Retire for 1100 USD Month in Phu Quoc Vietnam

–>Phu Quoc Vietnam Cost of Living
–>Phu Quoc Vietnam Livability Factors
–>Phu Quoc Vietnam Best Area to Stay, Cheapest Flights
–>Things to Do in Phu Quoc Vietnam
–>Best Beach in Phu Quoc
–>Best Sunset in Phu Quoc
–>Phu Quoc Cable Car (Worth the money?)
–>Best Cheap Food in Phu Quoc
–>Phu Quoc Vietnam Facts and History
Best Retire Cheap in Paradise Locations in the World

This is Dan from Vagabond Awake, the Youtube Channel for VagabondBuddha.com.  This is my Retire for 1100 USD Month in Phu Quoc Vietnam Guide.

I travel around the world and identify the best retire cheap in paradise locations. I have been to 65 countries so far.

I have created 50+ retire cheap reports worldwide and action guides to get people ready for early cheap international retirement and travel.

Retirement is not an age, it is a state of mind. I define retirement as the moment you give up on the grind and start living life on your own terms.

One of the biggest secrets is to reduce your overhead so substantially that you are no longer required to show up to work on Monday.

Today, I am discussing how to make a little plan Stan and set yourself free so you can retire on 1100 USD month in Phu Quoc Vietnam.

Phu Quoc Cost of Living

Expense	Cost	Low	Medium	High
Our Airbnb/per month rate	$20.00	0	14	30
Studio Apt w/lease	$15.00	0	12	0
Hostel/per day	$8.00	30	3	0
High-End Restaurant	$12.00	1	4	8
Neighborhood Restaurant	$2.25	30	44	48
Food Cart	$1.00	30	12	4
Subway/Train/Metro	$0.00	20	26	8
Bus	$0.00	20	10	0
Taxi/(Grab)	$3.00	6	10	20
Total	Per Month	$367.50	$673.00	$868.00
Total	Per Day	$12.25	$22.43	$28.93

There is presently no public transportation on Phu Quoc. If you are not an experienced motorcycle rider you might get yourself killed or badly injured riding a scooter in Vietnam. I have ridden scooters all over SE Asia and I was able to rent one here for about 100k Dong ($4.35) per day from my landlord (Link below). You should take Taxis or Grab cars otherwise.

This table above is the estimated cost of living for one month, for one person as a temporary visitor. It only includes rent, 2 meals per day, and local transportation. I usually have oatmeal for breakfast in my room, so I don’t count that.  Numbeo.com has no data for Phu Quoc. So instead, for a full understanding and estimate of what it would cost you to live in Phu Quoc, visit Numbeo.com for Vung Tau and add any items you spend money on.

Never move anywhere until you have visited first personally to verify the living costs for your lifestyle and needs. I am not guaranteeing these prices. These are just my notes and estimates from the time of my visit and this post. Your costs will likely be drastically different depending on lifestyle and the time since this post.

The above numbers are for one person and do not include anything not listed in the table. Here is a free report explaining, “How The Cost of Living Table Works.”

If you buy anything using our links such as flights, tours, or accommodations, you will pay nothing extra, but we will earn a small commission. Your kindness will encourage us to keep making these travel guides and videos.

Phu Quoc Livability Factors

Here is why you should consider retiring early for cheap in Phu Quoc, Vietnam. First, Qiang Hui of Hoboventures said today, “Phu Quoc is my favorite place to live that we have visited so far this year.”

That is a heavy statement. Already this year, we have been to Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Spain, Cambodia, and Morocco.

I will publish my “Best Place to Retire Cheap in the World for 2020” in about 45 days. Subscribe so you will be the first to know. Here are my livability factors for Phu Quoc.

Walkability: Low. My favorite beaches are not in the areas where my favorite restaurants are located. That means I would need to travel to either the beach or to my favorite restaurants and foods. I could not walk to both. I would need to buy a cheap scooter if I lived here.

Internet: High. We shared a router with 3 other apartments in our building. It was fine when we were the only ones home but when other people were in their units it slowed some. Presumably, you would get your own router if you rented here long term. It would not be a problem in that case. If you need a strong reliable Internet, make sure to get an apartment where you have your own high-speed Internet WIFI router.

Food: Medium. The local restaurants are cheap and good. We typically paid about $1-$1.75 USD per delicious meal. We paid more when we tried to eat in the tourists’ restaurants, $3-8 USD. We had one meal at the most extravagant Italian restaurant in town which was $86 for 2 people including foreign wine and a 3-course meal. The international restaurants seemed to be priced for the tourists. So when the mood strikes for international food, you are likely to pay more because it is a tourist-focused island rather than an everyday life economy. If you are trying to stay within budget, eat local or learn to cook.

