Vietnam

Verified 2026-06-01

Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City (still widely called Saigon by residents and long-term expats alike) is Vietnam's commercial engine and the anchor of one of Southeast Asia's fastest-growing consumer economies, drawing a rapidly expanding population of entrepreneurs, manufacturing-sector executives, teachers, and digital nomads. Vietnam's visa regime for long-term foreign residents has historically been more fragmented than neighbouring Thailand or Malaysia, built primarily around employer-sponsored work permits and temporary residence cards rather than a single flagship retirement or nomad product, though the DT Investor visa provides a formal route for those establishing or investing capital in a Vietnamese company, typically paired with a multi-year temporary residence card once the investment is registered. Most digital nomads and shorter-term residents still operate on renewable tourist e-visas or business visas obtained through a local sponsoring agent, a workable but distinctly less structured arrangement than the purpose-built long-stay visas now on offer in Thailand, Malaysia, or the Philippines. The city itself is a study in accelerating contrast: French colonial-era boulevards and the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral and Central Post Office sit within a few blocks of glass-and-steel towers like Landmark 81, while the motorbike remains the dominant mode of transport for the vast majority of the city's roughly nine million residents, creating a constant, chaotic, genuinely photogenic street energy that first-time visitors either love or find overwhelming. District 1 anchors the historic and commercial core; District 2 (increasingly marketed as Thu Duc City's Thao Dien ward) has become the default expat family enclave, built around riverside villas, international schools, and a dense cluster of Western cafés and craft breweries. The cost of living remains dramatically lower than Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur for comparable quality of accommodation, food, and services, making it one of the most cost-efficient bases in Southeast Asia for remote workers and small business owners. Infrastructure has improved steadily but unevenly: the long-delayed Metro Line 1 (Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien) finally opened in the past two years after more than a decade of construction, providing the city's first genuine rail transit option, though coverage remains limited to a single corridor and the motorbike-and-Grab combination remains the practical daily default for most residents. Air quality and flooding during the May-November wet season are recurring quality-of-life considerations. Vietnamese remains essential for anything beyond expat-facing businesses, though the English proficiency of younger professionals in tech and hospitality has risen quickly alongside the city's growing international business profile.

Da Nang

Da Nang has emerged as Vietnam's leading digital-nomad hub, arguably surpassing Ho Chi Minh City in that niche despite being a fraction of the size — a mid-sized coastal city built around a long beachfront, a compact walkable core, and a cost of living noticeably below Vietnam's two major metros. Vietnam's visa infrastructure for long-term residents is built around employer-sponsored work permits and business-visa sponsorship rather than a dedicated nomad product; the DT Investor Visa exists as a capital-based route across four tiers, but its lowest tier still requires a seven-figure investment, out of reach for most remote workers, who instead cycle through renewable tourist e-visas or sponsored business visas — workable but less structured than Thailand's purpose-built long-stay visas. The city's appeal rests less on immigration infrastructure than lifestyle economics: My Khe Beach and An Thuong have become a globally recognised cluster of nomad cafés, coworking spaces, and short-term rentals. Rents stay lower than Ho Chi Minh City, though beachfront demand has pushed coastal condo prices up against the city's low base — a two-speed market. Da Nang has no metro or tram; the motorbike remains dominant, as across urban Vietnam. Grab dominates ride-hailing since Uber's 2018 Southeast Asia exit; Uber does not operate here. The airport sits unusually close to the centre.

Verified 2026-06-01