---
title: "Colombo vs Hoi An for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/colombo-vs-hoi-an
description: "Under balanced weights Hoi An edges it, 49 to 47, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Colombo is stronger on nothing outright; Hoi An on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.09.4 (2026-09-26)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Colombo vs Hoi An for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Hoi An edges it, 49 to 47, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Colombo is stronger on nothing outright; Hoi An on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | Colombo | Hoi An | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 75 | 72 | Colombo |
| Safety | 63 | 68 | Hoi An |
| Healthcare | 71 | 65 | Colombo |
| Internet | 26 | no data | — |
| Visa ease | 34 | 33 | Colombo |
| Getting there & around | 16 | 20 | Hoi An |
| Climate | 25 | 17 | Colombo |
| Air quality | 59 | 63 | Hoi An |
| Quality of life | 52 | 58 | Hoi An |

## Cost

| Metric | Colombo | Hoi An | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $833 | $900 | Colombo |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Colombo | Hoi An | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 1.8 | 1.9 | Colombo |
| Political stability (0–100) | 59.9 | 66 | Hoi An |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 72 | 71 | Colombo |
| Life expectancy | 77.2 yrs | 73.8 yrs | Colombo |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Colombo | Hoi An | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 7.2 Mbps | no data | — |
| Upload | 2 Mbps | no data | — |

## Visa

| Metric | Colombo | Hoi An | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | Digital Nomad | none listed | Colombo |
| Minimum income for the visa | $1,999/mo | no data | — |
| Visa-free days, US passport | visa or e-visa required | visa or e-visa required | tie |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | visa or e-visa required | 45 days | Hoi An |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | visa or e-visa required | 45 days | Hoi An |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Colombo | Hoi An | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 45 | 36 | Colombo |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 4 | Hoi An |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 1 | Colombo |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Colombo | Hoi An | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 3 | 2 | Colombo |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 23.6 µg/m³ | 21.5 µg/m³ | Hoi An |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Colombo or Hoi An?

Colombo is cheaper: about $833 per month versus $900 for one person.

### Is Colombo or Hoi An safer?

Hoi An scores higher on safety (68 vs 63), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Colombo or Hoi An?

M-Lab has no reliable measurement for one of the two cities.

City pages: [Colombo](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/colombo) · [Hoi An](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/hoi-an). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population; UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages).

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/colombo-vs-hoi-an