Weather: High. Average highs range seasonally from a low of 85F/29C in August to a high of 90F/32C in April. Average lows (nights) range seasonally from a low of 73F/23C in January to a high of 78F/26C in May. The rainy season is May through October when at least some rain falls in 20 or more days of the month.

Things to Do: Medium. Fishing, swimming, wave runners, sailing, boating, hiking, beach volleyball, gym. bicycling, running, Yoga, exploring restaurants, motorcycles, walking, scuba, snorkeling, cooking classes, drinking, kayaking, and frisbee.

Social Considerations: Since this is a tourist-focused island and most of the people visiting come and go in a week or two, you will need to develop relationships with the locals and any ex-pats you can find. For men, Vietnamese men like to relax in the cafe/tea houses and play board games. Vietnamese women seem more focused on socializing within the home but tend to work more than men in general. Both the men and women are super friendly, but you are going to need to learn some Vietnamese to get beyond surface-level relationships.

Expats: For smaller size Facebook groups, these pages show a surprising amount of activity. Join these pages and start asking specific questions about life in Phu Quoc if you are seriously thinking of moving there. When I first became an ex-pat 12 years ago, these types of resources did not exist. You can get lonely so make sure to make some connections before you decide to move anywhere. Facebook 1, Facebook 2, Facebook 3.

Real Estate: I do not recommend buying in Vietnam. Always think of the exit strategy whenever buying real estate. It can be easier to get into a mess than to get out of it. That is why I recommend never investing any money that you are not willing to lose in a foreign country. The people recommending buying in foreign countries often have a conflict of interest (they get a commission). Just keep your local real estate and rent it out. Live off the rents in foreign countries.

Medical: There is an “international hospital” by name in Phu Quoc. But it is not staffed with people the number of doctors or diversity of knowledge that you will find at international hospitals larger cities of Vietnam. Presently, you may be able to get routine care here but will need to fly to Ho Chi Minh, Da Nang, or Bangkok to get many kinds of specialized care. There are thousands of expensive condos being built all over Phu Quoc for internationals, so in 5 to 10 years, the care at the international hospital in Phu Quoc is likely to improve substantially.

Visa Requirements:  Low.  Vietnam has been making changes to its visa programs over the last few years, and it is not as friendly to Americans and other preferred nations as it used to be.  Currently, many passport holders are only being issued 30-day single-entry visas which must be obtained before entry to Vietnam.  So, unless the rules become more favorable to foreigners, it might not be the best choice for long stays or retirement.  But it is still one of my favorite countries in the world.   Additionally, more changes are likely to be coming soon as the Tourism sector in Vietnam is still struggling in these post-pandemic times.  At the time you read this, I suggest you view one of the websites that update the entry requirements every 30 days or so, or visit the Vietnam Embassy Webpage in your home country.   I am usually already in SE Asia when I am going to Vietnam.  The travel agents around SE Asia know how to get tourist visas with very little trouble.  But if you decide you want to stay longer than a month or two, you should talk to a visa agent.  I suggest using a visa agent recommended to you by ex-pats that are members of various Facebook Expat Groups.  

Pollution: In SE Asia, do not swim in the ocean near where rivers flow into the sea from populated areas. Water pollutants are often not monitored. You can expect to see single-use plastic trash bags and bottles in many areas unless there is a local organized effort to pick them up daily. The difference between a local beach and a tourist beach is often just local business owners spending money collecting single-use plastics and other trash daily. The air quality is monitored and ranges from moderate to good.

Phu Quoc Desirability Score: High for beach lovers. Medium for everyone else. The things-to-do list is focused around outdoor activities near the ocean. It is a medium-sized island so that is to be expected. If you are looking to live a simple life that involves a relationship with the ocean and or the beach, this place is heaven.

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Best Area to Stay in Phu Quoc

We stayed in the Long Beach area which is a tourist area about 5 minutes by scooter south of Duong Dong (one of the two cities on Phu Quoc Island). We are comfortable riding a scooter, so we had no trouble getting to the restaurants in Duong Dong from our quiet 1 bedroom apartment. But if I were not comfortable riding a scooter, I would probably live close to Duong Dong and ride a bicycle everywhere.

That said, the best beaches on the island are not that close to Duong Dong. If riding a bicycle, you will have to be happy visiting the more local beaches.

