Australian Family of Eight Moves to Vietnam to Save for a Home Deposit

In 2025, Megan MacPherson and her husband Andrew realized that rising household earnings still could not outpace Australia’s soaring cost of living. To break the cycle, the couple decided to move their six children to Vietnam to slash everyday expenses. With Andrew working remotely and four of their children homeschooled, the relocation proved seamless.

“We viewed this as an adventure, with no pressure to stay permanently,” Megan shared. “If things did not work out, we could simply pack up and return home.” Before the move, Megan had only traveled abroad once at age 16, while Andrew had never left Australia.

Arriving in Da Nang in July 2025, the family leased a three-story house with five bedrooms and five bathrooms for roughly 325 AUD per week. In comparison, their rental home in Brisbane cost 600 AUD weekly for far less space.

Food expenses dropped just as dramatically. A local dinner of chicken or beef over rice with fresh salad for six cost about 13 AUD. A full dinner for the entire family at a Western-style restaurant ran around 30 AUD.

The family incurred additional travel costs because they had to leave Vietnam every three months for visa renewals. However, they turned these mandatory border runs into family holidays, exploring destinations such as Hong Kong.

Megan and Andrew dining at a restaurant in Da Nang. (Photo: Supplied)

The couple also hired local domestic help while continuing to save a substantial portion of their income. After 11 months abroad, they returned to Australia with approximately 50,000 AUD in savings—a financial milestone Megan said would have been impossible under standard Australian living costs.

Megan noted that stricter budgeting could have yielded savings of up to 150,000 AUD. Even so, the couple prioritized enjoying a comfortable quality of life throughout their stay overseas.

In March, while still residing in Vietnam, Megan and Andrew partnered with her parents and sister to purchase a large property in Ipswich, Queensland, designed for multi-generational living. They directed their overseas savings toward home renovations and a dedicated home office.

“We would return to Vietnam in a heartbeat,” Megan said. “It was an incredible adventure.”

(Source: Nine News Australia)