Brad and Nicky Mumford, from Adelaide, Australia, decided to make a major lifestyle change more than two years ago.
In 2024, Brad became exhausted from working long hours in a demanding senior management role, while Nicky was responsible for caring for the couple's four children. She also hosted international students through a homestay programme to supplement the family's income.
Beyond financial pressures, the couple said they had grown weary of a daily routine that had become increasingly repetitive.
Seeking a change, they embarked on a self-drive journey around Australia, spending about 18 months travelling to rest, gain new experiences and restore a better work-life balance.
After the trip, the family decided to move overseas and settled in a coastal city in central Vietnam.
Brad said the couple's combined annual income is about AUD 60,000. While that income made it difficult to cope with Australia's high cost of living, they found it sufficient to live comfortably in Vietnam.
The family now rents a three-storey house with six bedrooms and seven bathrooms for around AUD 250 per week.
Including electricity, utilities and the cost of hiring domestic help, their total weekly household expenses amount to roughly AUD 350 (USD 960) per month.
“In Vietnam, we can prepare a family meal for less than AUD 20. In Australia, I could not even buy a block of cheese for under AUD 18,” Nicky said.
Vietnam's relatively affordable cost of living has made it an increasingly attractive destination for Australian visitors and expatriates.
According to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, Vietnam welcomed 548,000 Australian visitors in 2025, placing Australia among the country's 10 largest inbound tourism markets.
The growth has continued this year. During the first seven months of 2026, Vietnam received around 397,000 Australian visitors, up 22.5 per cent from the same period a year earlier and above the overall growth rate for international arrivals.
The increase has coincided with expanded air connectivity between the two countries.
Vietjet currently operates direct flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.
Vietnam Airlines operates direct services from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, and increased frequencies on several Australia routes from April this year.
Media outlets in both countries have suggested that the growing number of Australian visitors indicates Vietnam's appeal is no longer a short-term trend.
Industry observers say Vietnam has an opportunity to strengthen promotion in the Australian market, develop products tailored to Australian travellers and continue improving service quality and visitor experiences.