Ho Chi Minh City for expats: the landing guide for FDI engineers and managers
You are arriving to commission a line, run a lab or manage a plant — not to backpack. This guide is written for that person: what to do in the first 72 hours, how to get from Tân Sơn Nhất to VSIP or Saigon Hi-Tech Park, which visa and work-permit route applies, where engineers and their families actually live, and what each district is like after the 2025 city merger. Lost in HCM is the equipment partner for FDI companies in Vietnam; this is the part of our job that happens before the first oscilloscope is delivered.
The city you are landing in (2025–2026)
- One merged mega-city. On 1 July 2025 Ho Chi Minh City absorbed Bình Dương and Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu. It now covers about 6,773 km² and roughly 14 million people, and the district tier is gone: 113 wards, 54 communes and Côn Đảo special zone report directly to the city.
- Old names still rule the street. “District 1”, “Thảo Điền”, “Thủ Đức City” and “Bình Dương” are what landlords, drivers and HR say. Official paperwork uses new ward names (Sài Gòn, Bến Thành, An Khánh, Tân Mỹ, Thủ Dầu Một…). Each district page below gives both.
- Metro Line 1 (Bến Thành–Suối Tiên, 14 stations, 19.7 km) has run since 22 December 2024 and passes Thảo Điền, An Phú, Thủ Đức and the Hi-Tech Park.
- Two airports. Tân Sơn Nhất opened Terminal 3 for most domestic flights on 19 April 2025 (Vietjet stays at T1). Long Thành International, 40 km east, received its first flights in December 2025 and is scheduled to take over long-haul international traffic from 1 December 2026.
Practical topics
| Guide | Read it when |
|---|---|
| Landing checklist | Day one: SIM, cash, Grab, residence registration, what to photograph before you leave the airport |
| Airport to the industrial parks | Booking the ride from Tân Sơn Nhất to District 1, VSIP, Amata, Hi-Tech Park or Long Thành, with fares and tolls |
| Visas and work permits | Business visa vs work permit vs intra-company exemption under Decree 219/2025 |
| Housing | Serviced apartment, compound or villa; Thảo Điền, Phú Mỹ Hưng, District 1/3, Landmark 81, Thủ Đức; rent bands in USD |
| Transport | Grab and Xanh SM, motorbike licence rules since 2025, metro, buses and company shuttles |
| Healthcare | FV, Vinmec, Family Medical Practice, Raffles, AIH and what insurance to carry |
| International schools | ISHCMC, BIS, SSIS, AIS and the Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese schools, by district and fee band |
| Banking, SIM and e-invoices | Opening an account, registering a SIM or eSIM, why every receipt needs your company tax code, MoMo and ZaloPay |
| Food, coffee and after work | Coffee culture, Little Tokyo, K-town, Bến Thành, Nguyễn Huệ and rooftop bars |
| Weekends | Vũng Tàu, Mekong delta, Cần Giờ, Đà Lạt, Mũi Né and flights to Phú Quốc |
What’s special in each district
Thirteen profiles, each with commute times to the main industrial parks, housing types and rent bands, schools and hospitals nearby, after-work options, one engineer’s tip and the local risks (flooding streets, traffic hotspots).
- District 1 — CBD, Bến Thành, Nguyễn Huệ, Little Tokyo
- District 2 / Thảo Điền — the expat village, international schools, riverside
- District 3 — colonial villas, cafés, Turtle Lake
- District 4 — Khánh Hội, street food, rising residential
- District 5 / Chợ Lớn — Chinatown, wholesale, Chinese and Taiwanese community
- District 7 / Phú Mỹ Hưng — Korean town, Crescent Mall, family living, RMIT
- Districts 10 & 11 — local life, Nhật Tảo electronics market, Đầm Sen
- Bình Thạnh — Landmark 81, Vinhomes Central Park, Bình Quới
- Phú Nhuận — central, quieter, airport access
- Tân Bình — the airport district, Bà Hoa market, industrial fringe
- Gò Vấp — residential, value
- Thủ Đức — Saigon Hi-Tech Park, Samsung, Intel, metro depot, Vinhomes Grand Park
- Bình Dương / VSIP area — Thủ Dầu Một, VSIP I–III, Japanese community, Aeon Mall
Where this guide connects to your project
When the site itself needs equipment, the same team that wrote this guide handles it: test equipment rental from Ho Chi Minh City stock, FDI equipment solutions, and delivery to VSIP, Amata, Bình Dương and Đồng Nai parks.
FAQ — Ho Chi Minh City for expats
- Is “Saigon” the same as Ho Chi Minh City?Yes. Saigon is the historic name and still the everyday one; since July 2025 it is also the name of a central ward (Sài Gòn ward, former District 1). Ho Chi Minh City is the official name of the whole merged city.
- Do the old district names still work for addresses?For finding places, yes — everyone uses them. For leases, residence registration, invoices and company documents use the new ward name; each district page lists them.
- Which area should an engineer at Saigon Hi-Tech Park live in?Thảo Điền or An Phú for expat amenities (30–55 minutes), Thủ Đức / Vinhomes Grand Park for a 15–30 minute commute, District 1 if the family needs the centre (45–75 minutes). See the housing and Thủ Đức pages.
- How long does it take from the airport to VSIP or Amata?Plan 60–90 minutes by car to VSIP I or Amata City Biên Hòa off-peak, longer at 17:00–19:00. Details and fares on the airport page.
- Is the guide updated for the 2025 merger and the new airport?Yes — written in September 2026 with the July 2025 ward structure, Metro Line 1, Terminal 3 and the Long Thành timeline. Rules and fares change; verify with HR or your relocation agent before acting.
Landing in Ho Chi Minh City with a factory or lab to equip?
Lost in HCM rents calibrated test equipment, supplies tools and instruments with VAT e-invoices, and helps FDI teams get a site running. Send your equipment list or your start-up date.
Request rental quote Talk to an FDI advisor · Phone / Zalo 0902 327 669
