Authored by the expert who managed and guided the team behind the Vietnam Property Pack
Everything you need to know before buying real estate is included in our Vietnam Property Pack
If you are a foreigner thinking about buying a property in Vietnam to rent it out, you need to understand the ownership rules, realistic yields, and local regulations that apply specifically to foreign landlords in this country.
Vietnam allows foreigners to own residential property under certain conditions, but your ownership is time-limited to 50 years, capped at 30% of units per building, and you cannot own the land itself.
We constantly update this blog post to reflect the latest rental market data and regulatory changes in Vietnam.
And if you're planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Vietnam.
Insights
- Ho Chi Minh City has banned short-term rentals in residential apartments under Decision 26/2025, pushing Airbnb investors toward condotels or long-term leasing strategies.
- Vietnam's average gross rental yield sits around 3.5% to 4.0% in early 2026, but net yields typically drop to 2.0% to 2.5% after vacancy, taxes, and management costs.
- Foreign ownership in Vietnam is capped at 30% of apartments per building and 250 houses per ward, so checking quota availability before buying is essential.
- Da Nang delivers higher gross yields (around 4.5% to 5.7%) than Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, driven by lower purchase prices and strong tourism demand.
- A foreign landlord in Vietnam should budget 25% to 35% of gross rent for total operating costs, including approximately 10% for VAT and personal income tax combined.
- Furnished apartments in Vietnam rent 15% to 25% faster than unfurnished units, especially in expat-heavy districts like Thao Dien and Tay Ho.
- Serviced apartments in Hanoi show around 14% vacancy, while mainstream residential apartments in Ho Chi Minh City sit tighter at 6% to 10%.
- Post-Tet (after Lunar New Year) is peak rental season in Vietnam, with the strongest tenant demand running from February through May.
Can I legally rent out a property in Vietnam as a foreigner right now?
Can a foreigner own-and-rent a residential property in Vietnam in 2026?
As of early 2026, foreigners can legally purchase and rent out residential properties in Vietnam, but only within approved commercial housing projects and subject to building-level quotas.
The main ownership structure available to foreigners in Vietnam is a 50-year leasehold on the building (renewable once for another 50 years), while the land underneath remains under state ownership with land-use rights.
The single most common restriction foreigners face in Vietnam is the 30% foreign ownership cap per apartment building, which means you must verify quota availability before committing to any purchase.
If you're not a local, you might want to read our guide to foreign property ownership in Vietnam.
Do I need residency to rent out in Vietnam right now?
Vietnam does not require you to physically live in the country to rent out your property, so foreign owners commonly manage their rentals remotely through licensed property management firms.
In practice, you should expect to need a Vietnamese tax registration number to properly declare your rental income and comply with local tax obligations.
Having a local bank account in Vietnam is strongly recommended because tenants typically pay in Vietnamese dong, and banks require proper documentation to remit money abroad under State Bank rules.
Managing a rental property in Vietnam entirely remotely is practically feasible if you hire a reputable local property manager and set up your tax compliance and banking infrastructure correctly.
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What rental strategy makes the most money in Vietnam in 2026?
Is long-term renting more profitable than short-term in Vietnam in 2026?
As of early 2026, long-term renting is generally the safer and more reliable strategy for most foreign landlords in Vietnam, especially after Ho Chi Minh City banned short-term rentals in residential apartment buildings.
A well-managed long-term rental in Vietnam typically generates around 30 to 35 million VND per month ($1,200 to $1,400 or 1,100 to 1,300 EUR) for a quality 2-bedroom unit, while short-term rentals in unrestricted areas might earn 50 to 60 million VND ($2,000 to $2,400 or 1,850 to 2,200 EUR), but with higher vacancy risk and operating costs.
Short-term rentals financially outperform long-term leasing in tourism-heavy markets like Da Nang's beach areas and Hanoi's Old Quarter, where tourist demand stays strong year-round and buildings permit daily rentals.
What's the average gross rental yield in Vietnam in 2026?
