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In short: On 1 July 2025 Ho Chi Minh City scrapped its districts, merged its wards into larger ones and absorbed Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces. The city now has 168 commune-level units: 113 wards, 54 communes and the Con Dao special zone. Expats, landlords and listings still say “District 1” or “District 2”, so you need both the old district name (to search and talk) and the new ward name (for your lease and paperwork). This guide maps the two and shows what Visreal’s listings actually ask in each area.
What changed on 1 July 2025
Vietnam cut its provinces and centrally run cities from 63 to 34 under National Assembly Resolution 202/2025/QH15. Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau were merged into one new city that kept the name Ho Chi Minh City.
At the same time, the country moved to two tiers of local government: province (or city) and commune. The district tier disappeared. District offices stopped working and their tasks moved either up to city departments or down to the new ward and commune People’s Committees.
Inside the city, Resolution 1685/NQ-UBTVQH15 of the National Assembly Standing Committee, passed on 16 June 2025, merged the old wards into larger ones. The new ward governments started work on 1 July 2025.
| Before 1 July 2025 | From 1 July 2025 |
|---|---|
| Three levels: city, district (incl. Thu Duc City), ward | Two levels: city, ward/commune |
| Old HCMC only | HCMC + Binh Duong + Ba Ria-Vung Tau |
| Numbered wards (Ward 25, Ward 19…) inside each district | 168 units: 113 wards, 54 communes, 1 special zone (Con Dao) |
| Addresses like “Ward 25, Binh Thanh District” | Addresses like “Thanh My Tay Ward, Ho Chi Minh City” |
Why everyone still says “District 2”
District names were how the city was sold, searched and talked about for decades. “District 1” means the CBD, “District 2” means Thao Dien and the river villas, “District 7” means Phu My Hung.
The new wards are also large and unfamiliar. “An Khanh Ward” tells a newcomer less than “Thao Dien, District 2”, so agents, landlords and listing sites, including ours, still group apartments by old district and neighbourhood names.
The name “Thu Duc” adds its own confusion. Thu Duc District was merged with District 2 and District 9 into Thu Duc City in 2021. Thu Duc City itself was dissolved in 2025, and today “Thu Duc” is also the name of one new ward. When someone says Thu Duc, ask which one they mean.
Ho Chi Minh district map: old districts to new wards
The table covers the old districts most expats rent in. We only list ward names and merges we could confirm in published resolution summaries and news reports. Buildings near a boundary can fall either side, so confirm the ward for each address.
| Old district | New wards (from 1 July 2025) | What merged, where we could verify it |
|---|---|---|
| District 1 | Sai Gon, Ben Thanh, Tan Dinh, Cau Ong Lanh | Ben Nghe plus parts of Da Kao and Nguyen Thai Binh became Sai Gon Ward; Ben Thanh and Pham Ngu Lao became the core of Ben Thanh Ward; Tan Dinh took the rest of Da Kao |
| District 2 (Thu Duc City from 2021) | An Khanh, Binh Trung and other wards | Thao Dien, Thu Thiem, An Khanh, An Loi Dong and part of An Phu became An Khanh Ward; Binh Trung Dong, Binh Trung Tay and the rest of An Phu became Binh Trung Ward |
| District 3 | Ban Co, Xuan Hoa, Nhieu Loc | Old numbered wards and Vo Thi Sau ward regrouped into three |
| District 4 | Vinh Hoi, Khanh Hoi, Xom Chieu | Old numbered wards regrouped into three |
| District 7 | Tan Hung, Tan Thuan, Tan My, Phu Thuan and others | Tan Phong, Tan Hung, Tan Kieng and Tan Quy became Tan Hung Ward |
| Binh Thanh | Binh Thanh, Gia Dinh, Thanh My Tay, Binh Loi Trung, Binh Quoi | Old Wards 19, 22 and 25 became Thanh My Tay Ward |
| Phu Nhuan | Phu Nhuan, Duc Nhuan, Cau Kieu | Eleven old wards regrouped into three |
| Thu Duc (old district) | Thu Duc, Hiep Binh, Tam Binh, Linh Xuan | Linh Chieu, Binh Tho, Truong Tho and parts of Linh Dong and Linh Tay became Thu Duc Ward |
Example: Visreal’s office at 292 Ung Van Khiem was listed under Binh Thanh District; it is now in Thanh My Tay Ward, Ho Chi Minh City.
The new wards, one old district at a time
District 1: Sai Gon, Ben Thanh, Tan Dinh, Cau Ong Lanh
The old CBD is now four wards. Most office towers and riverfront buildings around Nguyen Hue and Dong Khoi sit in Sai Gon Ward; the backpacker streets and Ben Thanh Market area sit in Ben Thanh Ward. Expats pick it for walk-to-work convenience and nightlife, and accept more noise. Browse current apartments for rent in District 1.
District 2: Thao Dien, An Phu and Thu Thiem
This is the area most foreigners mean when they talk about districts at all. Thao Dien, Thu Thiem and most of An Phu now fall inside one large An Khanh Ward, while the eastern edge of An Phu went to Binh Trung Ward. Leases signed in a Thao Dien building may therefore say “An Khanh Ward”. Families come here for international schools, villas and riverside compounds; see Thao Dien apartments and the wider District 2 listings.
