Terry Fletcher knew he’d made a mistake the moment he saw the apartment. Before moving to Vietnam, the U.S. military veteran had booked and prepaid a 90-day Airbnb in Cebu, in the Philippines, sight unseen, and it looked nothing like the photos The U.S. military veteran had booked and prepaid a 90-day Airbnb in Cebu, in the Philippines, sight unseen, and it looked nothing like the photos.
“Boots on the ground is totally different from what you’re actually seeing on videos,” he told me.
That lesson stayed with him when he took his next big step: moving to Vietnam after retirement. Terry arrived in Ho Chi Minh City in July and has lived here ever since. When we sat down for Traveling Savvy Seniors, he talked about what it costs, how safe he feels, what his bad knee has taught him about getting around, and why nothing would make him move back to the States. Everything here is his own experience, in his own words. Your costs and comfort will be your own.
Why Terry Ended Up Moving to Vietnam
Terry’s pull toward Asia started in 1982, when the military sent him to Okinawa, Japan. He served two stints there, and one image stayed with him: small children, four or five years old, waiting alone on the corner for the school bus, with nobody bothering them.
“That’s unheard of in the States,” he said. “There, it’s all about respect and honor.”
He always knew he would come back. After he retired, family needs put his plans on hold for several years. In 2025 he finally made the trip, spending time in Bangkok and three months in Cebu. Vietnam wasn’t on his list until people kept giving him the same advice.
“Everybody kept telling me, ‘Don’t sleep on Vietnam,'” he said. So he didn’t.
The Airbnb Mistake to Avoid
In Cebu, Terry booked his Airbnb directly through the site and paid $795/per month up front for the full 90 days. When he arrived, he was “totally disappointed.”
He made the best of it. Because prices were so low, he spent nearly every weekend of those three months in four- and five-star hotels. But he’s clear about what he would do differently.
“Don’t tie yourself into a long-term stay when you first come out here,” he said. “Don’t make that mistake. I made that mistake, and I couldn’t get out of that.”
His advice is to book three or four days, or a week, in one place, then move around. “You’re going to find a lot better options, but you won’t know this unless you actually come here.”
I learned the same lesson on my first night in Da Nang. I had booked a full month, took one look at the place, and knew I couldn’t stay. I left the next day and found somewhere else. I was lucky to get a refund. Terry wasn’t.
What Moving to Vietnam Really Costs
Terry doesn’t track every dollar, but he has a clear sense of the total.
“My rent, my travelling, my eating out, going out doing things, I’m spending less than $1,700 a month,” he said.
That’s with eating out three times a day. He doesn’t cook. He buys his meals from the same street vendor every day and picks up fresh bread from a local bread seller. To get around, he uses Grab, Vietnam’s version of Uber. “Where in the States are you going to get a ride way across town for less than $5?”
I asked him whether someone on a fixed income of about $2,000 a month could live comfortably here. “Yes, it is,” he said, without hesitating. Even on Social Security alone, he believes it can work: “Your life is not going to be as extravagant as you may want it to be, but there are a slew of apartments out there from all different price ranges, and you can find yourself a sweet spot.”
His one condition: “Just do your homework. Do your due diligence.”
When you build your own budget, include the costs that don’t show up in daily spending: health insurance, visa runs, flights home, and an emergency reserve. Terry is about to do his first border run, a simple day trip through a visa company, to keep his stay legal.
Is Vietnam Safe for American Retirees?
Terry doesn’t live in a tourist district. “I live amongst the locals,” he said. “I feel so incredibly safe. They have brought me into their arms and welcomed me.”
In his first week, a boy from a family in his neighborhood came up and spoke to him in English. Terry answered in Vietnamese.
“That blew his mind,” Terry said. “His eyes got all big and bright.” The boy’s parents invited him to dinner that weekend. “I went, and I broke bread with them, and it was a wonderful experience.”
He’s still learning the language, but he already knows how far a few words go.
His view on safety is blunt: “It’s safe. It’s more safer here than it is in the States. Once you get out here, you’re going to see for yourself.”
Moving to Vietnam with a Bad Knee
This is where Terry is most candid. He has a bad knee that needs replacing, and he has already had back surgery. Walking in Ho Chi Minh City takes attention.
“A lot of sidewalks are not level,” he said. “They’ll take a dip on you if you’re not watching yourself, and you can fall easily.” Then there’s the traffic. Motorbikes ride up onto the sidewalks, and there aren’t many stoplights.
For seniors who walk with a cane or walker, his advice is specific: “You have to be in the area where expats are, because they’re more built up and more towards what we’re accustomed to seeing in the States.”
I’d add one thing from my own experience. Where you live in Vietnam makes a big difference. A quieter coastal city like Vung Tau is much easier on the knees than Ho Chi Minh City’s traffic or Da Lat’s steep hills.
A note for fellow veterans
Vietnam has no VA facility. Terry says the closest options are VA clinics in the Philippines for service-connected care and VA services in Guam, a few hours’ flight away. He’s planning his knee surgery in Panama, his next stop. If you’re a veteran, check current VA coverage abroad on VA.gov before you go.
“I’m Retired. That’s the Beauty of It.”
Terry had no fear about coming here alone. “Me being military, it groomed me for going all over the world,” he said. His family wasn’t so sure. “They thought I was crazy.” Then he started sending videos and photos home. “They’re like, ‘Wow, I didn’t know it was like that.'”
His kids are grown, with families of their own, and he has 12 grandchildren. One of his daughters gave him the push he needed: “Dad, you’ve done everything you need to do. You don’t have any more responsibilities here. Go live your life.”
So he is. His plan is a year in Vietnam, with trips to Bali, Singapore, Cambodia and Laos, before moving on to Panama. His daughters tease him that his plans keep changing.
“I’m like, you know what? I’m retired. That’s the beauty of it,” he said. “I can change my plans a hundred times a day if I want to. I don’t have to punch a clock. This is my freedom. This is my life.”
What would make him move back to the States? “Nothing,” he said. “Nothing will make me move back.”
Terry’s Advice If You’re on the Fence about Moving to Vietnam
Terry is clear that this life isn’t for everyone, and he doesn’t recommend selling everything first.
“Before moving to Vietnam, I would suggest make a trip out here first. Spend some time here to see if you’re going to be able to tolerate this type of lifestyle, because again, it’s not for everyone. A lot of people don’t like change.”
His message to anyone his age who is hesitating: “Come out, boots on the ground, find out for yourself. Don’t be scared. Take that leap.”
Watch the full interview with Terry on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qKnYEVDtViQ
If you’re starting to think about your own move, the free Senior Travel Toolkit helps you organize documents, health preparation, budget and arrival day before you book.
You don’t need to decide everything at once. A short first stay can tell you a lot.
