Asia · 16 cities
Vietnam for digital nomads: 16 cities compared (2026)
Vietnam has 16 cities in the dataset. Ha Long scores highest under balanced weights at 61/100; Da Nang is the cheapest with a city-level price at $598 a month. Vietnam has no digital-nomad visa.
Dataset 2026.10.7. How scoring works.
Cities in Vietnam, ranked
Balanced weights, every factor equal. Open a city for the full breakdown with sources, or rank them with your own weights.
| # | City | Score | Cost/mo | Internet | Comfortable months | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ha Long Bay of limestone islands, served by a city of cruise piers and casino hotels | 61 | $900* | 22.7 Mbps | 7/12 | Ha Long Bay cruises · Cat Ba and Lan Ha bays |
| 2 | Mui Ne (Phan Thiet) Kitesurf strip and sand dunes on Vietnam's southeast coast | 60 | $900* | 22.7 Mbps | 6/12 | Kitesurfing from November to April · Red and white sand dunes |
| 3 | Vung Tau Beach city two hours from Ho Chi Minh City, now part of the metropolis | 60 | $900* | 24.1 Mbps | 4/12 | Back Beach promenade · Jesus statue hill |
| 4 | Da Lat Cool highland city with pine forests and French villas | 59 | $900* | 18.2 Mbps | 8/12 | Mild climate at 1,500 m · Coffee farms |
| 5 | Sapa Mountain hill station with rice terraces and Vietnam's highest peak | 59 | $900* | 22.7 Mbps | 5/12 | Rice terraces and trekking · Fansipan cable car |
| 6 | Nha Trang Vietnam's beach city with a big bay and low costs | 59 | $922 | 19.1 Mbps | 6/12 | 6 km city beach · Diving and islands |
| 7 | Ho Chi Minh City Frenetic, entrepreneurial and cheap | 57 | $666 | 26.2 Mbps | 4/12 | Startup energy · Street food |
| 8 | Da Nang Beach city with Vietnam's best value | 57 | $598 | 23.1 Mbps | 2/12 | Long sandy beach · Hoi An nearby |
| 9 | Phu Quoc Beach island with visa-free entry and fast growth | 57 | $900* | 20 Mbps | 4/12 | Visa-free 30 days for most · Long Beach sunsets |
| 10 | Hanoi Old Quarter charm and lakeside cafés | 56 | $768 | 20.3 Mbps | 7/12 | Old Quarter · Lakes and cafés |
| 11 | Ninh Binh Karst landscapes, river caves and rice paddies two hours from Hanoi | 56 | $900* | 17.8 Mbps | 6/12 | Trang An boat trips · Tam Coc and Hang Mua viewpoint |
| 12 | Hoi An Lantern-lit old town with a beach and a slower Vietnam | 56 | $900* | 20.4 Mbps | 2/12 | UNESCO old town · An Bang beach |
| 13 | Hai Phong Vietnam's northern port city, two hours from Hanoi and Ha Long | 56 | $900* | 18.9 Mbps | 7/12 | French colonial centre · Cat Ba island |
| 14 | Quy Nhon Low-key beach city on Vietnam's south-central coast, still cheap | 55 | $900* | 21 Mbps | 5/12 | Long curved city beach · Ky Co and Eo Gio |
| 15 | Can Tho Mekong Delta capital of floating markets and canals, with few foreigners | 54 | $900* | 24.7 Mbps | 3/12 | Cai Rang floating market · Mekong canals and orchards |
| 16 | Hue Vietnam's former imperial capital on the Perfume River | 53 | $900* | 22.4 Mbps | 2/12 | Imperial Citadel · Low cost of living |
* national estimate
National figures shared by every city
These come from country-level sources and apply to every city in Vietnam; city pages add the local numbers.
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 1.9 per 100,000 people | Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population, 2021 |
| Political stability | 68 (percentile, World Bank WGI) | Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100), 2025 |
| Health coverage index | 71 (WHO UHC index, 0–100) | UHC service coverage index, 2023 |
| Life expectancy | 73.8 years | Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes, 2021 |
| Human Development Index | 0.766 | Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023), 2023 |
| English proficiency | moderate | EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band), 2024 |
| Starlink | available | Starlink availability map, 2026-10 |
Visas and entry
What three common passports get at the border, from the passport index. Pick your own passport on the ranker for the full picture.
| Passport | Entry rule |
|---|---|
| US passport | e-visa required |
| EU passport | 45 days visa-free |
| UK passport | 45 days visa-free |
Rank Vietnam's cities for your passport →
No long-stay guide for Vietnam yet. Entry rules above are for short visits.
Compare cities in Vietnam
Head-to-head pages for the pairs people look at most.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Vietnam good for digital nomads?
- Ha Long scores 61/100 under balanced weights, which ranks it 565 of 1,000 cities in the dataset. Vietnam's 16 cities average 57.1/100. Strongest factors in Ha Long: air quality and safety; weakest: visa ease.
- What is the cheapest city in Vietnam for a remote worker?
- Da Nang, at about $598 a month for one person including rent (WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages), 2026-09). Nha Trang is the most expensive city-priced option at $922.
- Does Vietnam have a digital nomad visa?
- Not according to the sources the dataset uses. Short visits follow the entry rules for your passport.
- How long can a US, EU or UK citizen stay in Vietnam without a visa?
- US passport: e-visa required. EU passport (Germany as reference): 45 days visa-free. UK passport: 45 days visa-free. Source: Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations), 2026-02.
- Which city in Vietnam has the fastest internet?
- Ho Chi Minh City, with a measured median download of 26.2 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024). Measured speeds run below advertised plans everywhere; 40 Mbps measured is already good.
- How safe is Vietnam?
- Vietnam records 1.9 homicides per 100,000 people (Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population, 2021) and sits at the 68th percentile for political stability (World Bank WGI, 2025). These are national figures; city pages note local caveats.
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