Utilities in Da Lat: what it actually comes to

Da Lat is the one large Vietnamese city where you do not need air conditioning, and that single fact drives the bill. Where Saigon burns two to three million dong a month on cooling, here you pay for power, water, internet and rubbish — and stay within 600,000–700,000 ₫ for a flat. Here is what makes up the sum, where the landlord adds their margin, and what to fix in writing before you move in.

What it comes to per month

What you pay for	Amount and where it comes from
Flat or room for two, everything in	600,000–700,000 ₫ — checked
Four-storey house, five bedrooms, everything in	about 1M ₫ — our own bill, August 2026
Electricity at the state tariff	1,984–3,460 ₫ per kWh, in usage bands
Electricity at the landlord's rate	3,500–4,000 ₫ per kWh, flat
Home fibre, 300 Mbps	190,000–195,000 ₫ — checked
Electricity for two in a flat	about 500,000 ₫ — estimated from bills

Where the money goes The state sells electricity in bands: the more you use, the more a kilowatt costs, from 1,984 to 3,460 ₫. A landlord almost always charges a flat 3,500–4,000 ₫ per kilowatt — the top band regardless of what you actually burn. In a house with a boiler and a washing machine that gap is two to three hundred thousand a month. Put the rate per kilowatt, the price per cubic metre of water and the rubbish fee into the contract before you move in: renegotiating them afterwards does not work.

What makes up the bill

Electricity is the main line. You do not need air conditioning even in April, but from December to February people run a heater and the boiler works longer: those months cost more than summer.
Water is cheap and barely shows up — usually a few tens of thousands of dong. It is rarely metered separately and is often folded into a fixed fee.
Rubbish collection is a fixed neighbourhood fee, roughly 30,000–50,000 ₫ a month, often collected in cash by someone going door to door.
Internet is a separate contract with the provider and the only line you fully control: 190,000–195,000 ₫ for 300 Mbps fibre.
Bottled gas — if you cook on a hob rather than induction. A cylinder lasts a month and a half to two months.

What to ask before signing Three questions settle almost every dispute: what rate the kilowatt is charged at, who pays for rubbish collection, and whether there is a separate water meter. Ask to see last month's bill — it shows both the usage and the price it was charged at.

The state tariff follows the 2026 EVN schedule. The flat and internet figures are checked against our own bills; the house figure is our own bill for a four-storey house in Lam Vien, August 2026. The landlord rate of 3,500–4,000 ₫ is what appears in contracts, not an official price.

Options and prices

Cozy Garden Boutique Hotel

94 Lu Gia St, Lam Vien (old Ward 9)

10M₫

$380

checked

The one long-stay listing we have with a price straight from the owner: a room in a new building with a balcony, 10M ₫ a month.

Worth knowing. Monthly rate, booked by phone — the booking sites sell it by the night and dearer. Fifteen minutes to the centre by motorbike, GO! hypermarket is nearby.

Utilities — what you actually pay

City-wide

600–700k₫

$23–27

checked

Da Lat needs no air conditioning, so bills are far below Da Nang or Saigon. Fibre internet at 300 Mbps is 190–195k a month.

Careful. The state electricity tariff is 1,984–3,460₫/kWh, but landlords commonly charge a flat 3,500–4,000₫. Agree the rate in writing before you move in.

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