The Master Plan for Ho Chi Minh City for the 2025–2050 period, with a 100-year vision, marks a significant shift in the city’s post-merger urban development strategy. Covering approximately 6,772.59 square kilometers and comprising 168 commune-level administrative units, the city is set to develop a polycentric urban structure built around five growth poles and five satellite centers, with economic development closely integrated with regional infrastructure networks. For the real estate market, the value of the master plan lies not merely in the expansion of urban areas, but also in the ability to translate its strategic directions into land with clearly defined functions, integrated infrastructure, viable legal status, and genuine market demand.
Table of Contents
1. Shifting from a Centralized City Model to a Polycentric Urban Structure
On October 30, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council approved the City’s Master Plan for the 2025–2050 period, with a 100-year vision. On October 31, 2026, the municipal People’s Committee approved the plan under Decision No. 7308/QD-UBND. Under Plan No. 622/KH-UBND, the official announcement conference is scheduled to take place on November 16, 2026.
A key feature of the plan is that Ho Chi Minh City is not simply expanding its administrative boundaries; it is also restructuring its development space around a polycentric, multi-nodal urban model. Different areas are assigned specialized economic and urban functions, forming an interconnected network rather than relying predominantly on the existing urban core.
1.1. The five growth poles are:
Saigon – Cho Lon – Thu Thiem: International financial services center.
Eastern Area: Innovation, science and technology, and high-tech industries.
Northern Area: Industry, high-tech industries, and logistics.
Southern Area: Seaports, free trade, international logistics, and the energy industry.
Western Area: Urban development, education, and healthcare.
1.2. The five satellite centers comprise:
Con Dao.
Long Hai – Ho Tram.
Hoc Mon – Cu Chi.
Bau Bang.
Tan Uyen – Bac Tan Uyen.
In addition, the master plan identifies five strategic connectivity systems and ten development management regions to link economic growth poles, organize population distribution, and coordinate infrastructure development. This provides a foundation for the city’s transition from a centralized development model to a network of specialized urban centers connected through transport and technical infrastructure.
2. Scale and Development Targets Through 2050
Several key indicators illustrate the scale of Ho Chi Minh City’s long-term development ambitions and the pressures associated with this growth.
Indicator | Scale |
Natural land area | 6,772.59 km² |
Commune-level administrative units | 168 |
Growth poles | 5 |
Satellite centers | 5 |
Strategic connectivity systems | 5 |
Development management regions | 10 |
Projected population in 2030 | Approximately 18 million |
Projected population in 2045 | Approximately 25 million |
Projected population in 2050 | Approximately 27 million |
Note: Population projections used for planning purposes include permanent residents, temporary residents staying for more than six months, and converted population. They should not be interpreted as projections of permanent residents alone.
In economic terms, the city targets average annual GRDP growth of at least 10% through 2030, with total GRDP reaching approximately USD 200–225 billion. The digital economy is expected to account for 40% of GRDP by 2030 and 60% by 2035. These figures represent development targets rather than economic results already achieved.
As part of the process of translating the master plan into more detailed planning instruments, the Department of Planning and Architecture has proposed preparing zoning plans for approximately 33 urban areas, covering a total of 341,737 hectares, or 50.46% of the city’s natural land area. Rural areas would account for approximately 335,522 hectares, or 49.54%, and are expected to be covered by commune-level or inter-commune general plans.
It should be noted that this is a proposal presented at the master plan implementation meeting on November 5, 2026, rather than an officially approved list of 33 urban areas.
3. Three Key Directions for Urban Restructuring
Three major changes stand out in Ho Chi Minh City’s development orientation.
First, redistributing economic and population centers.
Each growth pole is assigned a distinct development function, ranging from finance, high technology, industry, and logistics to seaports, education, and healthcare. This creates the basis for real estate markets with different characteristics across the city, reducing the current dependence on the established urban core.
Second, transport infrastructure is becoming a key factor in shaping urban development.
The city identifies urban rail, mass public transportation, and Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) as important components of its spatial development structure. Key corridors, including Metro Line 1, Metro Line 2, Ring Road 3, Ring Road 4, and other strategic transport routes, are expected to connect the city’s emerging development areas.
The TOD approach prioritizes mixed-use development around railway stations and transport hubs, integrating residential, commercial, service, and public spaces. The master plan also proposes locating essential amenities within an approximate 10–15-minute walking distance. This is a spatial planning guideline, not a guarantee that every project will meet this accessibility standard.
Third, developing multi-layered urban infrastructure and making greater use of underground space.