District 3 and Phu Nhuan
District 3 (now Ban Co, Xuan Hoa and Nhieu Loc wards) has leafy streets and older, lower-rise apartment buildings right next to District 1. Phu Nhuan (now Phu Nhuan, Duc Nhuan and Cau Kieu wards) sits between the centre and the airport and suits people who fly often.
District 4: Khanh Hoi, Vinh Hoi, Xom Chieu
District 4 is a short bridge from District 1 and has newer towers along the canal. It is usually cheaper than District 1 for a similar commute. See District 4 apartments.
District 7: Phu My Hung and Tan Hung
Phu My Hung, the planned township, now mostly sits in Tan Hung and neighbouring new wards. Expect wide roads, schools and longer drives to District 1.
Binh Thanh: Thanh My Tay and Binh Thanh wards
Binh Thanh is where many large towers sit, a short ride from District 1. Thanh My Tay Ward covers the old Wards 19, 22 and 25, the Hang Xanh and Ung Van Khiem area. Browse Binh Thanh apartments.
What Visreal’s listings ask in each area
Across the listings Visreal has published, these are the median asking rents in USD per month by bedroom count, from our data on 15 October 2026. They are asking rents, not signed prices, and the figures in brackets show how many listings sit behind each median.
| Area (old name) | Listings | 1BR median | 2BR median | 3BR median | 4BR+ median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District 1 | 398 | $950 (93) | $1,300 (200) | $2,050 (97) | $2,400 (8) |
| District 2 (all) | 2,001 | $990 (228) | $1,235 (1,078) | $2,150 (589) | $3,725 (100) |
| Thao Dien | 706 | $915 (89) | $1,100 (404) | $1,990 (177) | $3,750 (36) |
| An Phu | 121 | $1,008 (16) | $1,255 (49) | $2,180 (55) | $3,000 (1) |
| Thu Thiem | 251 | $1,145 (26) | $1,595 (156) | $2,785 (56) | $4,500 (13) |
| Binh Thanh | 928 | $900 (171) | $1,385 (466) | $1,895 (242) | $2,500 (47) |
| District 4 | 69 | $825 (4) | $950 (54) | $1,100 (11) | n/a |
The District 2 row includes Thao Dien, An Phu and Thu Thiem, so the rows overlap. Medians built on very few listings, such as 1BR in District 4 or 4BR+ in An Phu, are rough signals only.
Thu Thiem asks the most at every size. Binh Thanh 2BR units are bigger on average than District 1 ones, which is why its 2BR median is higher.
What to check on your lease and paperwork
The change mostly affects the address line, not your rights. Vietnam’s Ministry of Home Affairs proposed that people should not be forced to swap documents just because a ward name changed. Still, your paperwork should use one consistent address.
| Document | What to check |
|---|---|
| Lease | Building address with the new ward name and “Ho Chi Minh City”; old ward can be added in brackets |
| Landlord’s ownership certificate | May still show the old ward and district; that is normal, but the street address must match the lease |
| Temporary residence registration | Done at the new ward police, using the new ward name |
| Work permit, visa or TRC application | Address should match your temporary residence registration |
| Company housing invoice (VAT red invoice) | Tenant and property addresses as your employer’s finance team expects them |
From Visreal’s experience
The ward question usually comes up at step three of our process, negotiate and sign. When we draft the three-party lease between tenant, Visreal and landlord, we write the address with the new ward and keep the old district in brackets, so the lease, the landlord’s certificate and your registration can all be matched by anyone reading them.
The tip our agents repeat most: do not let the lease and the temporary residence form use two different versions of the address. If the lease says “Ward 22, Binh Thanh District” and the police record says “Thanh My Tay Ward”, your employer’s HR or the immigration office may send the file back. Visreal helps register temporary residence with the local police for free, and we check both documents before they go in.
Brendontutu Tu wrote on Google: “The whole process was smooth, professional, and stress-free from start to finish. Everything was clearly explained and handled efficiently.” Visreal is rated 4.9/5 from 34 Google reviews.
FAQ
Does Ho Chi Minh City still have districts?
No. Since 1 July 2025 the city has only two administrative levels: the city and 168 wards, communes and one special zone. The old district names are still used informally by residents, agents and listings.
What is District 2 called now?
There is no single new name. Thao Dien, Thu Thiem and most of An Phu are now in An Khanh Ward, while the eastern part of An Phu joined Binh Trung Ward. Other parts of old District 2 went to other new wards.
Which new wards replaced District 1?
Sai Gon, Ben Thanh, Tan Dinh and Cau Ong Lanh wards. The riverside CBD around Nguyen Hue is mostly in Sai Gon Ward.
Do I need to redo my temporary residence registration because of the new wards?
Not just because a name changed, as older records remain valid. When you move or renew, the new registration will use the new ward name, and your lease address should match it.
Which old district is best for expats?
District 2 (Thao Dien, An Phu, Thu Thiem) suits families and people who want space and international schools. District 1 and Binh Thanh suit a short CBD commute.
Is Binh Duong part of Ho Chi Minh City now?
Yes. Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces were merged into Ho Chi Minh City on 1 July 2025, which is why the city now reaches the coast and Con Dao.
Find an apartment by old or new name
Visreal is free for tenants. Send your brief (budget, move-in date, school or office) on Zalo or WhatsApp at +84 903 004 226 and we will shortlist buildings in any area above, with the correct new ward on every lease. Or browse all apartments for rent in Ho Chi Minh City.
