U.S. Air Force Veteran Builds New Life in Vietnam on $4,000 a Month

A 36-year-old American veteran has found stability and happiness in Vietnam after leaving the U.S. Air Force, where financial strain, personal setbacks, and health challenges once shaped his path. Markeiz Ryan, originally from Maryland, relocated to Ho Chi Minh City in 2019, where he now lives on approximately $4,000 per month and says the move has allowed him to “focus on what makes you happy.”

Ryan joined the Air Force in 2010 after the 2008 financial crisis left his family struggling. “I didn’t have much of a financial security blanket to fall under. The best thing for me was to join the military so I wouldn’t have to put my family into any more debt,” he told CNBC Make It. His service took him to Korea, Germany, and Africa. However, a curfew violation in 2016 led to a demotion and loss of pay, pushing him into depression. During that period, he visited a friend in Vietnam and says the experience lifted his spirits, inspiring him to eventually return.

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam | Source: Pexels

Following his honorable discharge in 2019, Ryan settled in Vietnam, where his income comes from multiple streams: around $1,500 from Veterans Affairs disability, $1,000 through the GI Bill while studying for a master’s degree, $900 to $1,300 from teaching English, and additional earnings from voiceover work and day trading.

He rents a two-bedroom apartment for $850 a month and spends about $130 on utilities, $100 to $400 on groceries, and $1,000 annually on health insurance. Ryan, who suffers from spine arthritis and other service-related health issues, says Vietnam offers him safety and peace. “Vietnam is the number one -safest place I’ve ever lived,” he said.