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Digital Nomad FAQ’s
Is Hoi An a good city for digital nomads?
Yes it is, there are tons of cafe’s, the wifi speeds aren’t too bad and plenty of foreigners who live there and work online.
How is the internet connectivity and speed in Hoi An?
Overall, pretty good – in our tests we got an average 241 download speed, 244 upload speed, and 35 latency See a breakdown of all wifi speeds here.
Is it easy to meet people and make friends in Hoi An?
I’d say yes – plenty of foreigners there. While we were there it was the rainy season and a big chunk of the city was flooded (Oct. – Dec. tends to be the worst) Here’s how I made friends while in the city.
How much should I budget for a month in Hoi An?
I’d say you could get by on as little as $500 per month (staying in dorms, eating street stall food) but if you want nicer accomodation and the like I’d say about $1,500 – $2,000 per month.. See a breakdown of prices for common digital nomad stuff here.
Are there lots of places to work from in Hoi An?
Yes, in Vietnam in general there is a huge cafe culture, and VNese people tend to spend 30 minutes to even a couple hours in Cafe’s, so the staff are used to people hanging out at cafe’s for long periods of time. More details on this below.
What are the best digital nomad neighborhoods in Hoi An?
The old town is pretty beautiful, we couldn’t see much of it because it was flooded, but Cẩm Nam seems like a cool island area.
Visitor / Working Visas
The visa information below may not be up to date information, nor should be used as visa advice for people working while abroad. We do not claim that you can work legally with a visitor visa or any other visa in this country or any other country in the world. As always, you will need to refer to your embassy for the latest information. We at Digital Nomad Lifestyle believe in the heavenly mandate granted to each government of every modern nation, and thus the laws and regulations therein. Therefore rules outlined by the almighty state should be followed unwaveringly and without question. In Government We Trust – Digital Nomad Lifestyle
Vietnam e-visa available to all nationalities; valid up to 90 days, single or multiple entry.
Official e-visa fees: US$25 (single-entry), US$50 (multiple-entry).
Da Nang International Airport (DAD)—the nearest airport to Hoi An—is an approved e-visa port of entry.
Visa-exempt stays (14–45 days) apply to specific nationalities under Vietnam’s current exemption policy.
Cost Of Living / Traveling Through
- 🧍Avg. Cost Of Living (For Single Adult) – $462/mo USD
- 🏨 Avg. Price Per Night For Hotel Room (near city center) – $27–$48/night; USD, I pretty much only use Booking for hotel accommodations
- 🏩 Avg. Price Per Night For Hostel Dorm Room (near city center) – $10-$15/night avg, here is the top 4 colives you can book now!
- 🏡 Avg. Price for apartments (near city center) -$490/mo on average
- ☕️ Latte -$1.5
- 🍺 – .5 Liter Beer -$1
- 🏋️♀️ – Monthly Gym Membership -$20
- 🚊 – Local Transport – Avg. One Way Ticket Price -$0.30
- 🍝 Avg. Dinner Price -$7$11
- 📱 – Avg. Data Plan Per Month -$6, Airalo is the only ESIM company I use.
- 🏢 – Avg. Cowork Per Month (near city center) -$75–$180 depending on location
Wifi Speed Tests
Read my guide to getting fast wifi anywhere in the world here
| Location | Upload | Download | Latency |
|---|---|---|---|
| SnapStay | 88.5 | 85.3 | 23 |
| Faifo Coffee | 274 | 272 | 56 |
| Thoms Sourdough Bakery | 264 | 343 | 30 |
| Kaia Gallery | 76 | 42 | 56 |
| Summer Coffee & Tea | 503 | 479 | 13 |
Co-Lives & Where I Stayed
A Map Of The Places I Stayed & Recommend
- OVERALL – 4/5 Social hostel with an on-site café/cowork and a community focus. Great if you want to meet other travelers and hang out. Mornings are good for getting work done; at night there’s more noise from activities, I did have WIFI problems, very briefly – but think it was due more to the flooding than anything. It’s on Thai Phien, a local food street, a short walk from the Ancient Town.
- Affordability – 4/5 – Dorms from ~$9 and privates from ~$34. Solid value/location near the old town, with lots of food, cafés, and massage spots nearby.
- Wifi – 3/5 – The café Wi-Fi works well. At night, though, video calls are tough because of the social noise, and if you head to your room the connection quality drops.
