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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
Utilities — what you actually pay
City-wide
600–700k₫
$23–27
per month, couple · 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.
per month, long stay · checked
One of the two long-stay rents we took straight from the owner rather than from a listing: a flat with two small bedrooms, two bathrooms and a balcony in a new building, 10M ₫ a month. The other measured rent is a whole house in old Ward 8 at 22M ₫.
Worth knowing. The monthly rate comes by phone — the booking sites sell the same flat by the night and dearer. Fifteen minutes to the centre by motorbike; the GO! hypermarket is about three kilometres away, on Lam Vien Square downtown.
37 Tran Hung Dao, Xuan Huong
11–20M₫
$420–770
per month · one or two bedrooms · checked
Panorama lets flats long-term, and there are a lot of them. It is round, with a full-height light well inside: the floors run in a ring, the flat doors open onto a circular balcony with a lattice rail, and the light falls from above. The layouts inside are unusual.
The fit-out differs from flat to flat and you see it at once: some are done in black and white marble with gloss fronts, others are light, with timber panelling on walls and ceiling, an olive splashback in the kitchen and coloured upholstery. What they share: a kitchen with an induction hob, oven and extractor, built-in wardrobes to the ceiling, air conditioning, a wall-mounted television, and a separate bathroom with a glassed-in shower and a water heater.
Three types are let — one bedroom, two bedrooms, and a larger two-bedroom; each has its own living room with a kitchen. The windows look over the town — Da Lat’s roofs and the hills behind them; some flats have a terrace along the window, some a balcony over the street.
Worth knowing. Monthly prices, from the manager on 29 August 2026:
- one bedroom with a living room and kitchen — 11M ₫
- two bedrooms with a living room and kitchen — 13M ₫
- a larger two-bedroom — 20M ₫
The contract runs from six months, and a long term is worth bargaining over. The deposit is two months' rent up front.
The building is called Panorama, Tòa Nhà Panorama Đà Lạt in Vietnamese, and stands at 37 Tran Hung Dao in the Xuan Huong ward, the former Ward 10. Across the road are the OM Nướng grill and a Lẩu cua đồng place; the Central Market is about two kilometres down the street.
The manager answers on WhatsApp and draws up the contract herself. There are many flats in the building and they are not alike: they differ in finish, in the view and in condition, some fresh, some visibly tired. Say at once for how long and how many bedrooms you need, and ask to be shown several, not one.
Careful. The deposit is two months’ rent — 22–40 million ₫ in hand before you move in, depending on the flat. Ask before signing on what terms it comes back.
Ask separately about the monthly rent itself: what it covers and what is charged on top — electricity, water, internet, cleaning.
The flats are in different condition: some are fresh, some visibly worn, and the fit-out varies too. You do not have to take the first one shown — ask for more and compare.
The stay registration is filed by the owner of the property, not by you. Ask to see the confirmation on the day you move in: without it you cannot extend a visa later.
Read next
Internet in Da Lat in 2026: real speeds, prices and what breaks → The future of Da Lat: what changes and when → Registering your stay in Da Lat: the landlord’s job, your problem →Reader notes
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