Country comparisons
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?
Side by side
| Thailand | Vietnam | |
|---|---|---|
| Digital nomad visa | Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) | No |
| Income requirement | ~500,000 THB (~$14,000) liquid savings for the 5-year Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) | No set income requirement; most use the 90-day multiple-entry e-visa (~$50). No dedicated nomad visa. |
| Tax residency | Tax-resident at 180+ days/year; foreign income taxed on remittance (since Jan 2024 rule change) | Tax resident at 183+ days/year (or rolling 12 months) or permanent home; residents taxed on worldwide income up to ~35%, non-residents flat 20% on VN-source. |
| 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 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.
Read the full guides
Put it to work
- Free
Digital-Nomad Visa Checker
See which digital-nomad visas you could actually get with your passport and income, ranked, with the binding reason per country.
→ - Free
Tax-Residency Reality Checker
Go beyond the 183-day myth: model the treaty tie-breaker and see whether two countries could both claim you as a tax resident.
→ - Free
Cost-of-Relocation Calculator
Estimate the all-in, one-time cost of moving to a country (shipping, visa fees, flights, deposits) as low, likely and high bands.
→