In the same neighbourhood, a serviced apartment and a standard apartment can differ in both rent and how they are run. Pick the wrong type and you pay for things you do not use, or lack things you need. This article compares the two on the criteria renters usually care about.
Who a serviced apartment suits
Serviced apartments are usually let by the month, furnished, with regular cleaning and front-desk or security support. Short contracts and quick check-in suit foreign professionals on a few months' assignment, people relocating to Ho Chi Minh City who do not yet know where to settle, or anyone needing a temporary base while a home is being prepared.
In return, the rent per square metre is usually higher, the space smaller, and there is little room to change anything. The kitchen is sometimes suitable only for light cooking.
Who a standard apartment suits
Standard apartments are usually let on twelve-month or longer contracts. You get more space, a full kitchen, more bedroom options and often more room to negotiate on furnishings or term. Families with young children, people working from home and anyone staying a year or more tend to choose this route.
The downside is that you handle more yourself: cleaning, setting up utilities and internet, arranging repairs. A longer term also makes leaving early more costly.
Four criteria to compare
Total cost. Do not look at rent alone. For a serviced apartment, ask whether electricity, water, internet and cleaning are included. For a standard apartment, add management fees, parking and any services you arrange yourself.
Term and flexibility. Serviced apartments allow stays from one month; standard apartments usually require a longer commitment. If your plans are uncertain, that flexibility is worth paying for.
Amenities and location. Both can be centrally located. Premium standard apartment buildings often have a pool, gym and gardens within the same complex, while central serviced apartments tend to prioritise location over shared facilities.
Legal and residence registration. Ask how temporary residence registration is handled and who signs the contract. For foreign tenants, residence paperwork affects visa extensions and should be prepared correctly from the start.
Quick guide
Staying under six months and unsure of the area: look at serviced apartments first. Staying a year or more, with family or working from home: prioritise a standard apartment. Staying six to twelve months: ask about both and compare total cost over the whole stay, since some furnished standard apartments are let for under twelve months if the owner agrees.
