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Who lives in An Phu
An Phu is one of the wards that make up the old District 2, the riverside area east of central Saigon that became the heart of expat Ho Chi Minh City and is now part of Thu Duc City. It blends gated villa compounds, low rise apartments and serviced residences with a dense layer of international supermarkets, cafes, gyms and restaurants. The families who choose An Phu are typically international professionals, diplomats and globally mobile households who want to be at the centre of the expat scene with schools close by. The community is settled and English friendly, with a strong concentration of families clustered around the An Phu and neighbouring Thao Dien schools. To see how An Phu fits the wider city, start with our international schools in Ho Chi Minh City directory.
Schools in and near An Phu
An Phu and the adjoining Thao Dien area hold the densest cluster of international schools in the city. The International School Ho Chi Minh City, the first IB World School in Vietnam, runs its primary campus in An Phu ward and its secondary campus in the neighbouring District 2 area, offering the IB Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma programmes. The European International School Ho Chi Minh City is an IB continuum school in the same area, the Australian International School Saigon offers an international and Australian aligned programme nearby, and the British International School Ho Chi Minh City runs campuses close at hand. Popular year groups fill quickly, so apply early.
For the full list with curricula, stages and admissions windows, use the Ho Chi Minh City schools directory, and read our guides to the neighbouring expat districts at living in Thao Dien and living in District 2. Families weighing the IB route can read our IB curriculum guide, while our Ho Chi Minh City primary school fees guide sets out the bands, and the school finder quiz shortlists options against your priorities.
Commute and catchment
Vietnam does not run residential catchments for international schools, so admission is by application rather than by address and an An Phu home does not reserve a place at any school, though living in An Phu or Thao Dien puts most of the city's international campuses within a short drive. An Phu is connected to central District 1 by the Saigon Bridge and the Hanoi Highway, a quick trip outside peak hours, while the city's first metro line serves the wider corridor. The school run is usually by car, taxi or ride hailing, and many schools run bus services across the District 2 and District 7 expat areas. Plan journeys around the morning and evening peaks on the bridge and the highway into the centre.
Housing and cost of living
Housing in An Phu ranges from gated villa compounds with shared pools and gardens to serviced apartments and newer condominium towers. The cost profile is mid to upper for Ho Chi Minh City: villas and serviced apartments in the An Phu and Thao Dien area command a premium for the schools, amenities and established expat community, while apartments further from the school cluster can offer more value. When you add international school fees and transport to villa or apartment rent, An Phu lands as a comfortable mid to premium choice rather than a budget one. Model the full picture, rent, schooling and transport, with our relocation cost calculator, and read the wider Ho Chi Minh City relocation guide for visas, healthcare and setting up. Treat any specific rent figure you see as indicative, the market moves, so verify current asking rents before you budget.
Family life
Daily family life in An Phu is built around the villa compounds, the international supermarkets and the cafes and restaurants that line the An Phu and Thao Dien streets. Families have easy access to Western groceries, clinics, sports clubs and play spaces, and the Saigon River and nearby parks give room to get outdoors. The international community is large and welcoming, which makes settling in straightforward for new arrivals, and private healthcare in the area is good. The trade off is authenticity and cost: An Phu can feel like an expat bubble and sits at the pricier end of the city, so families who want a more local experience may look elsewhere, while those who want community and schools on the doorstep find it ideal.
Budget your move to An Phu
Model An Phu villa or apartment rent, school fees and transport together before you commit to the area.
Open the relocation cost calculatorLiving in An Phu, Ho Chi Minh City: FAQ
An Phu ward holds the primary campus of the International School Ho Chi Minh City, the first IB World School in Vietnam, with its secondary campus in the adjoining District 2 area. The European International School and the Australian International School Saigon are also based in the An Phu and Thao Dien area, and the British International School Ho Chi Minh City runs campuses nearby. See the Ho Chi Minh City schools directory for curricula and admissions detail.
An Phu suits families who want to live at the centre of Ho Chi Minh City's expat life with international schools on the doorstep. Sitting beside Thao Dien in the former District 2, now part of Thu Duc City, it offers villas, compounds and apartments alongside the cafes, supermarkets and gyms that make it one of the most settled areas for international families.
An Phu is connected to central District 1 by the Saigon Bridge and the Hanoi Highway, a short drive outside peak hours, and the city's first metro line serves the wider District 2 corridor. Traffic builds at the morning and evening peaks, so most families use a car, taxi or ride hailing for the commute and the school run.
An Phu sits in the mid to upper range of the Ho Chi Minh City family market. Villas and serviced apartments in the An Phu and Thao Dien area command a premium for the schools, amenities and expat community, and international school fees are a separate large cost. Model rent, fees and transport together with the relocation cost calculator before you commit.
Family life in An Phu centres on the villa compounds, the international supermarkets and the cafes and restaurants that line the An Phu and Thao Dien area, with parks, sports clubs and the Saigon River close by. It has a strong, settled international community around the schools, good private healthcare nearby, and a calmer feel than central District 1 while staying minutes from it.