Where we stayed: Loved this place. The wifi worked great, hot showers, plus it has a front patio and a small usable kitchen. See the Life and Food video below for video of the inside. Our landlord got us a scooter for $4.50 USD per day. She is a sweetheart. Her name is Chang.

Here are some other places I would be happy to stay.

Hostel: Location and ratings.

Highly Rated Guesthouse: Nice location and price.

Airbnb: If you go for a month to check retirement feasibility, you may want a kitchen. Here is an apartment with kitchen in a decent area for relatively cheap. If you are new to Airbnb use this code http://www.airbnb.com/c/dbell50 at checkout to get a big discount.

Cheapest Flights to Phu Quoc

We almost always get our cheapest flights on this Skyscanner. They have a web crawler that is constantly looking for the cheapest prices all over the world. As usual, we found the cheapest flight from Ho Chi Minh to Phu Quoc Vietnam on Skyscanner.

Then, we transferred from Phu Quoc Vietnam to Kep Cambodia via ferry, minivan, and bus for $18 USD which we purchased from John’s Tours in Phu Quoc.

Things to Do in Phu Quoc Vietnam

If the above video looks fun, click ==>this link<== or the Google Map, jump on your scooter and ride.

Here is a short description of each stop.

Dinh Cao Shrine (Temple): Phu Quoc has been a fishing village for centuries. Many fishermen have been lost to raging storms at sea over the centuries. This temple was constructed on this cliff in the late 17th century to pray to Cau, the god of the sea, to protect fishermen caught in the rage of the sea.

Bai Sao Beach: This is the most famous beach in Phu Quoc. You must see this one. We have also created our “Best Beaches in Phu Quoc Vietnam Tour” video and map. This is also on that tour.

Night Market: Great for people watching, restaurants, buying local like pepper and ice cream, and souvenirs. Mainly tourists shop and eat here.

Day Market: This is where the locals buy their fruit, vegetables, clothes, and everything else.

Pepper Farm: Here you will learn about why Phu Quoc has the best back pepper in the world. What fresh undried black pepper looks and what a pepper farm looks like.

Sao Beach: We have ranked the 5 best beaches in Phu Quoc. Sao Beach comes in as the second-best beach in Phu Quoc. The other three beaches are on our Best Beach in Phu Quoc video.

Coconut Tree Prison (Di Tích Nhà Tù Phú Quốc)(Phu Quoc Prison): This prison created during the prior French War with Vietnam was expanded in 1967 by the US Army to house Viet Cong soldiers as prisoners. A Red Cross team visited the prison in 1969 and 1971 and found systematic torture of prisoners in violation of the Geneva Convention. An inspector from the US Embassy visited in 1971 and confirmed the continuous torture of prisoners.

Phu Quoc Cable Car: This was such an incredible experience it has its own video.

An Thoi Sea Port (Cang An Thoi): This is a real fisherman’s dock and fish transportation hub. Fishing has been the economy for Phu Quoc for centuries.

Sung Duc Pagoda: This beautiful Buddhist Pagoda is not too far from the Fish Market. Just to the left as you exit the pagoda is a quaint little fishing cove you must see.

Best Beach in Phu Quoc

The top and bottom beaches are the must see beaches on Phu Quoc. The two in the middle of the below maps I would call great beaches but not amazing. They are on this list because they are likely to be easy to get to from many parts of the island. Here is a link to the Google Map of the Best Beaches in Phu Quoc.

Starfish Beach (Rach Viem): You drive through the town of Rach Viem to find starfish beach. This one is a long hard drive to get there. We got there ourselves on a scooter we rented for $4.50 for the day, but you may want to take a tour instead if you are not very comfortable driving a scooter on gravel and sandy roads.

Long Beach (Joe’s Beach Bar): This beach is just south of Joe’s Beach Bar. This is a great sunset spot. You can rent lounge chairs and an umbrella, or just bring a blanket like we did.

Shri Beach Club: This place lets you use their beach loungers so long as you drink and eat their food and beverage.

Sailing Club Beach:

Sao Beach: This is the most famous beach on the island. Go early if you want photos with fewer people. We arrived at 8:30 AM.

Beaches Not recommended: We visited the following beaches but they did not make the best beach list. However, if you just need a place for rest and relaxation and these are near your accommodations, they might be worth checking out. 1. Dat Dao Beach, 2. Vung Bau Beach, 2. Bai Bien Ganh Dau.

Best Sunset in Phu Quoc

If the above video looks fun, click =>this link<= and enjoy the sunsets.

