Empire City vs Metropole vs The River: Best Thu Thiem Compound?

In short: On Visreal’s listings, a typical 2-bedroom asks about $1,450 a month at Empire City, $1,825 at The Metropole Thu Thiem and $1,400 at The River Thu Thiem. Pick Empire City for the widest choice and the most space per dollar, The Metropole for the shortest hop to District 1 over the Ba Son Bridge, and The River for a small, quiet compound with large 3-bedrooms.

These three compounds hold most of the luxury apartment stock for rent in Thu Thiem, and tenants often shortlist them together. This guide compares them the way we do on viewing days, with our own listing data, the facts we could verify about each project and what tenants actually notice once they move in.

The three compounds at a glance

All three sit in the new urban area of Thu Thiem, on the Saigon River bank facing District 1. They differ in size, age and how close they are to the bridge into the centre.

	Empire City	The Metropole Thu Thiem	The River Thu Thiem
Developer	Joint venture of Tien Phuoc, Tran Thai, Keppel Land and Gaw Capital	SonKim Land	City Garden (REFICO Group), with Swire Properties as partner
Site	About 14.5 ha	About 7.6 ha over four plots	One plot with about 100 m of river frontage
Residential parts tenants rent in	Linden, Tilia and Cove Residences	The Galleria, The Crest and The Opera Residences	Three towers: Seine, Thames and Hudson
Scale	About 3,000 apartments planned across the masterplan	The Galleria alone has 456 apartments in 3 towers	525 apartments
Rental market	342 listings	138 listings	60 listings
2-bedroom median rent	$1,450 a month	$1,825 a month	$1,400 a month

A note on addresses. Since 1 July 2025, Ho Chi Minh City no longer has districts or Thu Duc City as an administrative level. Old Thu Thiem ward was merged with An Khanh, An Loi Dong, Thao Dien and part of An Phu into the new An Khanh ward. Tenants, landlords and taxi drivers still say “District 2” or “Thu Thiem”, so we do too.

Location: how each compound connects to District 1

The Metropole has the most direct link. It sits in Zone 1 of the new urban area, right where the Ba Son Bridge lands. The bridge, opened on 28 April 2022 as Thu Thiem 2 Bridge, is about 1.4 km long and comes down at the Ton Duc Thang and Le Duan junction in District 1.

Empire City is further along the river. Its developers describe the site as a short drive from the business district via the East-West Highway and the Thu Thiem Tunnel, which most residents use to reach Ben Thanh and the offices on the District 1 side.

The River stands on Crescent Boulevard, the curved road along the riverbank, next to a public riverside park of about 4 hectares. With only three towers, it is the smallest of the three compounds.

In practice all three are a short Grab ride from District 1 outside rush hour. Test the drive at the time you would actually commute before you sign. For a wider look at the area, our Thu Thiem rental market guide covers prices across every project on this side of the river.

Rent by bedroom: Empire City vs Metropole vs The River

Across the 342 Empire City listings, 138 Metropole listings and 60 River listings Visreal has published, a 2-bedroom typically asks $1,300 – $1,700, $1,578 – $2,085 and $1,308 – $1,500 a month respectively. Each cell shows the median, then the 25th–75th percentile range, the number of listings and the typical size (asking rents in USD per month, mostly furnished; Visreal listings, data pulled 13 November 2026).

Bedrooms	Empire City	The Metropole Thu Thiem	The River Thu Thiem
1 bedroom	$1,050 ($1,000 – $1,150), 71 listings, 64 m²	$1,100 ($1,020 – $1,241), 18 listings, 55 m²	$1,000 ($1,000 – $1,150), 5 listings, 64 m²
2 bedrooms	$1,450 ($1,300 – $1,700), 179 listings, 93 m²	$1,825 ($1,578 – $2,085), 83 listings, 80 m²	$1,400 ($1,308 – $1,500), 28 listings, 84 m²
3 bedrooms	$2,500 ($2,303 – $3,000), 87 listings, 130 m²	$2,550 ($2,250 – $3,920), 29 listings, 118 m²	$2,805 ($2,500 – $3,000), 22 listings, 127 m²
4+ bedrooms	$5,700 ($5,490 – $5,800), 5 listings, 210 m²	$3,925 ($3,173 – $5,850), 8 listings, 170 m²	$3,800 ($3,450 – $4,000), 5 listings, 186 m²

Treat the small samples with care. The River’s 1-bedroom figure rests on only five listings, and every 4-bedroom row has eight listings or fewer. Those rows show where asking rents sit today, not a firm market price.

