Best Cities In Asia For Digital Nomads

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Best Cities In Asia For Digital Nomads

Digital nomads seek new locations to experience, explore, work from and add to their impressive list of “places I’ve been to and worked from”. Mateja of Office Needle has compiled a list of the best 54 cities for digital nomads around the world. Here we list the best cities in Asia for digital nomads.

Criteria That Best Cities For Digital Nomads Should Meet

Digital nomads look for good internet connection and speed in a country with a favourable climate that is not too costly, has reasonable levels of safety. The lifestyle is also a factor with fun things to do and attractive places to see, excellent food and an approachable community. Practical issues can be important like whether there is an easy entry digital nomad visa, convenient workplaces and a lack of language barriers. The cost of living is another factor with accommodation and transportation costs to be considered. These are the factors taken into account when compiling this list.

Da Nang, Vietnam

MONTHLY COST: $1,023
DIGITAL NOMAD VISA: no
PLACES TO WORK: coffee shops
INTERNET CONNECTION & SPEED: 13 Mbps
CLIMATE: hot in winter, hot in summer
POPULATION: 1,134 million
LOCAL LANGUAGE: Vietnamese
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY: bad
COMMUNITY: okay

Asian cities appeal to digital nomads for various reasons, one of them being how cheap and affordable they are. For the price, the quality of life is high and relaxation is guaranteed thanks to the many beaches. However, the hot climate might not make it an ideal place for digital nomads who prefer milder weather.

However, Da Nang is a great option for anyone who wants to focus on work, with both beaches and mountains to explore nearby. Working from coffee shops is possible with average Internet speeds. On the other hand, Da Nang is not too popular among digital nomads for other than a short stay.

Chiang Mai, Thailand

MONTHLY COST: $1,000
DIGITAL NOMAD VISA: in progress
PLACES TO WORK: coffee shops
INTERNET CONNECTION & SPEED: 28 Mbps
CLIMATE: hot in winter, hot in summer
POPULATION: 0,127 million
LOCAL LANGUAGE: Thai
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY: bad
COMMUNITY: good

Chiang Mai is a favorite among digital nomads thanks to the large infrastructure that works in their favor. Moreover, this city in Northern Thailand is one of the cheapest options for digital nomads. However, despite being so cheap, it offers everything a digital nomad might need. Transport, malls, and other amenities are just a walking distance away.

Fast internet and fun things to do are at the top of the list of pros on why to visit this Asian city. Moreover, the weather is always summery and visiting the rest of Thailand can be easily arranged. Both coworking offices and cafe shops are available throughout the city, allowing digital nomads to get work done.

Canggu, Bali, Indonesia

MONTHLY COST: $1,101
DIGITAL NOMAD VISA: no
PLACES TO WORK: cafes, coworking spaces
INTERNET CONNECTION & SPEED: 18 Mbps
CLIMATE: hot in winter, hot in summer
POPULATION: 0,040 million
LOCAL LANGUAGE: Balinese
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY: bad
COMMUNITY: close-knit

Canggu is an Indonesian city located in Bali, a famous touristy island. This resort town offers surf breaks, great restaurants, and is visited by many digital nomads from around the world. While being affordable, this Bali town offers a reliable Internet connection, along with many great coworking spaces ideal for digital nomads.

Digital nomads make a community in this city so that even new arrivals don’t feel left out. That is why social and networking events are never lacking in this resort village. Surrounded by rice terraces, one disadvantage of this place is that it is not entirely walkable. Renting a motorbike could be of help here.

Penang, Malaysia

Temple complex of Kek Lok Si, Penang, Malasia

MONTHLY COST: $1,092
DIGITAL NOMAD VISA: no
PLACES TO WORK: cafes, coworking spaces
INTERNET CONNECTION & SPEED: 18 Mbps
CLIMATE: hot in winter, hot in summer
POPULATION: 1,648 million
LOCAL LANGUAGE: Malay
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY: good
COMMUNITY: great

Penang is a Malaysian city where any digital nomad will feel right at home thanks to how friendly everyone is. It is also quite cheap, with excellent food choices, like Malaysian, Indian, and Chinese cuisine. The old town boasts a UNESCO world heritage title and is very famous for its street food.

There are many spots with free WiFi in the city and plentiful co-working spaces available, too. The weather can get scorching hot here, but refreshments can be found on the beach coast of the Indian ocean and in nature. It is situated on the small Penang island and is very popular among expats, as well.