The master plan calls for a multi-layered urban infrastructure system, with above-ground and underground spaces planned in coordination with public transport and major infrastructure hubs. Railway stations, parking facilities, shopping centers, pedestrian areas, and technical infrastructure may be studied for integrated development, helping improve long-term land-use efficiency.
4. Opportunities Alongside Legal Requirements and Implementation Capacity
For real estate developers, the master plan provides a strategic framework for investment decisions. However, it does not automatically change the designated land-use functions of individual land plots or grant higher construction development parameters.
A key factor in the next phase will be the progress of zoning plans and sector-specific infrastructure plans. According to information from the master plan implementation meeting held on November 5, 2026, the city has set December 31, 2026, as the deadline for completing planning documents and updating planning maps. It is also targeting the completion of sector-specific plans before June 30, 2027. These are implementation milestones, not confirmation that the relevant plans have already been completed.
Meanwhile, Plan No. 622/KH-UBND, dated November 10, 2026, concerns the organization of the master plan announcement conference and the public disclosure of planning documents and data. Therefore, it should not be cited as the direct legal basis for the deadlines for completing planning documents, maps, and sector-specific plans.
The next steps include preparing urban zoning plans, commune-level and inter-commune general plans, underground space plans, and sector-specific plans covering road transport, railways, water supply, drainage, and energy infrastructure.
For companies that own or are assessing land banks, the following factors should be reviewed proactively:
Project boundaries and designated land-use functions.
Construction density, building height, and floor area ratio (FAR).
Connectivity to transport infrastructure.
The impact of infrastructure projects on project boundaries.
The feasibility of adjusting design concepts and investment phasing.
In terms of financing, the proposed mobilization of private-sector resources, combined with the state budget and various investment partnership models, could provide additional funding for large-scale infrastructure projects. However, businesses need to distinguish between a stated capital mobilization policy and funding that has actually been allocated. Infrastructure delivery schedules, site clearance, land-related financial obligations, and financing costs will remain decisive factors in determining investment returns.
5. Key Implications for Real Estate Investment Strategies
5.1. Zoning plans will determine how investment opportunities are translated into specific projects.
The master plan establishes the overall development direction, while zoning plans play a more direct role in defining land-use functions, spatial organization, and construction parameters. Developers should closely monitor implementation progress during 2026–2027.
5.2. Connectivity will become increasingly important in real estate valuation.
A land plot may appear strategically located on a map, but its actual development potential may remain limited if it lacks effective connections to employment centers, public transport, and essential services.
5.3. Each of the five satellite centers will require a development strategy tailored to local demand.
Hoc Mon – Cu Chi, Bau Bang, and Tan Uyen – Bac Tan Uyen may develop around urban, industrial, and logistics functions. Meanwhile, Long Hai – Ho Tram and Con Dao have distinctive characteristics linked to tourism and the marine economy. Developers should select products that align with the economic ecosystem of each area rather than adopting a uniform development approach.
5.4. TOD considerations should be incorporated from the earliest stages of project planning.
Connectivity to metro lines, strategic transport routes, and public amenities can influence land-use value, project design, and commercial operating potential.
5.5. Implementation capacity will matter more than expectations driven by planning announcements.
Large-scale urban planning requires substantial capital, timely site clearance, and coordination among multiple government agencies. Developers should monitor public investment project lists, capital allocation plans, and actual construction progress rather than relying solely on infrastructure routes shown in strategic plans.
6. Redefining Real Estate Value in a New Development Cycle
Ho Chi Minh City’s 100-year vision master plan calls for a shift in the way real estate development is approached. Land value will depend not only on location and plot size, but also on designated economic functions, connectivity, legal status, and actual market demand.
In satellite areas, the development of employment opportunities, schools, hospitals, retail facilities, and services will determine their ability to attract residents in practice. For property developers, the ability to manage legal procedures, financing costs, infrastructure schedules, and investment phasing will become an increasingly important competitive advantage.
Conclusion
The Master Plan for Ho Chi Minh City for the 2025–2050 period, with a 100-year vision, provides a foundation for restructuring the city’s economic and urban space on a regional scale. The model of five growth poles and five satellite centers creates a new framework for businesses to assess land banks and formulate development strategies.
However, planning-led opportunities can only translate into tangible value when supported by detailed lower-level plans, integrated infrastructure, clear legal status, and genuine market demand. In the coming years, the advantage will lie with developers who can take a long-term view while grounding project implementation in reliable data and actual market conditions.
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