The first week in Da Nang is a dozen small errands, and if you do them in the right order, by the weekend you are living rather than settling in. The order is this: on move-in day, meters, photos of the apartment and water; the next day, a SIM card, Grab and cash; then the scooter, groceries, internet and everything else. Below is each step with what to bring and what it costs as of September 2026.

Move-in day

  1. Photograph the electricity and water meters and put the readings in the handover report. Without that the first bill will be an argument. How electricity is billed is in our guide to utility bills.
  2. Walk the apartment with your phone and film everything scratched, broken or smelly. That is your deposit six months from now.
  3. Test the air conditioners, the water heater, the water pressure, the locks and the remotes. Whatever does not work goes to the owner's chat today, not next week.
  4. Order water. Drinking water comes in 20-litre bottles delivered to your floor at about 40,000-60,000 dong a bottle; the supplier's number is usually posted in the lift or known to the concierge.
  5. Make sure the owner has declared you to the police. What that is and how to check is in the temporary residence guide.

SIM card and apps

SIM cards are sold against your passport in Viettel, Vinaphone and Mobifone shops; street kiosks sell them too, but those can be cut off after a month. A month of data at 4-7 GB a day is 125,000-150,000 dong: Viettel's SD135 is 135,000 for 5 GB a day, and Mobifone's DN125M at 125,000 gives 4 GB a day nationwide plus 7 more inside Da Nang. Straight after the SIM, install three apps: Grab for scooters, cars and food, Zalo because the owner and the concierge will message you on it, and a map app with the area downloaded offline.

Money

Cash comes from ATMs at a fee of 30,000-100,000 dong per withdrawal plus your own bank's fee; most machines cap a withdrawal at 3-5 million, some at 10. Cards are accepted in supermarkets and bigger cafés; markets and small shops take cash or a QR transfer only. QR transfers through a Vietnamese bank are the main way to pay here, and they need a local account; by law a foreigner needs a passport and a visa or proof of visa exemption, and the law sets no minimum visa validity. Banks add their own terms: HSBC, for example, wants at least 60 days left on every document and biometrics at a branch. Not every bank opens accounts on a tourist visa, so ask.

Scooter

Renting a Vision, Lead or Air Blade class automatic for a month is 1.5-2.7 million dong, helmet included, no mileage limit; they take a passport copy or a deposit. Licence: Vietnam accepts an international driving permit under the 1968 Vienna Convention together with your home licence for the same class; for a scooter up to 125 cc that is A1. A permit of another kind is formally not valid, and an insurer will notice after an accident. Riding such a scooter without a licence is a 2-4 million dong fine. You can exchange your licence for a Vietnamese one with a residence card valid for three months or more. A scooter under 50 cc needs no licence and can be ridden from 16, but carrying a passenger on one is hard work. A helmet is compulsory and the fines are real. For the first week ride the side roads and in daylight: the traffic here is read with your eyes only.

Groceries and everyday life

  • Supermarkets: Co.opmart, Lotte, GO! and Winmart within walking distance of almost any building; imports cost more, local food costs less than in a café.
  • Markets: Han and Con in the centre, An Hai and Bac My An on the east bank; morning is the best time, and bargaining is normal.
  • Food delivery: Grab and ShopeeFood, paid in cash to the courier until you have a local account.
  • Laundry: by weight, 13,000-30,000 dong a kilo, back the next day; Son Tra has places at 13,000-16,000 for loads over 5 kg.
  • Gas, if the hob is gas: a 12 kg cylinder was 540,000-640,000 dong in September 2026, delivered and connected.

Home internet

If internet is not in the rent, an FPT or Viettel connection takes one to three days: a request by phone or in a shop, your passport, 200,000-300,000 a month, sometimes a router deposit. Ask the owner whether there is already a line into the apartment; then it only needs transferring.

Health

Find the nearest clinic that works in English before you need it: Family Medical Practice on Nguyen Van Linh and Vinmec on 30 Thang 4 street, both in the centre. Pharmacies are on every corner and many medicines are over the counter; sort out insurance before you arrive, not after the first visit.

People and information

The Facebook groups for renting and living in Da Nang carry listings, second-hand sales and answers to everyday questions; the Russian-speaking and Korean communities have groups of their own. Coworking spaces in An Thuong and Son Tra are the fastest way to meet people through work. How the city is laid out, if you have not got your bearings yet, is in the guide to the best areas to live.

Not to forget

  • If you moved in between September and November, read the rainy season guide and get electronics off the balcony floor.
  • The full monthly budget, so the end of the month holds no surprises, is in our cost of living guide.
  • Visas, extensions and documents are in the guide to moving to Da Nang.
  • If something in the apartment is not as promised, write to us rather than put up with it. How the deal works, from request to move-in, is on the how to rent page.