Vietnam families grapple with finances for parents, kids and retirement

Middle‑aged households in Vietnam are feeling the squeeze of a three‑way financial burden. A typical family in Hanoi earning about 48 million VND per month must divide the income among housing loans, daily living costs, education fees for two children, medical expenses for parents over 65, and a modest retirement savings fund. The irregular nature of elder‑care costs and the need to support both older and younger generations leave little room for personal savings.

In Ho Chi Minh City, a couple earning a combined 31 million VND per month decided not to have children, estimating that basic child‑rearing would require 10–12 million VND each month. They cite the risk of financial insecurity and the inability to maintain personal consumption if a child were added to the household. Both cases illustrate a broader trend among Vietnam’s “sandwich generation,” where rising living expenses and modest salaries shape family planning and retirement preparedness.