UK rents bite, energy bills nag, and a beach city in Vietnam quietly asks: what if your whole month cost less than your council tax — with weather warmer than Spain?
Not traffic rage, but scooters purring and the ocean folding onto My Khe Beach like someone smoothing a sheet. A woman hands me a thick iced coffee for 25,000 dong — about 80p — as sunrise rinses the skyline. A fisherman laughs at my useless bargain Vietnamese. We grin, shrug, and share a look that says everything.
Down the street, a bowl of steaming mì Quảng appears in front of a builder on his break. He eats in ten quiet minutes, pays 35,000 dong, and leaves. Behind him, a sign for flats reads 6.5m VND a month. That’s roughly £210. It lands in your chest like a thud. This is Da Nang, and it’s warmer than Spain.
There’s a reason Brits keep whispering about this place in group chats. **Yes, £750 a month is enough in Da Nang.** The shock isn’t just the price. It’s how normal life feels when the numbers stop shouting.
The Vietnamese beach city where £750 actually works
Da Nang lives in the sweet spot between city hum and beach hush. You can rent a clean studio near the water for £220–£320, often with a balcony, Wi‑Fi that doesn’t flinch, and a lift that dings like a polite bellhop. Street food rarely grazes £2. Coffee almost never does. A gym membership sits around £18–£25. You start adding it up in your head and realise the maths is not a trick.
Take a real month. Rent: £260 for a bright studio in Khue My. Electricity and water: £30. Phone plan with 4G to burn: £5. Scooter rental: £40. Petrol: £12. Eating out local most days, café breakfasts twice a week: £180. Groceries and fruit market: £70. Coworking pass: £50. Insurance and bits: £70. Nights out and beach beers: £30. That lands at roughly £747. You didn’t skimp. You just stopped paying the UK premium on everything.
Why does it work? Local wages pull prices down, but the infrastructure is surprisingly modern. Fresh produce comes in short, cheap loops. Energy use stays low because the climate does half the heating for you. There’s no council tax, no season of brutal gas bills, no £3.50 bus to go two stops. And Da Nang’s constant warmth — mid‑20s to low‑30s Celsius most of the year — keeps life outdoors, which costs less by itself.
How to make £750 stretch without feeling poor
Start with the neighbourhood. An Thuong is popular, but a few blocks back from the sea is where rents drop and life gets easier. Negotiate a monthly rate, in person, and ask for a small discount if you pay in cash. Build your week around local spots: noodle shops, cơm gà counters, the orange‑tented markets with herbs you’ll learn by smell. *You won’t miss Waitrose; you’ll miss the faff.*
Transport is where people overpay in fear. Ride a scooter if you’re confident, or mix cheap ride‑hailing and walking. Pick a coworking space with a discount plan and use it properly. Learn three money phrases in Vietnamese and watch prices soften. Soyons honnêtes : nobody logs every receipt — but take a photo of menus early on, so your brain learns the numbers. **Your budget is a habit, not a spreadsheet.**
Watch the classic traps. High‑rise sea views are gorgeous and costly. Imported cheese is lovely and a budget vampire. Western bars every night can double your month without you noticing. We’ve all had that moment when the card machine says “Do you want another?” and you press yes with a grin. That’s fine once in a while. The trick is to bolt your routine to places that feel local and fair.
“Back in Leeds I was working just to stand still,” says Sam, 34. “Here, I work to live, and I actually live.”
- Choose rent first, view second: cap rent at £300 and only view within that band.
- Build a “default day” of cheap, happy routines you can repeat without thinking.
- Buy a reusable water bottle and top up at cafés; plastic and pennies saved.
- Eat what the market is shouting about that week — prices follow abundance.
- Keep one mini‑splurge day; budget joy beats accidental blowouts.
What this really buys you
Money is part of it. Time is the rest. With £750 covering the basics, mornings stretch. You notice how sea light changes. You start running on the promenade at 7am, because you can. Work feels less like a cliff face and more like a hill. The weather wraps around your routine and softens it. **Warmth, safety, and a slower cost of living can exist together.**
You also get to choose. Local lunch for £1.50 or a Saturday brunch blow‑out for £8. A scooter to Marble Mountains, or a 20‑minute taxi to Hội An for lanterns and late noodles. Rainy season rolls in, and you learn to read the sky like farmers do. People nod when you pass. They remember your order. The days knit themselves into something steady.
This isn’t about escaping Britain forever. It’s about recalibrating what a month can feel like. If £750 at home buys anxiety and a cramped room, £750 here buys headspace and heat. Call it a reset. Call it a season. Call it a promise that life doesn’t have to cost what you’ve been told it costs.
| Point clé | Détail | Intérêt pour le lecteur |
|---|---|---|
| Realistic £750 budget | Rent £220–£320, food £180–£220, transport £50–£70, utilities/phone £35, coworking £40–£60, extras £50–£90 | Shows exactly how a normal month adds up without penny‑pinching |
| Warmer than Spain | Typical Da Nang highs 28–33°C most months, sea breeze moderates humidity | Confirms the “sun swap” is not a fantasy and improves daily life |
| Everyday living | Coffee 60p–£1, noodles £1–£2, gym £18–£25, scooter petrol ~£12/month | Grounds the story in prices you can picture right now |
FAQ :
- Where exactly are we talking about?Da Nang, a coastal city in central Vietnam, with a long sandy beach, modern bridges, and an easy hop to Hội An and the Marble Mountains.
- Is £750 really enough for one person?Yes for a simple, comfortable life: a modest flat, local food, a scooter or ride‑hailing, and some fun. Couples often report £1,100–£1,400 together, thanks to shared rent.
- How does the weather compare with Spain?Expect warmer averages year‑round: many months sit around 28–32°C. There’s a rainy season with dramatic downpours, but the air stays warm and the sea is swimmable.
- What about visas and healthcare?Visa rules change, so check official Vietnamese sources before flying. Many visitors use e‑visas and renew seasonally. Private clinics and international hospitals exist; travel or expat medical cover is common.
- Is it safe?Da Nang feels calm and friendly. Petty theft happens in busy spots, so keep the usual city habits. Traffic is lively; wear a helmet, ride slowly, and treat crossings like a game of patience.
Can’t beleive £750 actually covers life and beach runs—and it’s warmer than Spain. Defintely tempted.