Rent an Apartment in Vietnam for 3-5 Months: 2026 Costs

Renting an apartment in Vietnam for three to five months costs less per month than hotels and more than a yearly lease, and the final figure depends on the city and the contract length. A furnished studio runs about $155-320 a month in Dalat, Da Nang and Nha Trang and $315-475 in Ho Chi Minh City, before electricity, water and building fees. I work with long-stay visas for people who rent here, so lease length and visa length keep coming up together.

What Does a 3-5 Month Rental Cost in 2026?

A furnished studio costs roughly $155-475 a month across Vietnam’s main long-stay cities and a one-bedroom about $255-790, according to 2026 market surveys. Da Nang and Nha Trang sit in the middle, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City at the top, Dalat at the bottom. Rents rise 5-8% a year, so last year’s forum posts understate today’s price.

The ranges come from 2026 rental surveys for each city. Real listings swing with the street, the floor and the view, and a new tower with a pool in An Thuong can reach about $590 for a one-bedroom while an older building two streets from the sea in Da Nang costs about $355.

Does a 3-5 Month Lease Cost More Per Month?

Yes, because landlords price short leases above long ones. A stay of one to three months costs 10-20% more per month than a 6-month contract. Separately, many owners cut their short-term asking rent by 10-15% when you commit to three months instead of paying month to month. A five-month stay falls between the two. A six-month contract that you leave after five months usually forfeits the deposit, so ask for the six-month rate and write the five-month end date into the contract.

Winter adds pressure on the coast. One 2026 survey reports that Nha Trang and Da Nang add a further 20-30% to December prices around New Year, and Phu Quoc adds 20-40% from November to March, so book in early November for a December start, before the better listings are gone. For a winter stay Dalat is the cheapest city in the table, and a flat there rarely needs air conditioning. Rents in Nha Trang by district are covered in the Nha Trang winter guide.

How Do You Negotiate the Price Down?

Offer less than the listed price, because the first figure a landlord quotes usually carries a 15-30% markup. Find the same flat on a Vietnamese-language site, where local prices run lower, and use that figure in the conversation. Ask the owner to include the building management fee and wifi in the rent, because bundled fees are easier to win than a cut in the headline price.

A longer term is the strongest argument. Offer five months paid monthly on a fixed date, with the deposit held at one month. Owners who see a clean, quiet tenant with a clear end date often accept 10-15% less than the listed figure, which on a $400 flat saves $200-300 over the stay.

Will a 45-Day or 90-Day Visa Cover the Whole Lease?

No visa covers a five-month lease on its own. A 90-day e‑visa costs $25 for one entry and $50 for multiple entries on the official portal evisa.gov.vn, and Russian citizens get 45 days visa-free until 14 March 2028 under Resolution 44/NQ-CP, while immigration.gov.vn publishes the current entry rules. A stay of five months therefore needs one border exit and a second e‑visa.

Here a lease can fall apart: if the visa ends in month four, the flat stays paid for and you are no longer allowed to sit in it. The portal turns down many foreign bank cards, and a wrong port of entry on the form can get you turned away at the airport. Filling in the form yourself takes an evening if you hold a card it accepts. I handle that step at BestBus Vietnam: the state fee goes through my own card, the entry point is set to match your arrival, and a refused application is refiled at no charge with your money returned. Details are on the 90-day e‑visa page. Send me the date your lease starts on WhatsApp and I will tell you when the visa has to be filed.

How Do You Rent an Apartment in Vietnam Step by Step?

Renting takes six steps, and the stretch from the first viewing to the keys fits into a week once you know the neighbourhood. Facebook housing groups for each city are the main source of live listings, followed by Nhatot (formerly Chotot) and Batdongsan.com.vn. Agents are the third channel, and the owner normally pays the agent’s commission.

1. Fix a budget from the city ranges and pick two districts to search.
2. Search the same flat in English and in Vietnamese, because English-language sites often ask about twice the local rate. One 2026 comparison in Da Nang found a one-bedroom near My Khe at about $300 for locals and roughly double that in English.
3. View the flat in person or on a live video call before you pay anything, and ask the person to show ID and the red book (sổ hồng or sổ đỏ) with a name and address that match; if that person is not the owner, ask for the power of attorney as well.
4. Ask for the 3-5 month price and agree an end date in writing.
5. Sign a contract that names the registration duty, the electricity rate and the deposit terms.
6. Pay the deposit after signing and film every room on the day you move in.

Pre-trip planning is covered in the guide to apartment hunting through Facebook groups and agents.

How Big Is the Deposit and When Do You Pay?

The deposit is one or two months’ rent, rarely three, and a landlord should return it within about two weeks after you move out. Rent is paid monthly on a fixed date, and prepaying more than three months to an owner you have not verified is the main way money disappears. The full deduction rules are in the article on getting a rental deposit back.

Keep the move-in video with the meter readings and any damage, date visible, as your evidence when the owner deducts from the deposit. I would not count a clip that skips the meter, because the electricity reading then stands on the owner’s word alone. Ask for the deposit amount, the return deadline and the allowed deductions to be written into the contract, and keep a receipt for any cash.

What Do Utilities Add to the Rent?

Utilities are billed separately and add roughly $60-130 a month for a one-bedroom with air conditioning. Water costs about $4-8, internet about $8-12 and the building management fee about $8-24, while electricity depends on the owner’s rate. Check every line before you sign, because electricity is the only item with a wide spread between owners.

The official household tariff is stepped, from about $0.08 to $0.14 per kWh (1,984 to 3,460 dong before VAT, Decision 1279/QĐ-BCT of 9 May 2025). Private owners often charge a flat $0.12-0.20 (3,000-5,000 dong), and in condominiums you usually pay the official rate. Given the choice between a condominium flat and a private house at similar rent, I take the condominium for this reason alone. A one-bedroom with air conditioning can reach about $60 a month in summer, so ask for last year’s bills and write the per-kWh rate into the contract.

Who Registers Your Stay, and What If the Landlord Refuses?

The owner registers your temporary residence with the ward police, and the legal deadline is 12 hours after you arrive (24 hours in remote areas) under Article 33 of the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners. An owner who fails to declare one to three foreigners faces a fine of about $115-190 (3-5 million dong) under Decree 282/2025/ND-CP, and the official text is on xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn.

The decree has applied since 15 December 2025. Write the duty into the contract: the owner registers you within three to seven days, which is a practical tip from lawyers, since the law sets no such term, and returns the deposit if they refuse. A landlord who will not register you is a reason to look elsewhere, because the declaration is the owner’s legal duty and the penalty falls on them.

What Should You Do First?

Start with the visa end date, because it sets the longest lease you can sign without a border exit. Then choose the city from the price ranges, search in English and in Vietnamese, and offer a 3-5 month term with a deposit of one or two months. Put registration, the electricity rate and the end date in writing before you pay anything.

The e‑visa application takes an evening on the official portal, and the flat itself can wait until you land. If you want the visa dates settled before you hand over a deposit, message me your arrival and departure dates and I will work out which entry type covers your stay.

Frequently asked questions