Ho Chi Minh City Raises Ceiling on Apartment Management Fees

New apartment management fee ranges issued by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee will take effect on November 25, 2026. In the city's wards and communes, the monthly range is VND 1,800–13,700 per square meter for apartments with elevators and VND 600–8,800 for those without. In the Con Dao special administrative zone, the corresponding ranges are VND 3,200–24,700 and VND 1,100–15,800, respectively.

Apartment developments in eastern Ho Chi Minh City in April 2026.（VietVance）

Compared with the previous rules, the ceiling in the former Ho Chi Minh City area has nearly doubled for apartments with elevators and risen to more than 2.5 times its previous level for those without. The change unifies fee ranges following the administrative merger, replacing separate rules for the former Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong and Ba Ria–Vung Tau. The amounts exclude value-added tax, maintenance funds, fire insurance, parking, electricity, water and other charges.

The new ranges do not mean that actual management fees will rise at every apartment building. They apply directly to publicly owned housing; commercial apartments mainly use them as a reference when negotiating fees or resolving disputes. Actual fees still depend on service quality, operating costs and agreements between the parties. The ranges do not apply to older publicly owned apartment buildings that have not been renovated or rebuilt, or to certain housing where students or workers share rooms.

Contracts signed before November 25, 2026, will continue under their existing fees until they expire unless the parties agree to a change. Contracts signed or renewed, or whose prices are changed, from that date will follow the new rules. If operators and residents have not agreed on a fee, operators may temporarily charge the previous year's rate or another amount, provided it does not exceed the city's range, until an agreement is reached.

VnExpress found that residents of most apartment buildings in Ho Chi Minh City negotiate management fees with developers or service providers. Residents' representatives also commonly select management companies through bidding. Management fees in the city currently average VND 5,500–30,000 per square meter per month; some high-end and luxury apartments charge about VND 200,000–260,000.

Source: VietVance