The 2-bedroom row is where the choice is clearest. The Metropole asks about $375 more than Empire City at the median for a unit roughly 13 m² smaller. Empire City and The River are close on price, but Empire City gives you about 9 m² more and far more units to choose from.

At 3 bedrooms the three compounds converge around $2,500 to $2,800. The Metropole’s range is the widest, up to $3,920, so ask which phase and which view a unit has before comparing it with the median.

Space: what your money buys per square metre

Headline rent hides how much room you get. At the medians, here is the rent per square metre in each compound.

Size	Empire City	The Metropole Thu Thiem	The River Thu Thiem
1 bedroom	About $16.40	About $20.00	About $15.60
2 bedrooms	About $15.60	About $22.80	About $16.70
3 bedrooms	About $19.20	About $21.60	About $22.10

Empire City is the value pick at 1 and 2 bedrooms. The Metropole costs the most per square metre at every common size, which is the price of its position by the bridge and its newer phases. The River is cheap per metre for 1- and 2-bedrooms but the most expensive of the three for 3-bedrooms.

Empire City

Empire City is the largest of the three, a masterplan of about 14.5 hectares on the riverbank developed by Tien Phuoc, Tran Thai, Keppel Land and Gaw Capital. The plan covers about 3,000 apartments plus offices, retail and a hotel.

Tenants rent in three residential phases. Linden Residences was the first, Tilia Residences the second, with two 30-storey towers and two low-rise blocks, and Cove Residences followed. Our Empire City apartment layout guide shows the floor plans in each phase.

Shared facilities include a swimming pool with a sun deck, a gym, a tennis court, indoor and outdoor children’s playgrounds, BBQ pavilions and a jogging track. With 342 listings, it is also where we can show you the most units in one afternoon.

One thing to know: the planned 88-storey tower at the heart of the masterplan has been largely stalled since 2019. In August 2026 Keppel agreed to sell its 40% stake in the joint venture, a deal expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026. The deal concerns ownership of the joint venture; the finished residential phases are already lived in, but expect unfinished plots and construction nearby for some years.

The Metropole Thu Thiem

The Metropole Thu Thiem is SonKim Land’s development on about 7.6 hectares across four plots, beside the Ba Son Bridge and facing District 1 across the river. It is the most central of the three by a clear margin.

It was built in phases. The Galleria Residence came first, with 456 apartments in three towers, and handover began in July 2021. The Crest Residence was phase 2, and The Opera Residence is phase 3, with two towers named Scala and Massimo.

The Galleria’s facilities include a river-view pool, an outdoor jacuzzi, a children’s water play area, a BBQ garden and a gym beside the pool. CBRE lists a lap pool of about 50 m, a family pool and a golf simulator for The Opera.

The Metropole suits tenants who cross into District 1 every day and want the shortest trip. Units are smaller than at Empire City, so families needing a large 2-bedroom should compare sizes carefully before deciding.

The River Thu Thiem

The River Thu Thiem is a gated condominium by City Garden, part of the REFICO Group, which brought in Swire Properties as a partner in 2020. It has 525 apartments in three towers named after rivers: the 12-storey Seine and the 18-storey Thames and Hudson. The project was completed in 2022.

Facilities include a 50-metre lap pool, a gym and yoga space, a private movie lounge, a golf simulator and BBQ terraces. The low tower count makes the pool and lobby feel calm compared with the larger compounds.

The unit mix explains our listing numbers. CBRE lists only 100 one-bedroom and 44 four-bedroom units in the whole project, so at any time few of these come up for rent. If you want a 1-bedroom here, tell us early and be ready to decide fast.

