Felipe Coimbra
Vietnam Lets Me Live More—Because I Can Afford It
What I love about living in Vietnam is the room to eat out, work less, and enjoy an ordinary day. That freedom depends on what you earn.
People often say they love Vietnam because of the people. I like the people too. But for me, the biggest reason is simpler: I can afford to live here.
When rent and everyday costs take less of what I earn, I have room to do things. I can eat out without turning it into an occasion, take an afternoon to wander, and work less without feeling that life is slipping behind. That breathing room changes an ordinary Tuesday.
I’ve lived in places I really liked that are becoming very expensive. The people did not suddenly become less kind. The arithmetic changed. More of my time had to go toward paying for the basics, leaving less of it for actually living.
Unless I’m always lucky, I’ve met nice people in every country I’ve lived in—the US, Canada, Russia, Germany, France, and elsewhere. People are people everywhere. What changes my day most is how much life I can make with the money and time I have.
That affordability is relative. A September 18 report on young Vietnamese people trying to access housing is a reminder that my experience does not describe everyone’s. It depends on income. The Vietnam chapter on my personal site shows places I enjoyed; the part I value most is the freedom to enjoy them without having to do so much to keep up.