With the country opening up, change is happening at an incredible pace in Myanmar. That change means opportunity, and the last few years have seen increasing numbers of foreigners coming in to live and do business here. Most come to Yangon (formerly Rangoon), which, while not the capital anymore is still the main business hub for the country. So what is living in Yangon really like? We’re using our blog post this week to talk about the good and the challenging of living in Myanmar’s largest city.
How is the quality of life in Yangon?
Probably the most important thing to understand in answering this question is Yangon real estate pricing. Due to a number of factors (mostly height limits on buildings, zoning laws, and large amounts of land owned by a small number of people), Yangon land prices are on par with Manhattan. Rents are typically paid in cash a year in advance as well, creating obvious barriers to entry for entrepreneurs.
This, of course, affects quality of life in Yangon greatly since it makes housing expensive and limits options for retail and restaurants. Still, quality of life in the city has gone up in most ways in the last few years (with one notable exception we’ll get to soon) as more foreign residents create demand that is being met.
Yangon restaurants, bars and nightlife
Not long ago, quality of life around food and drink for expats and business travelers in Yangon left a lot to be desired, but in the last few years that has changed dramatically. While it’s not Bangkok or Hong Kong, Yangon now has a number of good restaurants including excellent Japanese at Gekko, Korean that is arguably better than any in Bangkok at Sorabol, French dining at L’Opera, and innovative takes on traditional Myanmar cuisine at Rangoon Tea House.
Nightlife has gone from nearly nonexistent to having a surprising number of good bars, lounges and clubs. MOJO epitomizes this change; the tapas style restaurant and lounge has a great lunch menu, oysters, good wine and craft cocktails, and a great scene any night of the week. Every month seems to see new places opening to eat and drink, so on this score, things are definitely looking good for Yangon living. Also, having a cook here at home or in the office is quite common and affordable.
Renting apartments, houses and condos in Yangon
Housing here is expensive. With that said, there are a fair range of options available in Yangon, and it’s getting better. Within the downtown area, everything is built up so most people live in apartments or condos. Not far outside, houses and villas with yards can be found. Most places tend to be good but not great, but a flurry of building projects are under construction now that will soon offer international standard luxury living in Yangon.
The worst part about living in Yangon
That area we mentioned where quality of life has not improved in Yangon? Yeah, time to talk about the traffic. Traffic in Yangon sucks. When we can, we try to time client meetings around the traffic, only going to certain areas in the morning and others only in the afternoon. An occasional flyover project improves things here and there by small measures, but in general the problem is getting worse.
This is one of those things people in Yangon learn to accept. Try to make sure your commute is as short as possible, learn to stay productive in the car, and take deep breaths. There’s not much else you can do about traffic here.
Yangon Locals
In general, Myanmar people are some of the kindest, most generous and friendliest people you’ll meet in the world. We’re constantly humbled by them. Our team at our advertising agency are almost all Myanmar people and they never cease to amaze us. Not only are they all kind, honest and hardworking, they are all fun and have great senses of humor. And they are generous; all of them donate time and money to teach what they know to others, whether English, design, or computer skills.
There are, however, a number of things in Myanmar that are quite off-putting to many foreigners. As in most Asian countries Westerners here at times find the local way of doing things to be totally illogical. And certain hygiene practices aren’t quite up to the standards of the West, or developed countries in the region.
The most obvious example is the ubiquitous betel nut chewing and the juice that results being spat all over streets and sidewalks. The government is just beginning to take steps toward curbing the practice but it will take some time. There are some things that just take some getting used to, and some others that foreigners here simply learn to avoid when possible.
Living in Yangon: Good and getting better
All in all, Yangon is a pretty good place to live and work, and it’s getting better every year. It can be frustrating at times, and there are certain things that just can’t be found in the city. But expats living here have a pretty good quality of life. And for those things that can’t be had in Yangon, or just for a break from it all, Bangkok has become a truly world class city and is just an hour’s flight away.