Expat Community in Vietnam
Vietnam's expat community is diverse and growing, with strong concentrations in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and increasingly Da Nang.
Expat Population
Estimated 100,000+ long-term foreign residents, including:
| Nationality | Concentration |
|---|---|
| Korean | HCMC (District 7), Hanoi |
| Japanese | HCMC (District 1), Hanoi |
| American | HCMC, Hanoi |
| British | HCMC, Hanoi |
| Australian | HCMC, Da Nang |
| French | HCMC (District 3) |
| Chinese | Throughout |
Finding Community
Facebook Groups (most active):
- Ho Chi Minh City Expats
- Hanoi Massive
- Vietnam Digital Nomads
- Da Nang Expats
- Saigon Startup Community
- HCMC Entrepreneurs
Meetup.com:
- Tech meetups
- Language exchange
- Sports groups
- Business networking
Coworking Spaces:
- Natural community hubs
- Weekly events and networking
- Dreamplex, CirCO, The Hive host regular sessions
By City
Ho Chi Minh City:
- Largest expat population
- Most diverse community
- Strong startup/tech scene
- Active nightlife and social scene
- Districts 1, 2, 3 most popular
Hanoi:
- More established expat community
- Diplomatic/NGO presence
- Cultural focus
- Tay Ho (West Lake) is the hub
Da Nang:
- Growing digital nomad scene
- Beach lifestyle community
- Smaller, tighter-knit
- An Thuong area popular
Professional Networking
- AmCham Vietnam: American business community
- EuroCham: European business community
- BritCham: British business community
- Tech events: Saigon Tech, Hanoi Tech
- LinkedIn: Active Vietnam expat groups
- Startup events: Various pitch nights, meetups
Digital Nomad Scene
Vietnam's nomad community is active but smaller than Thailand's:
- Weekly meetups in HCMC
- Coworking space events
- Facebook groups for coordination
- Growing but still developing infrastructure
Cultural Integration
Tips for connecting with Vietnamese:
- Learn basic Vietnamese—huge door opener
- Participate in local holidays (Tet, Mid-Autumn)
- Join sports activities (badminton, football popular)
- Visit local cafes, not just expat spots
- Be patient—friendships develop differently
Online Resources
- Vietnam Expat Blog: News and guides
- Saigoneer: Local HCMC news and culture
- Reddit: r/vietnam, r/saigon
- **Various Facebook groups by interest
Pro Tips
- •Join Facebook expat groups before arriving—they're the community hub
- •Ho Chi Minh City has the largest and most diverse expat community
- •Coworking spaces are natural places to meet other remote workers
- •The digital nomad scene is growing but smaller than Thailand's
- •Learning Vietnamese opens doors to local friendships
Have questions about expat community in Vietnam?