As of early 2026, the average gross rental yield for residential properties in Vietnam is approximately 3.5% to 4.0%, with significant variation depending on city and neighborhood.
The realistic gross rental yield range that covers most residential properties in Vietnam spans from 2.5% in premium central areas to around 5.5% in higher-yielding outer districts.
Studios and one-bedroom apartments typically achieve the highest gross rental yields in Vietnam because they attract strong demand from young professionals while purchase prices per square meter remain more accessible.
By the way, we have much more granular data about rental yields in our property pack about Vietnam.
What's the realistic net rental yield after costs in Vietnam in 2026?
As of early 2026, the average net rental yield for residential properties in Vietnam is approximately 2.0% to 2.5% after accounting for all recurring costs.
The realistic net rental yield range that most landlords actually experience in Vietnam spans from 1.5% for premium properties with higher vacancy to around 3.5% for well-located, well-managed units.
The three main cost categories that reduce gross yield to net yield specifically in Vietnam are rental income tax (approximately 10% of gross rent for VAT plus personal income tax), vacancy losses (which run higher in the expat-focused serviced segment at 14%), and air conditioning maintenance in the humid tropical climate.
You might want to check our latest analysis about gross and net rental yields in Vietnam.
What monthly rent can I get in Vietnam in 2026?
As of early 2026, typical monthly rents in Vietnam are around 8 million VND ($320 or 295 EUR) for a studio, 10.5 million VND ($420 or 390 EUR) for a 1-bedroom, and 14 million VND ($560 or 515 EUR) for a 2-bedroom apartment.
A realistic entry-level monthly rent range for a decent studio in Vietnam is 7 to 10 million VND ($280 to $400 or 260 to 370 EUR), with Ho Chi Minh City averaging slightly higher than Hanoi.
A typical mid-range monthly rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Vietnam falls between 9 and 14 million VND ($360 to $560 or 335 to 515 EUR), depending on district quality and building amenities.
A realistic mid-to-high monthly rent for a 2-bedroom apartment in Vietnam ranges from 12 to 20 million VND ($480 to $800 or 445 to 740 EUR), with premium expat districts like Thao Dien and Tay Ho pushing toward the higher end.
If you want to know more about this topic, you can read our guide about rents and rental incomes in Vietnam.
We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in Vietnam versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.
What are the real numbers I should budget for renting out in Vietnam in 2026?
What's the total "all-in" monthly cost to hold a rental in Vietnam in 2026?
As of early 2026, the total "all-in" monthly cost to hold a typical rental property in Vietnam averages around 3 to 5 million VND ($120 to $200 or 110 to 185 EUR), excluding vacancy losses and letting fees.
A realistic low-to-high monthly cost range that covers most standard rental properties in Vietnam spans from 2.5 million VND ($100 or 92 EUR) for a simple studio to 7 million VND ($280 or 260 EUR) for a larger apartment in a premium building.
The single largest contributor to total monthly holding costs specifically in Vietnam is the building management fee (service charge), which typically runs 15,000 to 25,000 VND per square meter and covers security, cleaning, and common area maintenance.
You want to go into more details? Check our list of property taxes and fees you have to pay when buying a property in Vietnam.
What's the typical vacancy rate in Vietnam in 2026?
As of early 2026, the typical vacancy rate for mainstream residential rentals in Vietnam is approximately 6% to 10%, though the serviced apartment segment runs higher at around 14%.
A landlord in Vietnam should realistically budget for 0.7 to 1.2 months of vacancy per year because tenant turnover commonly occurs around Tet (Lunar New Year) and mid-year, when job changes and relocations peak.
The main factor causing vacancy rates to vary across different neighborhoods in Vietnam is the concentration of employment centers and transport links, with CBD-adjacent districts experiencing tighter vacancy than outlying areas.
The post-Tet period from February through April typically sees the highest tenant turnover in Vietnam because workers receive bonuses and often switch jobs after the Lunar New Year holiday.