Taipei, Taiwan

MONTHLY COST: $1,965
DIGITAL NOMAD VISA: yes
PLACES TO WORK: plentiful
INTERNET CONNECTION & SPEED: 20 Mbps
CLIMATE: mild in winter, hot in summer
POPULATION: 2,646 million
LOCAL LANGUAGE: Mandarin Chinese
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY: okay
COMMUNITY: great

The capital of Taiwan, Taipei is dotted with contemporary architecture and places to shop. Night markets and street food are a landmark of this modern metropolis. While temperatures are at best hot from April through to September, the rest of the months are a great opportunity to work and explore during the mild temperatures.

For lovers of an urban feel, Taipei is a great choice with a good quality of life. While more expensive than some other Asian destinations for digital nomads, it is still affordable, especially compared to pricey Europe. However, one downside of Taiwan’s capital is that it is cut off from other digital nomad locations, being located on an island off the coast of China.

Goa, India

MONTHLY COST: $1,359
DIGITAL NOMAD VISA: no
PLACES TO WORK: bars
INTERNET CONNECTION & SPEED: 10 Mbps
CLIMATE: hot or scorching temperatures
POPULATION: 1,817 million
LOCAL LANGUAGE: Konkani
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY: okay
COMMUNITY: okay

Goa is a city on the west coast of India, looking out onto the Arabian Sea. It is known for its beaches and carries a Portuguese influence, being its colony in the 20th century. The area is rich in plantations of tropical spices and offers a cultural experience unlike any other. It is also affordable, but not very popular for a longer stay.

For any digital nomad who wants to focus on doing business, Goa is not too crowded but still visited by a variety of digital nomads. Moreover, work can be done in bars with Internet access while enjoying a drink. Tap water is not safe for consumption. Being an Indian city, it also offers a great variety of foods.

Jeju Island, South Korea

MONTHLY COST: $1,781
DIGITAL NOMAD VISA: no
PLACES TO WORK: coworking offices
INTERNET CONNECTION & SPEED: 20 Mbps
CLIMATE: cold in winter, warm in summer
POPULATION: 0,695 million
LOCAL LANGUAGE: Korean
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY: bad
COMMUNITY: great

Volcanic landscapes and beach resorts are the most famous features of South Korean Jeju Island. The dormant volcano has created craters when it was active and now many are using it as hiking trails. This friendly island is great for doing business remotely, with fast Internet available.

While the temperatures hardly go below 5 degrees Celsius on average, summer months also hardly get really hot. This convenient climate is great for focusing on working with many office spaces where you can concentrate on improving and building your business. After work, Jeju Island has a lot of fun activities to offer.

Shanghai, China

MONTHLY COST: $2,218
DIGITAL NOMAD VISA: no
PLACES TO WORK: coworking offices
INTERNET CONNECTION & SPEED: 2 Mbps
CLIMATE: cold in winter, hot in summer
POPULATION: 26,32 million
LOCAL LANGUAGE: Mandarin Chinese
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY: okay
COMMUNITY: great

This global financial hub is China’s biggest city located on the central coast of the East China Sea. The urban metropolis boasts a futuristic skyline, while the city is very friendly and has a lot to offer. Among other things, digital nomads have great opportunities for coworking in offices and a great nightlife scene for those interested.

Shanghai is also very safe and a great hub for doing business. Most people can speak English, but the Internet is quite slow when loading foreign websites. Apart from that, this Chinese city is affordable for digital nomads. While it offers many amenities for working like coworking offices, Shanghai is still much cheaper than many European locations.

Manila, Philippines

MONTHLY COST: $1,407
DIGITAL NOMAD VISA: no
PLACES TO WORK: coworking offices
INTERNET CONNECTION & SPEED: 9 Mbps
CLIMATE: hot and scorching temperatures
POPULATION: 1,78 million
LOCAL LANGUAGE: Filipino
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY: good
COMMUNITY: great

Averaging temperatures of over 30 Celsius degrees throughout the year, Manila is a densely populated capital of the Philippines, located on the island of Luzon. It is a safe place to live with an affordable lifestyle for digital nomads. Everyone speaks English and it has great coworking spaces available.

Manila has a Spanish influence and also boasts modern architecture. The community is great and it is very easy to make friends, which is a great opportunity for meeting new people, learning business, and more. One downside, however, is that the Internet is slow.

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.