Electricity in Vietnam runs 1,984-3,460 VND per kWh on the official EVN tariff (about $0.08-$0.14), but most renters never see that rate - landlords bill a flat 3,500-4,000 VND/kWh instead. A 1-2 bedroom apartment with regular AC use costs $40-60/month in cooler months and $60-100+ in the June-August heat. Water, fiber internet, and a prepaid SIM add another $15-30/month combined.
I’ve lived in Da Nang for years and helped clients on visa runs sort out exactly this question every month: “why is my electricity bill higher than what my Vietnamese coworker pays?” Short answer - it usually isn’t a scam, it’s structural. Here’s the actual math.
How Much Does Electricity Cost in Vietnam in 2026?
Vietnam’s state utility EVN sets a 6-tier residential rate, effective from 10 May 2025 under Decision 1279/QD-BCT: the first 50 kWh cost 1,984 VND/kWh, and usage above 400 kWh/month costs 3,460 VND/kWh (before 8% VAT). EVN raised its average retail price 4.8% that same month, from 2,103 to 2,204 VND/kWh nationwide.
| Tier | Usage (kWh/month) | Rate (VND/kWh, excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0-50 | 1,984 |
| 2 | 51-100 | 2,050 |
| 3 | 101-200 | 2,380 |
| 4 | 201-300 | 2,998 |
| 5 | 301-400 | 3,350 |
| 6 | 401+ | 3,460 |
A household running AC most of the day easily lands in tier 4-6, which is why a hot-season bill for a small apartment can hit 2,000,000 VND (~$80) even before any landlord markup.
Why Your Landlord’s Electricity Rate Doesn’t Match the Official EVN Price
Only the property owner can hold an EVN account, so tenants pay whatever the landlord decides to charge - commonly a flat 3,500-4,000 VND/kWh, regardless of EVN’s tiered pricing. That’s not always overcharging: landlords lose the low tier-1 rate once several tenants’ usage gets bundled onto one meter, and a flat rate is easier to bill than splitting a tiered account. Ask upfront what rate you’ll be charged before signing a lease - it’s a normal, negotiable question, not a confrontation, and it’s worth asking alongside the questions covered in our Vietnam apartment rent price breakdown.
How Much Is Water in a Vietnamese Apartment?
Da Nang’s municipal water utility charges 4,580 VND/m³ for the first 10 m³, rising to 6,849 VND/m³ above 30 m³ (2025 urban household rates). A 1-2 person household using 10-15 m³/month pays roughly 46,000-82,000 VND (~$1.80-3.20) for water itself; once wastewater and environmental fees are added, the total water line typically runs $3-8/month - the smallest utility cost by far.
Internet and Fiber Plans: Viettel vs FPT vs VNPT Compared
Entry-level fiber from Viettel or FPT Telecom runs 195,000 VND/month (~$7.40) for around 300 Mbps; VNPT undercuts both slightly at 190,000 VND/month (~$7.20). All three raised prices in 2025-2026 from a prior common 180,000 VND baseline. Mid-tier plans (500 Mbps-1 Gbps) run 270,000-310,000 VND/month (~$10.30-11.80).
| Provider | Entry plan | Speed | Monthly price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Viettel | Standard fiber | ~300 Mbps | 195,000 VND (~$7.40) |
| FPT Telecom | Giga | 150 Mbps | contact provider (region-dependent) |
| VNPT | Standard fiber | ~300 Mbps | 190,000 VND (~$7.20) |
| Viettel/FPT | Mid-tier | 500 Mbps-1 Gbps | 270,000-310,000 VND (~$10.30-11.80) |
FPT Telecom is the ISP most expats default to because its signup process and support are more foreigner-friendly than Viettel or VNPT, even though its published plan pricing varies by region and isn’t listed in VND on the English site - confirm the exact monthly rate with a local agent before signing.
What Does a Prepaid SIM Card Cost for Foreigners?
Viettel prepaid data plans for tourists and new arrivals run 60,000-200,000 VND (~$2.30-7.70) for 15-30 days, and a data-focused eSIM starts around 135,000 VND (~$5.20) for 5GB/day. Viettel has the widest coverage of Vietnam’s three carriers, which matters if you’re traveling outside Da Nang, Hanoi, or Ho Chi Minh City.
How Foreigners Actually Set Up Utility Accounts
Most rentals in Vietnam come with electricity and water already registered under the landlord’s name, so you’re paying them directly rather than opening an EVN account yourself - that only changes if you buy property. If you’re also opening a local bank account around the same time, our guide to bank accounts for foreigners in Vietnam covers what you’ll need alongside your rental contract. Internet and a local SIM are the two things you’ll set up personally, usually within your first week, and both need a passport copy on file. That first week is also when most people are juggling entry paperwork - sorting a Vietnam e-visa or a visa run alongside setting up the apartment is normal, and I usually handle the visa side directly so you can focus on the apartment: pay the government e-visa fee on a card that evisa.gov.vn actually accepts, confirm the right entry point, and keep it to a single day instead of a week of back-and-forth. It’s a small thing, but it’s one less appointment to schedule during a week already full of them.
If you’re landing in Vietnam and want the visa side handled while you sort out the apartment, danangvisarun.com covers e-visa and visa-run bookings directly, message me on Telegram with your dates and I’ll walk you through it, and WhatsApp works too if you’re not on Telegram.
Methodology: Where These Numbers Come From
Electricity tariffs come from EVN’s official 2025 tiered pricing schedule (Decision 1279/QD-BCT) and EVN’s own English-language pricing announcement. Water rates come from Da Nang’s published 2025 municipal tariff adjustment, which followed a similar tiered structure to the electricity schedule and applies to urban households connected to Dawaco’s network. Internet and mobile pricing come from ISP-comparison reporting on the 2025-2026 fiber price increases and Viettel’s own prepaid SIM listings. Where only one source confirmed a number - FPT Telecom’s exact VND pricing and the standard 300,000 VND installation fee - we’ve flagged it as an estimate rather than presenting it with false precision. EVN’s official tariff page and FPT Telecom’s package page are the two sources worth bookmarking if rates change again, since EVN has raised prices four times since 2023 and ISPs adjust fiber pricing roughly once a year.
Frequently asked questions
Is electricity included in apartment rent in Vietnam? Rarely for long-term rentals - most landlords bill electricity separately at a flat rate, often 3,500-4,000 VND/kWh. Short-term serviced apartments sometimes cap a certain kWh allowance inside the rent and charge overage separately.
Do foreigners pay more for utilities than locals? Not through EVN or the water utility directly - both bill by the same tiered schedule regardless of nationality. Any markup comes from the landlord’s flat-rate billing practice, which affects local and foreign tenants on the same rental the same way.
Which ISP is best for foreigners in Vietnam - Viettel, FPT, or VNPT? FPT Telecom is the most commonly recommended for its foreigner-friendly signup and support, even though VNPT is marginally cheaper at entry-level and Viettel has the broadest national coverage for mobile data outside major cities.
Does a fiber installation fee apply for new tenants? Most ISPs charge a one-time installation fee around 300,000 VND (~$11.50) for a new fiber connection - budget for it separately from the monthly plan price, since it’s easy to miss when comparing providers by their advertised monthly rate alone.
Will EVN’s new pricing model affect regular apartment renters? Not yet. EVN’s two-part pricing pilot (a separate charge for capacity plus a per-kWh energy charge, 843-2,251 VND/kWh depending on time of day) only applies to large commercial users starting January 2026 - standard residential accounts still run on the 6-tier schedule above.