We have a whole part covering the best rental strategies in our pack about buying a property in Vietnam.
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Where do rentals perform best in Vietnam in 2026?
Which neighborhoods have the highest long-term demand in Vietnam in 2026?
As of early 2026, the top three neighborhoods with the highest overall long-term rental demand in Vietnam are Thao Dien in Thu Duc City (Ho Chi Minh City), Tay Ho (West Lake) in Hanoi, and Hai Chau district in Da Nang.
In Ho Chi Minh City, neighborhoods with the strongest family rental demand include District 7 (Phu My Hung), Binh Thanh, and parts of Thu Duc City, where international schools and green spaces attract expat families.
In Hanoi, the neighborhoods with the strongest student rental demand are Cau Giay and Dong Da, which cluster around major universities and offer accessible prices for younger tenants.
For expats and international professionals, the neighborhoods with the most consistent demand in Vietnam are Thao Dien and District 2 legacy areas in Ho Chi Minh City, plus Tay Ho and Ba Dinh in Hanoi, where embassies and international companies concentrate.
By the way, we've written a blog article detailing what are the current best areas to invest in property in Vietnam.
Which neighborhoods have the best yield in Vietnam in 2026?
As of early 2026, the top three neighborhoods with the best rental yields in Vietnam are District 10 and Tan Binh in Ho Chi Minh City, plus Dong Da in Hanoi, where purchase prices stay moderate while rents remain solid.
The estimated gross rental yield range for these top-yielding neighborhoods in Vietnam is approximately 4.5% to 5.5%, compared to the 2.5% to 3.0% typical in premium lifestyle districts.
The main characteristic that allows these neighborhoods to achieve higher yields than others in Vietnam is their combination of strong employment access (factories, offices, universities) and more affordable purchase prices that haven't been bid up by prestige buyers.
We cover a lot of neighborhoods and provide a lot of updated data in our pack about real estate in Vietnam.
Where do tenants pay the highest rents in Vietnam in 2026?
As of early 2026, the top three neighborhoods where tenants pay the highest rents in Vietnam are District 1 in Ho Chi Minh City, Tay Ho (West Lake) in Hanoi, and the beachfront Mỹ Khe area in Da Nang.
The typical monthly rent range for a standard 2-bedroom apartment in these premium neighborhoods in Vietnam is 18 to 35 million VND ($720 to $1,400 or 665 to 1,300 EUR), with luxury units commanding significantly more.
The main characteristic that makes these neighborhoods command the highest rents in Vietnam is their concentration of premium amenities, walkability to entertainment and dining, and the prestige factor that attracts senior executives and diplomats.
The tenant profile that typically rents in these highest-rent neighborhoods in Vietnam includes senior expat executives, embassy staff, regional business managers, and wealthy Vietnamese families seeking top-tier schools and security.
We created this infographic to give you a simple idea of how much it costs to buy property in different parts of Vietnam. As you can see, it breaks down price ranges and property types for popular cities in the country. We hope this makes it easier to explore your options and understand the market.
What do tenants actually want in Vietnam in 2026?
What features increase rent the most in Vietnam in 2026?
As of early 2026, the top three property features that increase monthly rent the most specifically in Vietnam are powerful and reliable air conditioning (crucial in the tropical climate), natural light combined with good ventilation (to combat mold), and a building with functioning backup power during outages.
The single most valuable feature in Vietnam, reliable high-capacity air conditioning with proper maintenance, can add a rent premium of 10% to 15% because tenants prioritize comfort in the humid conditions.
One commonly overrated feature that landlords invest in but tenants do not pay much extra for specifically in Vietnam is a swimming pool, because many buildings already include one and tenants do not see it as differentiating.
One affordable upgrade that provides a strong return on investment for landlords in Vietnam is installing a quality water filtration system, which costs around $200 to $400 but addresses a real concern for health-conscious tenants.
Do furnished rentals rent faster in Vietnam in 2026?
