Serviced Apartment vs Lease in Ho Chi Minh City
A lease costs less per month: serviced rents ran about 30% above traditional apartments in Q3 2024, a rough guide. A serviced rate buys housekeeping and wifi, but electricity is extra. A lease lets you end it yourself in three listed cases, with 30 days' written notice. One serviced form refunds neither deposit nor unused rent.
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Rent is only part of the bill. A one-bedroom at Saigon Domaine is USD 1000 a month, yet its rate leaves out electricity, 10% VAT and laundry. On a lease you pay the bills yourself, and the household tariff is public. Decide serviced or lease first, then pick the flat.
Serviced apartment vs lease: the short answer
A lease is the cheaper choice for a year or more: serviced rents ran about 30% above traditional apartments in Q3 2024. A serviced apartment is the easier first landing: housekeeping and wifi sit inside the rate.
Quick picks:
- First weeks in the city: serviced. Housekeeping and wifi are in the rate.
- A year or more on a budget: lease. Serviced rents ran about 30% higher in Q3 2024.
- Leaving date unknown: read the exit clause first. One serviced form refunds nothing for unused rent.
- Bringing a car: ask about parking. The Cozrum form charges a car VND 1,500,000 a month.
What a serviced apartment costs and what the rate includes
Saigon Domaine sits at 1057 Binh Quoi Street, Binh Quoi Ward, and writes its list in USD per month. Reach its sales team on 0908461972 or sales@saigondomaine.com. Cozrum, a marketplace, takes enquiries on 0898 555 889. The table shows Saigon Domaine rent in USD and the Cozrum starting prices in dong.
1057 Binh Quoi, Ho Chi Minh 700000, Vietnam · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
| Place | Unit | Rent a month (Tr = million dong) |
|---|---|---|
| Saigon Domaine | One-bedroom, 72 sqm | USD 1000 |
| Saigon Domaine | Two-bedrooms, 133 - 169 sqm | USD 1600 - 2500 |
| Saigon Domaine | Three-bedrooms, 164 - 216 sqm | USD 2300 - 3200 |
| Simmi 4 (former District 7) | Room, from | VND 14.5Tr |
| Lili Apartments (former District 2) | Room, from | VND 11.5Tr |
| Yours Apartment (Phu Nhuan) | Room, from | VND 8.5Tr |
What the Saigon Domaine rate includes
The rate includes a 5% management charge, daily housekeeping, unlimited wifi and free use of all facilities. Housekeeping stops on Sunday and public holidays.
It leaves out electricity, 10% VAT, and laundry and dry-cleaning. A one-year lease term earns up to 25% off monthly for 3-bedroom and 4-bedroom units.
What the Cozrum long-term form includes
The form gives these free: apartment cleaning twice a week, laundry once a week, internet and cable TV. It also gives the gym and pool from 05:00 to 22:00 and one parked motorbike. It bills electricity, water and a car on top.
How much more than a lease
In Q3 2024, Grade B serviced apartments in Ho Chi Minh City ranged from USD 1,000 to 4,000 a unit a month. Most tenants chose multi-year contracts to get incentives.
What a lease costs and what you add on top
The rent figures below are January 2026 statistics. First-hand contracts come straight from the landlord or housing company. Second-hand contracts are sublets and usually cost more.
| One-bedroom, first-hand | Rent a month |
|---|---|
| Thao Dien (former District 2) | VND 10,000,000 - 18,000,000 |
| Phu My Hung (former District 7) | VND 9,000,000 - 16,000,000 |
| Central Saigon (former District 1) | VND 12,000,000 - 22,000,000 |
Citywide, a second-hand one-bedroom runs VND 9,000,000 to 27,000,000. Expect a deposit of 1-2 months, with 2 months typical.
On a lease you add electricity, water and internet yourself; the state electricity and water prices are in the table below. See Find an apartment for how to search and where to live for the areas.
Electricity and water side by side
| Bill | Cozrum long-term form | State household price |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity | VND 4,000 per kWh | VND 1,984 - 3,460 per kWh over six tiers, before VAT |
| Water | VND 100,000 per person a month | VND 6,700 per m3 up to 4 m3 per person, before 5% VAT |
Many boarding houses still charge a flat VND 3,800 to 5,000 per kWh, well above the household tariff. The landlord-side rules sit in landlord electricity price.
