Country comparisons
Thailand vs Indonesia
The real split here is how each country tests your money: Thailand's DTV asks for a cash cushion of around 500,000 baht (roughly 14,000 US dollars) but sets no income floor, while Indonesia's E33G wants proof of roughly 60,000 US dollars a year in foreign income but far less cash in the bank. One rewards savings and a long five-year runway, the other rewards a solid remote salary and a simpler one-year permit.
Side by side
| Thailand | Indonesia | |
|---|---|---|
| Digital nomad visa | Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) | E33G Remote Worker KITAS |
| Income requirement | ~500,000 THB (~$14,000) liquid savings for the 5-year Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) | ~USD 60,000/yr (E33G remote-worker visa) + ~USD 2,000 bank balance |
| Tax residency | Tax-resident at 180+ days/year; foreign income taxed on remittance (since Jan 2024 rule change) | Resident if >183 days/12mo; worldwide income taxed, narrow 4-yr territorial regime for skilled foreigners. |
| Cost of living | Low | Low |
| Currency | THB | IDR |
| Healthcare | There is no reciprocal healthcare agreement, so foreigners pay upfront; private hospitals in Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai are high standard but expensive, making comprehensive health insurance essential. | There is no reciprocal public healthcare agreement for foreigners, so comprehensive travel or expat health insurance including medical evacuation is essential. |
| Driving | An International Driving Permit alongside your home licence is required to drive legally, and police checkpoints do ask for it. | A foreign licence alone is not enough; carry an International Driving Permit together with your home licence to drive legally. |
The bottom line
For most nomads with savings, Thailand quietly wins on paper: the DTV runs five years with unlimited entries, and the cost of living from Chiang Mai to the islands is low, though where you land matters as much as the country. Indonesia suits high earners better, since the E33G's roughly 60,000 US dollar income bar is the gate, and Bali's comfortable solo month of about 1,000 to 2,500 US dollars can creep up fast once Western food, villas and coworking desks add in. On tax, the two differ in kind: Thailand crosses residency at 180 days and taxes foreign income you remit into the country (tighter since January 2024), while Indonesia crosses at 183 days and generally taxes worldwide income once you hold a stay permit, softened only by treaties or a narrow four-year regime for skilled fields. Both are non-EU and low-cost, so the honest deciding factors are your cash versus your income, and how long a runway you want. Treat every figure as an estimate and confirm the current rules with the consulate before you commit.
Pick Thailand if you have a solid cash cushion but no fixed high salary, and you want a five-year visa with unlimited entries and a mature, easy-to-plug-into nomad scene.
Pick Indonesia if you comfortably clear the roughly 60,000 US dollar foreign-income bar, keep less cash on hand, and want Bali's remote-work crowd on a one-year permit you can usually renew.
Read the full guides
Put it to work
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Digital-Nomad Visa Checker
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Tax-Residency Reality Checker
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Cost-of-Relocation Calculator
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