As of early 2026, furnished apartments in Vietnam typically rent 1 to 3 weeks faster than unfurnished units, especially in expat-heavy neighborhoods where tenants expect move-in-ready convenience.
The typical rent premium that furnished apartments command over unfurnished ones in Vietnam is approximately 15% to 25%, though the premium varies based on furniture quality and neighborhood competition.
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How regulated is long-term renting in Vietnam right now?
Can I freely set rent prices in Vietnam right now?
Landlords in Vietnam have substantial freedom to set initial rent prices because the country does not operate a hard rent control system like some Western cities.
Rent increases during a tenancy in Vietnam are generally market-driven and typically governed by what you write in the lease contract, so experienced landlords include clear escalation clauses (commonly 5% to 10% per renewal).
What's the standard lease length in Vietnam right now?
The standard and most common lease length for residential rentals in Vietnam is 12 months, though 6-month leases exist at premium pricing and 24-month leases are common for families seeking stability.
The typical security deposit amount that landlords require in Vietnam is 1 to 2 months' rent (approximately 10 to 30 million VND, or $400 to $1,200 or 370 to 1,100 EUR), with the exact amount negotiated in the lease contract.
Rules for returning the security deposit in Vietnam are contract-driven, so landlords should clearly document deduction conditions for damages, unpaid bills, and cleaning costs to avoid disputes at move-out.
We made this infographic to show you how property prices in Vietnam compare to other big cities across the region. It breaks down the average price per square meter in city centers, so you can see how cities stack up. It’s an easy way to spot where you might get the best value for your money. We hope you like it.
How does short-term renting really work in Vietnam in 2026?
Is Airbnb legal in Vietnam right now?
Airbnb-style short-term rentals are legally permitted in Vietnam at the national level, but Ho Chi Minh City has banned them in residential apartment buildings under Decision 26/2025, making city-level and building-level rules critical.
Operating a short-term rental in Vietnam typically requires registration as tourist accommodation and compliance with local regulations, though enforcement varies significantly by city and building management.
Vietnam does not impose a nationwide annual night limit on short-term rentals, but the bigger risk is "purpose-of-use" enforcement, especially in apartment buildings designated for residential purposes only.
The most common penalty for operating an unlicensed or non-compliant short-term rental in Vietnam includes fines, forced closure, and potential building management action that could lock you out of the Airbnb model entirely.
By the way, we also have a blog article detailing whether owning an Airbnb rental is profitable in Vietnam.
What's the average short-term occupancy in Vietnam in 2026?
As of early 2026, the estimated average annual occupancy rate for short-term rentals in Vietnam ranges from approximately 33% in Hanoi to 52% in Da Nang, with Ho Chi Minh City around 45%.
The realistic low-to-high occupancy rate range that most short-term rentals experience in Vietnam spans from 25% for poorly positioned listings to 65% for well-optimized properties in prime tourist locations.
The months that typically see the highest occupancy rates for short-term rentals in Vietnam are December through February (peak tourist season) and July through August (summer travel), when international and domestic tourism peaks.
The months that typically see the lowest occupancy rates in Vietnam are May through June and September through October, when monsoon weather and shoulder-season lulls reduce tourist arrivals.
Finally, please note that you can find much more granular data about this topic in our property pack about Vietnam.
What's the average nightly rate in Vietnam in 2026?
As of early 2026, the estimated average nightly rate for short-term rentals in Vietnam is approximately 1.2 million VND ($48 or 44 EUR) in Hanoi, 1.4 million VND ($56 or 52 EUR) in Ho Chi Minh City, and 2.2 million VND ($87 or 80 EUR) in Da Nang.
The realistic low-to-high nightly rate range that covers most short-term rental listings in Vietnam spans from 600,000 VND ($24 or 22 EUR) for basic units to 3.5 million VND ($140 or 130 EUR) for premium beachfront or central properties.
The typical nightly rate difference between peak season and off-season in Vietnam is around 30% to 50%, meaning a property commanding 2 million VND ($80 or 74 EUR) in December might drop to 1.2 million VND ($48 or 44 EUR) in September.
