If you are looking for an interesting digital nomad destination? Here are the 5 best cities for digital nomads in Southeast Asia. The number of people working remotely has risen by 400 percent over the last decade, meaning more people than ever before have a huge degree of freedom over where they work from.
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5 Best Cities for Digital Nomads in Southeast Asia
Thanks to its year-round warm climate, low cost of living, and variety of things to do, Southeast Asia has always been a favourite of digital nomads. Take a look at the top places to be a digital nomad in Southeast Asia. Use this list of five destinations to choose your digital nomad destination in Southeast Asia:
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Vietnam’s biggest city and commercial centre, HCMC has become a major destination for digital nomads over the past decade. As the centre of Vietnam’s rapid-growing economy, it’s becoming a modern city with lots of conveniences for nomads and ex-pats. It has emerged as one of the best digital nomad hubs in Southeast Asia
Advantages:
- Low cost of living. HCMC is one of Asia’s cheapest large, modern cities. Food is very affordable, the nightlife is good, and large, Western-quality apartments suitable for families are available from $800 per month, with studios available for $200 to $500.
- Easy access to other destinations. HCMC is a major air travel hub in Vietnam, making it easy to travel to beach destinations like Da Nang and Hoi An or other cities such as Da Lat, Hanoi and even Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
Disadvantages:
- Air quality. Like other big cities in the region, HCMC’s air quality isn’t perfect. However, local air quality is gradually improving.
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Arguably the world capital of digital nomad-ism, Chiang Mai is a favourite of people looking for a quiet, fun place to live. Thanks to its cheap cost of living and high quality of life, Chiang Mai is a great place for would-be nomads to start their international journey. It is indeed one of the great places in Southeast Asia for digital nomads.
Advantages:
- Very low cost of living. Chiang Mai is one of Southeast Asia’s most affordable smaller cities, with decent apartments available from $150 USD per month and local restaurants serving up great Thai food for $2-3 per plate.
- Great access to nature. Located in the north of Thailand, Chiang Mai is surrounded by mountains and jungle, making it a great place for people who love cycling, hiking, road trips and adventure.
Disadvantages:
- Isolated location. Although Chiang Mai is surrounded by things to do, it’s not a major city. This means that travelling to other parts of Southeast Asia often means stopping in Bangkok on the way.
Phuket, Thailand
Advantages:
- Amazing beaches. Phuket is home to some of the best beaches of any major island in Southeast Asia, making this a great place to live as a digital nomad if you love spending time near the beach.
- Lots to do. As one of Thailand’s top tourist destinations, Phuket has a huge amount of things to do, from day trips to golf, elephant trekking, snorkelling, scuba diving, nightlife and more.
Disadvantages:
- Touristy atmosphere. Phuket is undeniably touristy. While this isn’t a dealbreaker for most, and the island has plenty of non-touristy areas, you might want to avoid Phuket if you’re looking for a more authentic Thailand experience.
Phuket is surely one of the best digital nomads cities In Southeast Asia.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Modern, cosmopolitan and always exciting, Kuala Lumpur is one of Asia’s most dynamic cities and a great base for digital nomads. It’s also surprisingly cheap, with a great variety of things to do and places to stay for those on a budget. KL is definitely one of the good places in Southeast Asia for Digital nomads.
Advantages:
- Modern city and major travel hub. One of Asia’s most modern cities, Kuala Lumpur is a diverse, cosmopolitan place with lots to offer. It’s also a major air travel hub, with flights from AirAsia and other budget airlines to almost everywhere in Asia.
- Low cost of living. Compared to other large cities, such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur is an inexpensive place to live, with affordable apartments, inexpensive food and excellent public transportation.
Disadvantages:
- Few day trip destinations. Although Kuala Lumpur is a fun destination on its own, it’s quite far from interesting day trip destinations. This means that you’ll usually need to fly to get out of the city and enjoy the beach, mountains or other cities in the area.
Bali, Indonesia
Indonesia’s best-known tourist location, Bali — and in particular, Ubud — has become a major destination for digital nomads over the years. A low cost of living, great food and a variety of things to do all add to this charming island’s appeal and it is definitely one of the 5 best places in southeast Asia for digital nomads.
Advantages:
- Island and city living in one destination. Bali is a huge island with numerous unique, charming areas. It also has lots of city conveniences, with a major hub in Denpasar and several major settlements around the island.
- Interesting culture, great beaches and lots to do. Like Phuket, Bali has a huge range of things to do. It’s also a major cultural destination, with unique temples to visit and its own great selection of beaches to enjoy.
Disadvantages:
- Touristy atmosphere. Although it’s easily avoidable by choosing the right area to stay in, Bali is undeniably a big tourist destination, meaning you’ll need to share its wonders with plenty of others.
All of these are amazing places in their own right and have emerged as the Best Cities for Digital Nomads in Southeast Asia. What are your thoughts about the best places for digital nomads? Do let us know your thoughts about this list of Best Cities for Digital Nomads in Southeast Asia.
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Vietnam and Thailand is always on my wishlist to visit soon and now I will bookmark this post for my next travel plan
Vietnam is always on my wishlist. Will be going to bookmark this post for future reference.
This is really informative post, it gives digital nomads almost all the information about where to settle if they want to settle abroad.
I have only been to Indonesia till now out of these places. Waiting for situation to become normal so that I can plan rest of these destinations. They indeed look very beautiful and I am a fond nature lover.
We were planning for Thailand too. We might go there. Your post is really informative
Vietnam is always in my list. <3
I have heard soo many beautiful things about this place. Your post has so much information everytime. Great to read it 🙂
Bali is in my list since forever. Places like Bali gives so much peace and relaxation to ones mind and soul. Thanks for sharing the blog about it. Would love to see detailed blog of the same.
I haven’t visited any of those places yet. But Thiland and Malaysia is in my wishlist.
I have never been to any of these places. Its good to know about these cities in so much detail. Will definitely visit.
Wow! This is interesting! My brother definitely qualifies as a digital nomad! I will share this with him!
Bali is in my bucket list since forever. Bali looks so peaceful and relaxing to mind and soul. You travel blog is my favorite ❤
Very nice compilation… Thailand and Indonesia are really beautiful places and it’s in my travel bucket list since long. I wish everything get normal and I wish visit these places soon.