care means the trip to the city, and a quiet social scene if you’re under 50.
Hua Hin, Thailand: calm, and the dearest of the five
Hua Hin is about 200km south of Bangkok on the Gulf of Thailand, roughly three hours by road. It’s a calm beach town with good restaurants, golf courses and a Bangkok Hospital branch, and none of the party feel of Phuket. Many of its foreign residents are retirees from Europe and Australia.
- Rent (modern 1-bed condo): 14,000–23,000 THB a month (about A$600–980)
The catch is price: it’s the most expensive town here, closer to Bangkok prices than the others.
Pattaya, Thailand: the Jomtien side
Pattaya’s reputation is earned, but Jomtien, Naklua and East Pattaya feel nothing like Walking Street. Jomtien in particular is full of retirees: a quieter beach, big supermarkets and Bangkok Hospital Pattaya nearby. It’s under two hours from Bangkok’s main airport.
- Rent (1-bed condo, Jomtien area): 10,000–19,000 THB a month (about A$430–810)
If the nightlife side of Pattaya would put you off, visit before you decide. It’s hard to avoid completely.
Hoi An, Vietnam: the cheapest, with floods to watch
Hoi An’s old town has been UNESCO World Heritage listed since 1999: lantern-lit streets, tailors, rice fields and An Bang beach close by. It’s cheaper than central Da Nang and about 45 minutes from Da Nang’s airport and hospitals. Since 2025 it’s officially part of Da Nang city.
- Rent (house with a garden, local neighbourhood): 9–16 million VND a month (about A$500–890)
The old town floods most years in the wet season (roughly September to December), so check where a house sits before you rent it.
Nha Trang, Vietnam: a city beach with its own airport
Nha Trang has a long city beach, clear water around the islands, a Vinmec hospital and an international airport at Cam Ranh. It’s cheaper than Saigon and busy with tourists in the dry season.
- Rent (1-bed near the beach): 9–15 million VND a month (about A$500–830)
Whichever town you choose, read the apartment-hunting guide before you sign anything.
Frequently asked questions
Is Vung Tau a good place to retire?
For many people, yes. It's a quiet beach town about two hours from Ho Chi Minh City with a long-established foreign community, and a comfortable single life costs about A$1,500 to A$2,500 a month. The trade-off is healthcare, because for anything serious you go to the city.
Is Hua Hin or Pattaya better for retirees?
Hua Hin is calmer and more expensive, about A$2,000 to A$3,200 a month for a comfortable single life. Pattaya, mainly the Jomtien side, is cheaper at about A$1,800 to A$2,800, busier, and closer to Bangkok's main airport. Both have a Bangkok Hospital branch.
What is the cheapest beach town in Vietnam for expats?
Of the three Vietnamese towns here, Hoi An is the cheapest, at about A$1,400 to A$2,200 a month for one person living comfortably. Nha Trang and Vung Tau are a little dearer. All three cost less than living in Ho Chi Minh City.
Sources
Last checked 14 October 2026
- Vietnam Government News, names and centres of the 34 provinces (2025 merger)en.baochinhphu.vn
- Resolution 202/2025/QH15 on reorganising provincial administrative unitsenglish.luatvietnam.vn
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Hoi An Ancient Townwhc.unesco.org
- Reserve Bank of Australia, exchange rates (12 October 2026)rba.gov.au
General information only, current as of 14 October 2026. Rules change, so confirm visa, tax and legal details with the relevant authority or a licensed professional before acting.