Is short-term rental supply saturated in Vietnam in 2026?
As of early 2026, the short-term rental market in Vietnam's major cities is meaningfully built up, with approximately 28,000 listings in Ho Chi Minh City, 27,000 in Hanoi, and 11,000 in Da Nang.
The trend in active short-term rental listings in Vietnam has been growing, though HCMC's supply faces significant uncertainty due to the new restrictions on apartment-based rentals under Decision 26/2025.
The neighborhoods most oversaturated with short-term rentals in Vietnam include District 1 in Ho Chi Minh City, Hoan Kiem (Old Quarter) in Hanoi, and the An Thuong beach area in Da Nang, where competition for bookings is intense.
Neighborhoods that still have room for new short-term rental supply in Vietnam include emerging tourism corridors like Thu Duc City near Metro Line 1, parts of Tay Ho in Hanoi, and Son Tra district in Da Nang away from the most crowded beach strips.
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What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it's in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Vietnam, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can ... and we don't throw out numbers at random.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we've listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source | Why it's authoritative | How we used it |
|---|---|---|
| Housing Law No. 27/2023/QH15 | It's the national law passed by Vietnam's National Assembly that defines who can own housing. | We used it to ground what foreigners can legally own and the basic ownership conditions. We then checked the implementing Decree for exact foreign ownership caps. |
| Decree 95/2024/ND-CP | This is the government decree that operationalizes the Housing Law in practice. | We used it to confirm the practical foreign ownership limits and how those limits are counted. We used it alongside the Housing Law to avoid "law-in-principle" answers. |
| Global Property Guide Vietnam | It's a long-running international housing-market compendium that publishes yields and cites underlying sources. | We used it to anchor gross yield ranges by city and to pull cited rent and vacancy indicators. We then converted those into investor math with Vietnam-specific taxes and fees. |
| AirDNA Vietnam | AirDNA is a recognized short-term rental data provider with transparent occupancy and ADR metrics. | We used it to estimate realistic short-term occupancy and nightly rates across HCMC, Hanoi, and Da Nang. We used it as a benchmark before stress-testing against local restrictions. |
| Vietnam News (Decision 26/2025 coverage) | Vietnam News is a national newspaper reporting specific city decisions affecting STR legality. | We used it to flag the most important city-level STR risk in HCMC. We then advise strategy by city and building type rather than assuming STR is uniformly allowed. |
| Savills Vietnam | Savills is a major global real estate advisory with detailed local market and legal commentary. | We used it to corroborate regulatory developments and market dynamics in Vietnam. We used it to reinforce that compliance is not optional for stable returns. |
| MOF Circular 40/2021/TT-BTC | It's the Ministry of Finance circular that sets how individuals calculate and declare rental income taxes. | We used it to anchor the typical landlord tax burden and the compliance logic. We paired it with a Big 4 explainer for an investor-friendly interpretation. |
| KPMG Tax Alert on Circular 40 | It's a Big 4 firm translating and explaining the MOF circular in operational terms. | We used it to translate the circular into practical steps for registration, filing, and rates context. We treated it as interpretation with the MOF circular as the legal anchor. |
| SBV Circular 20/2022/TT-NHNN | It's an official State Bank of Vietnam circular setting rules for outward remittances. | We used it to explain what makes rent remittable abroad legally. We used it to set realistic expectations for paying yourself from Vietnam rental income. |
| Vietcombank Exchange Rates | Vietcombank is a major Vietnamese bank publishing live reference rates used widely in practice. | We used it to convert example rents and costs into both VND and USD at January 2026 rates. We used it so the money numbers feel real rather than generic. |
We have made this infographic to give you a quick and clear snapshot of the property market in Vietnam. It highlights key facts like rental prices, yields, and property costs both in city centers and outside, so you can easily compare opportunities. We’ve done some research and also included useful insights about the country’s economy, like GDP, population, and interest rates, to help you understand the bigger picture.