Contract, deposit and leaving early
Leaving a lease
You and the landlord agree the term, the rent and how rent is paid. During the term the landlord may not end the lease, except in the cases the law lists. You may end it yourself in three cases:
- The landlord leaves severe damage unrepaired.
- The landlord raises the rent unreasonably or without notice.
- A third party restricts your use of the flat.
The side ending the lease gives at least 30 days’ notice, unless you agreed otherwise.
If you refuse to conclude or perform the contract, the deposit belongs to the landlord. If the contract goes ahead, the deposit is returned or deducted from what you owe. Read rental contract and rental deposit before you sign.
Leaving a serviced apartment
On the Cozrum form, ending the contract early means the deposit and the rent paid for unused time are not refunded. Saigon Domaine’s up to 25% discount needs a one-year term on 3-bedroom and 4-bedroom units.
Dollars, dong and the police declaration
Saigon Domaine quotes in USD. A price written in a contract in Vietnam may not be in foreign currency, except where the State Bank allows it.
In both setups the person who runs the accommodation files your stay with the ward police. That person is the owner, its legal representative or someone it authorises, not you. Hand over your passport so it can file. See register temporary residence.
Which one to pick
| Your situation | Take | Why |
|---|---|---|
| No flat yet, first weeks | Serviced | Housekeeping and wifi are in the monthly rate |
| A year or more | Lease | Serviced rents ran about 30% higher in Q3 2024 |
| Leaving date unknown | Read the exit clause first | A serviced form may refund nothing for unused time; a lease ends in three listed cases with 30 days’ notice |
A family in a 3-bedroom or 4-bedroom unit on a one-year term can still get up to 25% off at Saigon Domaine.
Before you sign
- Get the all-in monthly figure in writing: housekeeping and wifi are in, electricity and VAT are out at Saigon Domaine.
- Check the electricity rate per kWh: the Cozrum form bills VND 4,000, the household tariff starts at VND 1,984.
- Get the exit clause in writing: the Cozrum form refunds neither deposit nor unused rent.
- Expect a deposit of 1-2 months, with 2 typical.
- Have the rent written in dong, not dollars.
- Bring your passport for the residence declaration.
Photos and clips uploaded to Google Maps (Saigon Domaine Luxury Residences on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)) by Chals Byon, Saigon Domaine Residences, Nghe Sach Noi.
Not confirmed: Serviced rates: the USD sheet at Saigon Domaine and the Cozrum form rates are undated. Get today's figure in writing from sales (0908461972) or the Cozrum hotline (0898 555 889) before you pay a deposit. Serviced premium: the 30% gap is a Q3 2024 figure.
Common questions
Is a serviced apartment more expensive than a lease?
Yes, by roughly 30% in Q3 2024. One serviced one-bedroom of 72 sqm is USD 1000 a month. A first-hand one-bedroom in Thao Dien is VND 10,000,000 to 18,000,000. Get the serviced rate in dong in writing, because a contract price may not be in foreign currency.
What does a serviced apartment rate include?
At Saigon Domaine the rate includes a 5% management charge, daily housekeeping, unlimited wifi and use of all facilities. Electricity, 10% VAT and laundry are extra.
How is electricity billed in a serviced apartment?
The Cozrum long-term form bills VND 4,000 per kWh. The household tariff is VND 2,380 per kWh for 101 to 200 kWh, before VAT.
Can I leave a serviced apartment contract early?
On the Cozrum form, the deposit and the rent paid for unused time are not refunded.
Can I leave a lease early?
The tenant may end a lease in three listed cases, such as the landlord not repairing severe damage. The side ending it gives at least 30 days' notice, unless the contract says otherwise.
How big is the deposit on a lease?
Deposits are usually 1-2 months of rent, with 2 months typical. If you refuse to conclude or perform the contract, the landlord keeps it.
Who registers my stay with the police?
The person who runs the accommodation files the declaration, not you. Hand over your passport or another valid travel document so it can file.
Can a serviced apartment price be in US dollars?
Saigon Domaine writes its rates in USD per month. A price written in a contract may not be in foreign currency, except where the State Bank allows it.
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General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.
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