If you’ve been traveling the globe as a digital nomad for a while, you may have realized at this point finding the perfect home base to work remotely from is considerably more challenging than you might have imagined at first.
Europe is great for the cultural wealth and the higher standards of living, but the high levels of bureaucracy are a no-no; as for Latin America, it does offer great food and unmatched hospitality, but criminality on the other hand can be a huge deterrent.
We totally get you: it’s definitely taken us a while to find the all-time Mecca for digital nomads worldwide, but there might be a strong contender in Southeast Asia, boasting 2,030 miles of pristine coastline, a fascinating ancient heritage and affordable prices:
If you’ve exhausted all your options in the Western Hemisphere and Europe, perhaps it’s time you give the tropical paradise that is Vietnam a whirl:
Why Is Vietnam The Next Digital Nomad Mecca?
According to this year’s InterNations study, Vietnam is the ‘ideal destination’ for ex-pats, including remote workers.
The country took the lead in a survey that included 12,000 respondents distributed across 174 countries.
If you’re still unfamiliar with Vietnam–other than being force-fed textbooks on the Vietnam War in 9th grade–you may be wondering what it is about it that has digital nomads lining up at the airport for the next flight to Ho Chi Minh City.
Forget everything you think you might know about Vietnam as a Westerner, especially pertaining to the conflict back in the seventies:
Yes, there was a war at one point, and there might have been a time when going to Vietnam as an American would have been a risky move, particularly following the socialist takeover, but now it is a relatively open, vibrant country friendly towards all nationalities.
It is home to an extensive coastline interspersed with quaint fishing villages and unspoiled beaches, islands surrounded by turquoise waters, Buddhist temples nestled in verdant jungles, and bustling cities centered around French-built colonial cores.
Two of them, national capital Hanoi and the unofficial ‘southern’ capital Saigon, renamed after communist leader Ho Chi Minh, are two of the fastest-growing metropolises in Southeast Asia, and in recent years, they’ve become global magnets for digital nomads.
Plenty Of Options To Pick From
Whether you’re here for the bustling city life or the quaint countryside, Vietnam has no shortage of options, but out of all the different, unique destinations it offers, perhaps the best-loved among digital nomads is Hoi An:
A historic city centered around a yellow-washed Old Town, cut through with scenic canals and dotted with centuries-old temples, it is the ‘happy medium’ for most remote workers: not too big, not too small, and boasting enough cultural wealth to warrant a longer stay.
At the same time, others will prefer the fast-paced life in Ho Chi Minh City, with its thriving business districts and a myriad of laptop-friendly cafes, or perhaps the vibrant resort city Da Nang’s unmatched social scene–especially following the influx of European ex-pats there.
Nestled amid the verdant hills of the Central Highlands of Vietnam, Da Lat is yet another nomad hub on the rise, with an idyllic atmosphere and backpacker culture.
For those seeking a peaceful coastal getaway, the laid-back beach town of Mui Ne is your best bet at beating the crowds.
Vietnam Is Dirt Cheap
Based on the InterNations survey, 86% of participating ex-pats rated the cost of living in Vietnam favorably—that’s more than twice the global average.
Within that cohort, 65% reported feeling ‘satisfied’ with their financial situation while living in the country.
That’s not surprising, considering Vietnam is probably the cheapest country for digital nomads––based on estimates provided by Nomad List, the leading platform for tracking digital nomad trends, it costs between $748 and $1,070 per month to live in the Southeast Asian gem.
Moving over to Numbeo, the world’s largest database on living costs, you can eat for as cheap as $1.51 in a local restaurant in Hoi An, one of the priciest cities in Vietnam, while a three-course meal in a mid-range restaurant will set you back by $15.11 (and that’s for two people).
Finding affordable accommodation is no impossible task, either: you can find private rooms for as little as $174 for the entire month on Airbnb and fully-equipped apartments for only $621––outside the capital, in more rural provinces, it’s even cheaper.
One Of The Safest Destinations For Digital Nomads
Other than being outstandingly cheap, Vietnam is also incredibly safe.
The U.S. State Department considers it a Level 1 destination, a classification it applies to the two European countries mentioned above, and this essentially means Americans should not be overly concerned about personal safety when visiting.
Violence targeting foreigners is almost unheard of, whether it’s a big city like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City or a small, unheard-of coastal village yet to be pinpointed on Google Maps, and even pickpocketing is somewhat uncommon.
One of the things nomads love the most about Vietnam is how respectful the Vietnamese are towards guests, largely thanks to their honor-based culture and strict application of the law: trust us, you don’t want to infringe regulations in a socialist-leaning country.
Learn more about Vietnam, including which visas are available for digital nomads planning on relocating here.
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