» Weather in HCM City » Travel to SaigonTech Campus » Accommodation » Average Rental Prices » Estimated Living Costs

The “Welcome Notes” gives you useful information to assist your stay when you go to Ho Chi Minh city. Studying in a big and lively city like Ho Chi Minh City, you will discover fresh challenges and new experiences everyday.

Welcome Notes English Version ( - 518 Kb)
Welcome Notes Vietnamese Version ( - 552Kb)

Weather in Ho Chi Minh City
There are two seasons in Ho Chi Minh city: dry season and rainy season. Dry season lasts from November to April, during which period temperature ranges from 20^oC to 37^oC and it is normally hot and dry in daytime. Rainy season begins in from May and lasts up to October with typical sudden heavy rains. Average temperature is 26^oC. In general, Ho Chi Minh city has a tropical climate. It is usually sunny but you still feel comfortable thanks to the influence of the sea. The humidity is 80%, lower than that of other areas in Vietnam.

Clothing. Due to the characteristics of the tropical climate of Ho Chi Minh city, which is warm throughout the year, you should wear clothes made of cotton with bright colors which are suitable for summer. However, you should have with you a thin long-sleeved overcoat to keep you warm when it turns a bit colder at night or to protect your skin when you are exposed to the sweltering sun in the daytime. Remember to bring a raincoat with you in rainy season because heavy rains may come unexpectedly any time.

Travel To and From SaigonTech Campus

There are two main routes from the city center to QTSC:

• From Nguyễn Văn Trỗi street --> Cộng Hòa street --> Trường Chinh street --> Nguyễn Văn Quá street (or Highway No.1) --> Quang Trung street.
• From Hai Bà Trưng street --> Nguyễn Kiệm street --> Quang Trung street.

The distance from the city center to QTSC is approximately 16km. You can travel by taxi, bus, motorbike or motorbike taxi (xe ôm).

• Popular taxi companies: Vinasun (08.38272727), Vina taxi (08.38111111), Festival (08.38456456). Price range: 9.000 – 10.000 VND/km.
  
• Bus: there are many bus routes from the city center to QTSC. It takes about 1 hour to travel by bus. However, specific travel time depends on each departure (30 minutes apart). One way ticket price is VND 3000. The main bus stop is at Bến Thành market, district 1. You can buy monthly ticket or group ticket if you travel regularly. For more information please call 08. 38 21 4444 or 08. 38 21 6496.
  
• Motorbike taxi (xe ôm): about 40.000 – 50.000 VND/trip.

Accommodation 
If you are not a local resident of HCMC, housing is a matter of special importance to you when you study in this city. It is very convenient if you have relatives or acquaintances who let you stay at their home. However, you will need to find accommodation for yourself in most cases. You can live by yourself or share a room, an apartment or a house with your friends. Living on your own is generally more expensive. Usually the more people you live with, the less it will cost. There are two options for you to consider: SaigonTech dormitory or other rented accommodation.

SaigonTech dormitory is located in Quang Trung Software City, about 300m from SaigonTech. Electricity and water supply are available. Every room in the dormitory is equipped with a separate bathroom, an electric fan and a bed. Some rooms are equipped with an air-conditioner, and a water heater. There are rooms for 2 people, 4 people or 10 people to share. Monthly rental ranges from VND 500,000/person to VND 600,000/person (excluding electricity and water charge). Living in SaigonTech dormitory you can take advantage of QTSC's excellent security environment as well as SaigonTech's facilities.

In case you want to rent a place outside QTSC, you should consult a map and consider where in Ho Chi Minh City you might want to live. Think about how far you want to travel. Living closer to the school will save you time spent on traveling. You can look for accommodation in the surrounding districts of SaigonTech such as District 12, Go Vap, Tan Binh and Tan Phu districts. However, remember to check the distance in the map as some districts are vast and it may take 30 minutes to travel by motorbike to SaigonTech, which you should want to avoid. However, distance and time sometimes do not matter much in Ho Chi Minh City due to its frequent traffic jams. Therefore, you might want to check out first to avoid also the roads with frequent and severe traffic congestion.

Average Rental Prices
Monthly property rental varies according to a number of factors, such as:

• Size of the property
• Location
• Condition of the property
• Additional features (fully furnished, with/without air-conditioner)

The average monthly rental for vacant properties in districts near SaigonTech is:

• Type 1: 12m² room (w/ separate bathroom, unfurnished, w/o air conditioner): VND 400,000 – 800,000.
• Type 2: Semi-detached house (w/ a bedroom, a living room, a kitchen, a bathroom, unfurnished, w/o air conditioner): VND 1 million – 1.5 million.
• Type 3: Room in a guesthouse or a hotel (with separate bathroom, fully furnished, with air-conditioner): VND 1.5 million – 2.5 million.
• Three-bedroom semi-detached house (unfurnished): VND 3-4 million.

At the start of your tenancy, you will need enough money to pay both the first month's rent and a deposit (usually the amount of a month's rent).
If you have any query, you can contact the Student Services on 37155033 – 37155034.

Estimated Living Costs

Note: This calculation varies according to individual living styles and spending habits.
The calculated amount of money below is in thousand VND.