Apartments Near BIS HCMC: Where Expat Families Should Rent in 2026
Apartments near BIS HCMC cluster in Thao Dien, where the school’s three campuses sit. This 2026 guide covers the closest buildings, real rental price ranges, BIS tuition fees and how to plan the school run — so expat families rent in the right spot first time.
If your family is moving to Ho Chi Minh City for the British International School (BIS HCMC), the hunt for apartments near BIS HCMC really comes down to one thing: living close enough that the morning school run is a short walk or a five-minute ride, not an hour stuck in traffic. The good news is that BIS sits right inside Thao Dien, the city’s most established expat neighbourhood — so the school, the rentals and the day-to-day amenities all share one leafy pocket of town.
Why live near BIS HCMC?
Saigon traffic is the factor most relocating families underestimate. A school bus from the outer districts can put your child on the road for well over an hour each way. Living in Thao Dien collapses that into a stroll or a quick scooter ride — which is why the neighbourhood has stayed the default choice for BIS families for years, even as rents have climbed.
The trade-off is honest: proximity costs money. Thao Dien is the most expensive rental area in the city, and asking rents rose around 16% over the past year. But for a family with one or more children at BIS, the time, safety and sanity you buy back usually justify the premium — and the spread of buildings is wide enough to land at most family budgets.
The cheapest way to cut a Saigon school run from seventy minutes to seven is to rent in the same neighbourhood as the campus.VietnamRenty agents
Where the BIS HCMC campuses actually are
BIS HCMC is run by Nord Anglia Education and follows the English National Curriculum, leading into IGCSEs and the IB Diploma. Its students are split across three campuses, all within Thao Dien — officially An Khanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, the ward name that replaced the old “District 2” label after Vietnam’s 2025 administrative reform:
- Early Years & Infant Campus — 101 Thao Dien Street
- Junior Campus — 225 Nguyen Van Huong Street
- Secondary Campus — 246 Nguyen Van Huong Street
Because the Junior and Secondary campuses sit almost side by side on Nguyen Van Huong, the apartments along and just off that street are the prime hunting ground — especially if you’ll be doing the run for both a primary-age and a secondary-age child. Families with toddlers should weight their search slightly toward the Thao Dien Street end, where the Early Years campus is.
BIS isn’t the only international school in this corner of Thao Dien — ISHCMC, EIS and AIS’s primary campus all sit within a few minutes, which is part of why expat families cluster here. If you’re still weighing schools, our guide to where to live near HCMC’s international schools compares the main campuses.
Best apartments near BIS HCMC
Here are the buildings BIS families gravitate toward, from “literally next door” to “worth the short ride.” All four have full rental listings on our site.
D’Edge Thao Dien
Closest to campus Steps from the Nguyen Van Huong campuses. CapitaLand-built, river-facing, with a striking pool deck. The natural first choice when walking distance is the priority.
Masteri Thao Dien
The best all-rounder: it sits on top of Vincom Mega Mall and the Metro line, so a supermarket, cinema and food court are downstairs. A short ride to BIS.
Gateway Thao Dien
Green, low-density and family-friendly, walkable to Vincom Mega Mall. Strong value for the location, and popular with families who want space without the top-tier price.
The Nassim
The premium pick: low-rise, low-density, riverside and beautifully finished. For families who want luxury and quiet over the lowest rent.
D’Edge Thao Dien is the building agents most often describe as next door to BIS, and for a family that wants to walk children to the gate it’s hard to beat. If you’d rather trade a couple of extra minutes for a mall, metro and more dining downstairs, Masteri Thao Dien is the pragmatic favourite. Gateway Thao Dien is the value play — greener and calmer, with genuine family layouts — while The Nassim is where you go when budget isn’t the constraint.
Two more worth a look if those are full: The Ascent and Thao Dien Green, both central Thao Dien and a short hop from the campuses. For everything currently available, browse all Thao Dien apartments for rent.
Living in Thao Dien for BIS — pros
- Walk or short ride to all three campuses
- HCMC’s deepest expat community and amenities
- International schools, clinics and supermarkets clustered together
- Green, low-rise and walkable by Saigon standards
Things to weigh
- The city’s highest rents, and still climbing
- Can feel like an expat bubble if you want immersion
- Narrow streets clog at school drop-off and on weekends
- 20–30 minutes from the District 1 business core
Rental prices near BIS HCMC (2026)
| Building | 2-bedroom (furnished) | 3-bedroom (furnished) | Position vs BIS |
|---|---|---|---|
| D’Edge Thao Dien | $1,400–2,000 | $2,000–3,000 | Beside the campuses |
| Masteri Thao Dien | $1,100–1,600 | $1,500–2,200 | Short ride |
| Gateway Thao Dien | $1,000–1,500 | $1,400–2,000 | Short ride |
| The Nassim | $1,800–2,500 | $2,800–4,000 | Short ride |
Couples or single staff posting in without children can find furnished 1-bedrooms in Thao Dien from roughly $550–1,000/month depending on the building tier. Families almost always land in the 2- to 3-bedroom brackets above, which is where Thao Dien’s premium really shows.