Facilities and family life

All three are gated with pools, gyms and children’s play areas, so the decision is less about the facility list and more about scale. Empire City feels like a small town with many towers, The Metropole like a polished district next to the bridge, and The River like a boutique condominium.

Pet rules depend on each building’s management and on the landlord, not on the compound name. Our pet-friendly apartment buildings guide explains what to get in writing.

If you are still deciding between this side of the river and the older expat streets, read Thao Dien vs Thu Thiem. Thao Dien has more international schools and cafes on its doorstep.

Which compound suits you?

	Empire City	The Metropole Thu Thiem	The River Thu Thiem
Best for	Couples and families wanting space and choice	Professionals commuting to District 1 daily	Tenants wanting a quiet, smaller compound
Typical 2-bedroom budget	$1,300 – $1,700	$1,578 – $2,085	$1,308 – $1,500
Typical 2-bedroom size	93 m²	80 m²	84 m²
Choice on a viewing day	Widest	Good	Narrow
Watch out for	Ongoing construction on unfinished plots	Highest rent per m²	Few 1- and 4-bedroom units

Singles and couples working in District 1 often lean to The Metropole for the bridge. Families who want a big 2- or 3-bedroom for the money usually end up at Empire City, and The River wins with tenants who value calm over choice.

From Visreal’s experience

Visreal has rented apartments to foreigners in Ho Chi Minh City since 2017, and Thu Thiem is one of our main areas. Our process has four steps: you share a brief, we arrange a shortlist and viewings, we negotiate and handle the lease, and we support you after you move in.

The three compounds are close together, so we usually show all of them in one afternoon. Seeing a Metropole 2-bedroom right after an Empire City one is the fastest way to judge whether the extra rent for the bridge location is worth it to you.

The advice we repeat most on viewing days in Thu Thiem:

Check	Why it matters
Which tower or phase, and which way the unit faces	River and District 1 views differ a lot between towers in the same compound
Construction near the unit	Several Thu Thiem plots are still being built
Whether the management fee is in the rent	It adds a noticeable amount on large units
Car parking slot	Ask whether it is included or charged monthly
VAT (red) invoice, if your company pays	We confirm the landlord can issue one before you commit

At signing, expect a deposit of two months plus the first month’s rent at handover. Landlords often accept 5–10% off for a 12-month lease or rent paid in advance.

Samrawit Kassa Migora wrote on Google: “VISREAL made our stay at Empire City a very pleasant one and were always engaging and supportive from the moment of leasing to exit.” Visreal is rated 4.9/5 from 34 Google reviews.

FAQ

Which is cheaper, Empire City or The Metropole?

Empire City. On Visreal’s listings, the median 2-bedroom asks $1,450 a month there against $1,825 at The Metropole, and the Empire City unit is about 13 m² larger.

Which Thu Thiem compound is closest to District 1?

The Metropole Thu Thiem. It sits where the Ba Son Bridge lands, and the bridge comes down at Ton Duc Thang and Le Duan in District 1.

Is The River Thu Thiem worth it?

It suits tenants who want a quiet compound with a 50-metre pool and only three towers. A 2-bedroom asks about $1,400 at the median, but 1- and 4-bedroom units rarely come up.

Which is best for families?

Families usually choose Empire City for its larger 2- and 3-bedroom units, playgrounds and wide choice. The River also has big 3-bedrooms if you prefer a smaller community.

What ward is Thu Thiem in now?

Since 1 July 2025, old Thu Thiem ward is part of the new An Khanh ward of Ho Chi Minh City. Most people still call the area District 2 or Thu Thiem.

Do I pay an agency fee to rent through Visreal?

No. Visreal is free for tenants, from the first shortlist to repairs and renewals after you move in.

Find your apartment in Thu Thiem

Send your budget, move-in date and office or school by Zalo or WhatsApp on +84 903 004 226, and we will shortlist units in all three compounds at no cost to you. You can also browse every current unit on our Thu Thiem apartments for rent page.