- Avg. Download Speed = 88.5 MBPS
- Avg. Upload Speed = 85.3 MBPS
- Avg. Latency = 23 MS
- Sense Of Community – 5/5 – Well-set common areas (café downstairs) and a clear meet-people vibe: nightly board-game meetups and a WhatsApp group posting daily activities (cooking classes, old-town walks, canoe trips, etc.). The owner is a really friendly guy and goes out of his way to make you feel at home.
- Location – 4/5 – Super central, about 200 m from Ancient Town, surrounded by street food and services. Easy to explore on foot or by bike.
- Amenities (Kitchen, Pool, etc.) – 4/5 In-house café/cowork, indoor/outdoor seating for work, large lockers, and straightforward help with tours/transfers. If you need total quiet like a dedicated cowork, use nearby cafés for longer calls. The staff is attentive and quick to help. No common kitchen though.
- Cleanliness – 4.5/5 – Dorms and bathrooms well maintained; common areas tidy and in good shape.
Places To Stay – Honorable Mentions
This is a section where I’ll add hotels / places to stay at that I either didn’t stay at, or had a flaw that made me unable to recommend them completely.
- Honestly, Hub Hoi An Coliving looks amazing if you’re after a chill place to live and work near Hội An. It’s a bit outside the city, surrounded by rice fields, but it’s super complete and made for digital nomads, you get coworking included, fast internet, and tons of community events. Prices are pretty reasonable and vary depending on whether you stay a week or a few months, and people say it’s really easy to meet others because there’s always something going on. I haven’t had the chance to visit yet, but from everything I’ve seen and read, it seems like one of the best colivings in the area. If you want nature, calm vibes, and a great place to get stuff done, this spot is definitely worth it.
- It’s a hostel within walking distance of the Old Town and Night Market, a solid base for mixing work and exploring. For getting stuff done, it checks the boxes: reliable Wi-Fi, A/C, desks in rooms, and common areas (lounge, terrace, café/bar) to switch up your workspace. Plus, it’s easy to make plans: bar and activities/tours, breakfast, optional transfers, and fair pricing for the central location.
- Riverside Hoi An, Dolphins Hostel is an easy, well-located pick. Steps from Old Town, work a bit, close the laptop, grab coffee or cross the Japanese Bridge. You get Wi-Fi, A/C, desks in rooms, and common areas (I still carry an eSIM/hotspot just in case). Between work blocks: pool, terrace, and a restaurant with Vietnamese + international options. Social without chaos, and priced well for being so close to the river and center.
Co-Works & My Favorite Places To Work From
A Map of The Cafes & Co-works I Worked From
faifo coffee
- OVERALL – 4/5 -Iconic Old Town café with a rustic look, two floors + a rooftop, and a super photogenic viewpoint. Constant foot traffic (tourists + locals), but still workable for a couple focused laptop hours.
- Wifi – 4/5 – (very fast; mid latency)
- Download Speed = 274 MBPS
- Upload Speed = 343 MBPS
- Avg. Latency = 56 MS
- *Not sure what these metrics mean? Read my guide to getting fast wifi here.
- Service & Friendliness – 5/5 – Quick service; well-made drinks and a solid dessert selection.
- Amount Of Outlets – 4/5– Good plug coverage—best along the walls. Grab a wall table if you need power.
- Amenities (Places to take calls, etc.) – 4/5 Highly “Instagrammable” space (the rooftop wins). There’s movement, but with headphones you can stay on task. Warm, visual decor—great for a work stint, then head up for the classic viewpoint shot.
- OVERALL – 4/5 – Traveler-favorite bakery + café in the Old Town—great for breakfast, a coffee, and a focused laptop stint. Indoor seating plus a small street-facing terrace.
- Wifi – 4/5 – Holds up even when busy—top-tier speeds, call-ready latency; bring headphones for the café buzz.
- Download Speed = 264 MBPS
- Upload Speed = 343 MBPS
- Avg. Latency = 30 MS
- *Not sure what these metrics mean? Read my guide to getting fast wifi here.
- Service & Friendliness – 5/5 -Quick, polite service; solid coffee program and Western-leaning breakfasts.
- Amount Of Outlets – 4/5– Power mainly inside along the walls—grab a wall table if you need to plug in.
- Amenities / Ergonomics (Places to take calls, standup desks etc.) – 4.5/5 – Small terrace with street view; indoors is comfortable for short/medium calls with headphones. Good spot to work, refuel, and get back out exploring.