BIS HCMC tuition & fees (2026–2027)
Tuition is the other half of your budget, and it dwarfs the rent. For the 2026–2027 school year BIS publishes the following; annual tuition scales by year group, from Early Years up to Year 13:
| Item (2026–2027) | Amount (VND) | Approx. USD |
|---|---|---|
| Annual tuition (range across year groups) | 246,500,000 – 999,300,000 | ≈ $9,700 – $39,300 |
| Application fee (one-off) | 4,700,000 | ≈ $185 |
| Registration fee — Foundation Stage | 24,500,000 | ≈ $965 |
| Registration fee — other year groups | 73,300,000 | ≈ $2,885 |
| Refundable security deposit (Primary & Secondary, per child) | 24,500,000 | ≈ $965 |
The school run: commute & the bus
If you live in Thao Dien, you probably won’t need the bus at all — most families walk, cycle or take a five-minute Grab. BIS does run a private bus service, but it’s really built for families further out: published 2025–2026 one-way times are roughly 80 minutes from districts 6, 8, 10 and 11, and around 70 minutes from district 9 / Thu Duc / Go Vap and from district 12. That gap — seven minutes versus seventy — is the whole argument for renting in the neighbourhood.
Family life around Thao Dien
Part of what you’re paying for is everything else being five minutes away. Thao Dien has international supermarkets (Annam Gourmet, Tops Market, and the larger Mega Market over in An Phu), a cluster of clinics including the Family Medical Practice on Thao Dien Street, and more international cafés, restaurants and playgrounds than anywhere else in the city. The riverside lanes are genuinely walkable, which is rare in Saigon and a real quality-of-life factor with young kids. For the wider rundown, see our Thao Dien area guide.
How to time your rental around the school year
- Start 6–8 weeks early. The best family units in Thao Dien move fast before the August term start — begin searching before you’re forced to take whatever’s left.
- Confirm the campus first. Junior and Secondary share Nguyen Van Huong; Early Years is on Thao Dien Street. Anchor your building choice to the campus your child will actually attend.
- Test the school run live. Do a drop-off-time trial ride from each shortlisted building before committing to anything.
- Negotiate the lease. Ask about furnishing, management fees and break clauses; leases of 12 months or more get better rates. See our lease negotiation tips.
- Line up your paperwork. Passport, visa and a deposit of usually two months’ rent. Our relocation checklist walks through the rest.
Frequently asked questions
Which apartments are closest to BIS HCMC?
D’Edge Thao Dien is right beside the Nguyen Van Huong campuses and is the most walkable option. Masteri Thao Dien, Gateway Thao Dien and The Nassim are all a short ride away within Thao Dien, along with The Ascent and Thao Dien Green.
How much does it cost to rent near BIS HCMC?
As a 2026 guide, furnished family apartments in Thao Dien run roughly $1,000–2,500/month for a 2-bedroom and $1,400–4,000 for a 3-bedroom, depending on the building. Singles and couples can find 1-bedrooms from about $550–1,000.
How much is BIS HCMC tuition?
For 2026–2027, annual tuition ranges from about VND 246.5 million to VND 999.3 million depending on the year group, plus one-off application, registration and deposit fees. Bus, lunch and uniforms are extra. Check the school’s official fee schedule for the current figures.
Is it better to live in Thao Dien or use the school bus?
If you can rent in Thao Dien, you skip the bus almost entirely — most families walk or take a five-minute ride. The bus mainly serves outer districts, where one-way trips run 70–80 minutes. For families, proximity is usually worth the higher rent.
Where exactly are the BIS HCMC campuses?
All three are in An Khanh Ward (Thao Dien): the Early Years & Infant Campus at 101 Thao Dien Street, the Junior Campus at 225 Nguyen Van Huong Street, and the Secondary Campus at 246 Nguyen Van Huong Street.
Do BIS families need a car?
Not usually. Within Thao Dien most families walk, cycle or use Grab for the school run, and keep a scooter for errands. A private car and driver is a comfort choice rather than a necessity if you live nearby.
Key takeaways
The short version
- BIS HCMC’s three campuses are all in Thao Dien (An Khanh Ward) — live there and the school run is minutes, not an hour.
- D’Edge Thao Dien is the closest; Masteri Thao Dien and Gateway are strong-value alternatives; The Nassim is the premium choice.
- Budget roughly $1,000–2,500/month for a family 2-bed and $1,400–4,000 for a 3-bed (2026 ranges).
- Tuition runs VND 246.5M–999.3M/year for 2026–2027, plus one-off fees — entirely separate from rent.
- Always trial the commute at drop-off time before you sign.
Need help finding the right place near BIS?
We help foreign families through the whole Thao Dien rental process — shortlisting buildings around the right campus, viewings, lease negotiation and move-in. No fee is charged to tenants.
Related guides:
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