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Thailand vs Vietnam

Both are Southeast Asia's nomad heavyweights, but they split on structure: Thailand offers a real five-year visa with a cash test, while Vietnam is cheaper and looser but leaves you on a 90-day e-visa workaround. The choice comes down to one question: do you want a legal long-stay path, or the lowest possible monthly cost?

Thailand vs Vietnam

Side by side

Thailand Vietnam
Digital nomad visa Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) No
Income requirement No monthly income floor. The Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) is a lump-sum test: about 500,000 THB (~$14,000) sitting in your account across the 3 months before you apply No dedicated nomad visa, so no income floor. Most remote workers use the e-visa, valid for up to 90 days; the government fee is USD 25 single-entry or USD 50 multiple-entry (Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC).
Tax residency Tax-resident once you spend more than 180 days in a calendar year in Thailand. Foreign income earned from 1 January 2024 is taxable when you remit it, even if the remittance lands in a later tax year; income earned before 2024 stays outside the net Under the Personal Income Tax Law 109/2025/QH15 (in force 1 July 2026; its salary and business rules for residents apply from the 2026 tax year) you are resident if you are present in Vietnam for 183 days or more in a calendar year or in the 12 consecutive months from your first day in the country, or if you have a habitual residence there (a registered permanent residence or a rented home under a fixed-term lease). Residents are taxed on worldwide income, with salaries on a 5-bracket scale from 5% to 35%; non-residents pay a flat 20% on pay for work done in Vietnam, wherever it is paid.
Cost of living Low Low
Currency THB VND
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 healthcare agreement, so foreigners pay for care and private hospitals typically expect upfront payment.
Driving An International Driving Permit alongside your home licence is required to drive legally, and police checkpoints do ask for it. Vietnam recognises International Driving Permits issued under the 1968 Vienna Convention only, not the 1949 Geneva Convention.

The bottom line

Thailand wins if you want to settle in one place for years: the DTV visa runs five years and lets you come and go, though you need to show around 500,000 baht (roughly 14,000 US dollars) in liquid funds, and past 180 days a year you may owe tax on foreign income you remit since the 2024 rule change. Vietnam wins on price and ease: plenty of people live well on roughly 1,000 to 1,500 US dollars a month in Da Nang, but there is no nomad visa, so most run on the 90-day e-visa and remote work sits in a tolerated grey zone. Tax residency triggers at 183 days in Vietnam versus past 180 in Thailand, and Vietnamese residents are taxed on worldwide income up to about 35%. Neither is a clear winner, so confirm the current visa checklist and tax terms with the consulate before you plan around either.

Pick Thailand if you want a stable multi-year base, can park the required cash, and value an established visa and big nomad communities over saving every last dollar.

Pick Vietnam if you want the lowest cost and an easy day-to-day, and you are comfortable running on the 90-day e-visa while the visa rules stay a workaround.

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