#1 Best Sunset (Shri Beach Club): Amazing View, House Music, Happy from 5pm to 7pm. 40k D, $1.75 USD Local Beer. Chair, umbrella, lounger, music, included with beer.

#2 Best Sunset (Joe’s Beach Bar): Amazing View, Classic Rock, 25k D, $1.05 USD Local Beer. Chair and music free. Umbrella and lounger cost $5 all day. Or just bring a blanket and a few drinks and sit nearby on the sand.

#3 Best Sunset (Sailing Club next to Intercontinental): Amazing Sunset. Infinity pool. $3 Local beers, chair, loungers. umbrellas included.

Phu Quoc Cable Car Tour (Worth the money?)

Best Cheap Food in Phu Quoc

We only list restaurants here if we loved them. You can eat in local style restaurants in Vietnam. If you are vegetarian or vegan, look for the world “Chay” somewhere in the signage.

Favorite (Quán Thiên Phúc): 25,000 Dong ($1.05 USD) When you are in the southern part of the island, this place will rock your vegan world. We went back twice we loved it so much.

Vegan 1 (Cơm Chay Quang HD): 30k Dong $1.30 USD per person. Very clean restaurant and beautiful food.

Next to Temple (Quán Chay Tỉnh Tâm Trai): 25,000 Dong ($1.05 USD) Vegan rice dishes. Somehow vegetarian/vegan dishes next door to temples are more delicious, soulful, and fairly priced.

Down the Street (Tiệm Cơm Chay Hiền Ðức): 25,000 Dong ($1.05 USD) Vegan rice dishes. The above one was closed on Sunday so we found this down the street. Loved it just as much.

Birthday Dinner (il Muro Italiano Restaurant): Our 4-course meal with a bottle of wine was $86 USD. Tomato Soup, Pasta Arrabiata, Marinara Pizza, and Red Wine Bottle.

Vagabond Buddha’s Kitchen: The vegan restaurants have been all over Vietnam plus they are cheap. So I haven’t cooked many meals while touring Vietnam for the last 3 months.

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Phu Quoc Island Facts and History

Phu Quoc is the largest island in Vietnam. It has white sand beaches and no Visa required for foreign nationals for up to 30 days. For this reason, Phu Quoc is rapidly becoming the place to be in SE Asia for cheap pop-in visits for a few days or a few weeks.

Phu Quoc Island is located (Google Map) in the Gulf of Thailand adjacent to the border between Cambodia and Vietnam.

There is an international airport on Phu Quoc so you can fly here directly or take a ferry across from mainland Vietnam (Google Map).

Most of the tourist development has been done along the west side of the island mainly north of the airport around the largest town Duong Dong (Google Map).  An Thoi is another town on the southern tip that has many locals and tourist development. Then there are random resorts and fishing villages strewn about the island.

The island has about 110,000 permanent residents. There are 21 other small islands in Vietnam around Phu Quoc that are managed by the Phu Quoc administrative offices.

Although tourism is the new kid on the block for Phu Quoc, the island has lived commercially on fish sauce production and black pepper agriculture. Pearl farming has also been developing over the last 20 years.

Phu Quoc is also developing medical tourism with the Vinmec Phu Quoc International completed in 2015.

Phu Quoc was a simple fishing village until a catholic priest hid a former royal family member, Nguyen Anh, on the Island. Later the catholic priest arranged for an army from France to help Nguyen Anh attack the northern Tay Son Army and regain control of Vietnam.

This deal made by the catholic priest eventually led to the colonization of Vietnam by France once Nguyen Anh won the war and was installed as the Emperor of the Nguyen Empire. Upon assuming the role of the First Emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty, Nguyen Ahn renamed himself, Gia Long.

Although called the Nguyen Empire by name, the new government was a colony ruled by Paris. In short, a Catholic priest had a hand in the subjugation of millions of people halfway around the world. This reminded me of what I learned traveling through Mexico, Central, and South America.

For 20 years starting in 1953, Phu Quoc was the site for the largest South Vietnamese prisoner of war camps. And the height, there were 40,000 North Vietnamese prisoners here.

In 1975, Cambodian Khmer Rouge soldiers invaded and held Phu Quoc temporarily. The ruling party of Cambodia formerly dropped its claims to Phu Quoc in 1976, but the opposition party in Cambodia still claims ownership of Phu Quoc.

There have been no attempts by Cambodia to retake Phu Quoc in over 40 years.

Final Thoughts

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This is Dan of Vagabond Buddha. Thank you for your interest in our Retire for 1100 USD Month in Phu Quoc Vietnam Guide. The world is your home. What time will you be home for dinner?