Furnished or unfurnished rental: which costs less?

Legal basis: Civil Code No. 91/2015/QH13 (Article 328 on deposits, Article 476 on delivery of leased property, Article 482 on return of leased property) · Updated 20/10/2026.

A furnished unit lets you move in straight away without spending capital on furniture, but the monthly rent is usually higher and when you move out every item has to be checked. An unfurnished home is cheaper each month but costs an initial outlay and effort. The right answer for you comes down to a simple calculation and how long you plan to stay.

Quick comparison

Criterion	Furnished unit	Unfurnished (or basic furnishing)
Monthly rent	Higher, as it includes the furniture	Lower
Initial cost	Deposit + rent paid in advance	Deposit + rent paid in advance + purchases, transport, installation
Moving in	Immediately	After buying, delivering and installing furniture
When you move out	Inventory check; deductions from the deposit for damage beyond natural wear and tear	You must sell, move or dispose of your own furniture
Suits	Short stays, uncertain length of stay, newly arrived in the city	Long stays, wanting your own choice of furniture, already owning furniture

The law does not fix the number of months of deposit. The amount is agreed by the two parties; for a furnished unit, the landlord may ask for a higher deposit because it also secures the furniture. Ask clearly before comparing prices.

How to calculate: how long before unfurnished becomes cheaper?

Break-even months = (cost of purchases − resale value when you move out) ÷ the monthly rent saving

Reference example — every figure below is an assumption to illustrate the calculation, not a market price or the price of a specific unit:

Item	Assumption
Rent for the furnished unit	A million VND/month
Rent for the same unit unfurnished	A − 3 million VND/month
Initial purchases (bed, mattress, wardrobe, sofa, dining table, fridge, washing machine, curtains, transport)	80 million VND
Resale value when you move out	30% of the purchase price = 24 million VND
Real cost of the furniture	80 − 24 = 56 million VND
Break-even months	56 ÷ 3 ≈ 19 months

So under these assumptions, if you stay less than about 19 months the furnished unit costs less; if you stay longer, the unfurnished home starts to pay off. Put the real figures of the unit you are viewing into the table: the smaller the rent difference or the more expensive the furniture, the longer the break-even period. Remember to add the deposit: with a 2-month deposit, the difference in deposit between the two options is twice the rent difference, and it is refunded when you return the home in line with the contract.

Actual rents at HPR

Three 75 m² Léman Luxury apartments (117 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, former District 3) consigned to HPR for rent are all furnished, prices updated 20/10/2026:

Unit	Furnishing	Rent
1 bedroom, 75 m²	Furnished	28 million VND/month
2 bedrooms, 75 m²	Fully furnished	32 million VND/month
2 bedrooms, 75 m²	Fully furnished	33 million VND/month

HPR does not yet have an unfurnished rental listing in the same building to compare prices directly, and has not found dated published data on the gap between furnished and unfurnished units in HCMC. When viewing a unit, ask the landlord: if fewer items are left in the unit, how much lower would the rent be?

What does "furnished" include?

Rental listings use many different terms, so do not compare prices until you have an inventory:

• Basic furnishing: usually only the kitchen, kitchen cabinets, air conditioning, water heater, lights and curtains.
• Fully furnished: adds beds and mattresses, wardrobes, sofa, dining table, fridge, washing machine and TV.

Ask the landlord to send a specific inventory and attach that inventory to the contract as an appendix.

Drawing up the handover record: inventory, photos, condition

The Civil Code requires the landlord to hand over the home in the quantity, quality and condition agreed (Article 476), and the tenant to return it in the condition in which it was received, except for natural wear and tear (Article 482). The handover record is the only evidence of "the condition on receipt", so draw it up carefully:

Item	What to record
Inventory of furniture and equipment	Name, quantity, colour, brand / model (air conditioner, fridge, washing machine, TV)
Condition	New / used; scratches, cracks, stains, faults — state the exact location
Photos, video	Every room, every item, close-ups of damage; with date and time; kept by both parties
Meter readings	Electricity and water when you receive the home
Keys, cards	Number of keys, lift cards, parking cards, remotes
Signatures	Both parties sign every page, each keeps a copy

An unfurnished home also needs a record: walls, floors, doors, sanitary fittings, kitchen, power sockets. When you move out, use exactly the same table to check and settle any deduction from the deposit.

To work out your total monthly rental costs (management fee, utilities, parking), see the cost of renting an apartment in central HCMC. Units for rent through HPR: /thue/.

This article is for reference only and does not replace legal or financial advice for your specific case.

1. Ask the landlord for an inventory of furniture and equipment before paying the deposit; check it when viewing the unit.
2. Go through every room with the landlord (or an authorised person) on the day you receive the home.
3. Test every appliance: air conditioner, water heater, hob, fridge, washing machine, taps, power sockets, lights.
4. Record the condition of each item and the location of any scratches, cracks, stains or faults.
5. Take date- and time-stamped photos and video, wide shots and close-ups; send them to the landlord by message so both of you keep them.
6. Note the electricity and water readings and the number of keys, lift cards and parking cards.
7. Both parties sign every page, each keeps a copy; attach the record to the lease.
8. When you move out, check against exactly this record, and settle any deduction from the deposit in writing.

Sources in Vietnamese; titles kept in the original, with a short English translation in brackets.

• National Assembly — Bộ luật Dân sự số 91/2015/QH13 (Civil Code No. 91/2015/QH13), Articles 328, 476, 482, issued 24 November 2015.
• HPR — consignment listings for Léman Luxury apartments for rent (codes KG2610-04, KG2610-05, KG2610-06), updated 20 October 2026.