Life gets better moving from suburb to city

I work in District 3, which is right in downtown Ho Chi Minh City. I live in Binh Thanh District, only one bridge away from downtown District 1. I also spent some time living on the edge of HCMC, and there was even a period when I moved to Binh Duong Province, which borders HCMC.

Therefore, I understand very clearly the pros and cons of living outside the city and far from work.

When I lived in the suburbs, every day I spent three hours just driving my motorbike back and forth to and from work. My job requires me to regularly deliver documents and contracts, so I have to ride a motorbike for mobility, and I can't take the bus. Thus, I was exhausted every day when I came home and I didn’t want to do anything, even cook my dinner. During the weekends, I would sleep in and turned down all invitations for hanging out.

It wasn't until I moved into a rented house near HCMC’s Ba Chieu Market in Binh Thanh District that I really felt at ease. My daily commute fell to only 30 minutes. I came home energetic enough to cook and enjoy the weekends with coffee dates.

Many people say that houses in downtown are small and not convenient for inviting friends over, but I have a different thought. I don’t invite friends to my house but instead choose to go out to restaurants with my friends. Home is a private place, you should not force your wife and children to endure guests and clean up after them.

On the other hand, I found it hard to maintain social relations when living so far away from the office. During company parties, I always left earlier than others. I also skipped coffee and other invitations during weekends because my home was too far away and I was reluctant to travel.

In terms of cost, it is true that renting a house in the suburbs is cheaper than in the center, and you get more space. But I don't want to trade my health and time for that. Since moving into the center, I've felt much less tired, and had time to cook and rest. My mental health has improved significantly, as I am now finally truly "living."

So every decision has its pros and cons. It depends on one's priorities and what they are ready to give up or gain.