- OVERALL – 4/5 -Outside the main tourist strip, two floors plus a terrace (weather permitting). Spacious, and the second floor is the sweet spot for laptop work. Tons space, and tons of VNese families and teenagers – feels a lot more like you’re in Vietnam in this spot haha.
- Wifi – 4/5 – (fast + stable) Takeaway: call-ready speeds and latency for heavy tasks.
- Download Speed = 503 MBPS
- Upload Speed = 479 MBPS
- Avg. Latency = 13 MS
- *Not sure what these metrics mean? Read my guide to getting fast wifi here.
- Service & Friendliness – 5/5 – Straightforward, quick service; no fuss.
- Amount Of Outlets – 4/5– Best coverage upstairs along the walls—grab a wall table if you need power.
- Amenities (Places to take calls, etc.) – 4/5 Plenty of space, quieter upstairs for focus. Classic Vietnamese drinks and a few pastries/snacks if you want to camp out longer.
cafés and coworking – Honorable Mentions
In this section I’m adding cafés and coworking spots I didn’t get to try, but are worth keeping on your radar.
- Hub Hoi An Coworking is the spot if you want rice-paddy views, quiet rooms (plus garden/glasshouse space), and fast fiber that’s call-ready. Grab a day pass or a membership (with 24/7 access), plug in, and you’ll likely meet a chill crowd at lunches or casual events. It sits between Old Town and An Bang Beach, easy by bike or scooter, so you can work a solid block and be at the beach before sunset.
Finding Community / Making Friends / Giving back
Interested In Building Community As A Nomad? I interviewed 9 other digital nomads to come up with a complete digital nomad guide to building community, check it out!
- Hostels/Homestays (easiest option): many run daily activities. At SnapStay, for example, there were tours, board-game nights, and a WhatsApp group to coordinate plans and ask questions—meeting people happens naturally.
- Facebook groups (locals + expats): join Hoi An Expats & Locals to see tours, events, and weekly plans. You can post questions and someone usually replies: Group here.
- Vietnam-wide (if you’re moving around): the Expats in Vietnam group is useful for daily posts, recs, and meetups across cities: Group here.
Transportation
Hoi An is super walkable, if you’re staying in the Old Town, most distances are short and easy on foot. Still, here are solid alternatives:
- Motorbike (best freedom if you’re here a few days). $5–8/day depending on the shop. Great for beaches and areas outside Old Town.
- Bicycle (chill pace, short hops). Around $2.5/day; perfect for central routes.
- Grab/Taxi (rain, nighttime, or longer transfers/airport). Short rides often $1–2, depending on distance.
Heads-up: Weather matters. When it’s rainy (like during my stay), walking or biking gets tricky, on those days a motorbike with a poncho or Grab/taxi is the move.
Same outfit, every rainy day.
What I Drank / Nightlife
In the Old Town you’ll find plenty of Vietnamese spots, but here are two night options. For context: during my visit heavy rain/flooding meant a lot of places were closed, these two still come highly recommended.
- Chăm Chỉ Club (outside Old Town, a proper club) Big dance floor, lights, DJs, high energy. Go if you want to actually dance (not just a bar with music). Kicks off late—arrive after 10:30–11 pm. Bring ID, check the cover and promos. For the ride back, use Grab rather than walking long distances at night.
- Why Not Club Bar Hoi An (Old Town, easy for bar-hopping) More central and casual: quick drinks, loud music, backpacker/expat crowd. Great to start the night or for a last round after dinner. It gets busy—if you want to chat, grab a table in the back or outside.
Exercise / Outdoors
Staying active in Hoi An is easy:
GYM – fit nation gym
Local gyms are well-equipped—good enough for a full session. Most don’t have A/C; I was there in rainy season so heat wasn’t an issue. Day passes start around $2, depending on the spot.
Yoga
Plenty of class options (some in Old Town). Book ahead so you don’t miss a slot.
Running
Solid routes around the central park and nearby streets. Rain can make it tricky—aim for early morning or sunset to dodge heat and showers.
Want to stay fit & eat healthy while traveling? Check out my guide to diet fitness while traveling here!
About Me
The Creator Of Digital Nomad Lifestyle
Hi! My name is Loren Ross, after establishing my own business while traveling the world I decided to create this blog for existing and aspiring digital nomads.
See My Full Journey To Being A Digital Nomad Here
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