Freaking Nomads, an online resource for digital nomads, has revealed the 10 best cities for location-independent professionals this year, with Hoi An city ranking first thanks to affordability, strong Wi-Fi, and warm communities.
The central coastal city of Da Nang ranks fourth.
Travel+Leisure, a travel magazine of the US with more than 16 million readers, on May 28 cited the Freaking Nomads list of the best cities for digital nomads.
The top three cities are Hoi An, Delhi (India), and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), followed by Da Nang and Mumbai (India).
After the COVID-19 pandemic, remote working has become increasingly popular, with more and more people looking for destinations to combine travel and work.
According to a report by WFH Research - a company studying remote working trends, as of 2023, 12.7% of full-time US workers had chosen to work remotely. The rate is expected to reach 22% by 2025.
Freaking Nomads analysed various factors to determine the best destinations, including the remote work visa ease of access for digital nomads; the cost of living index, rent index, groceries index, restaurant price index, and local purchasing power relative to New York City; the number of coworking spaces per 1 million residents (circa 2019); average mobile data speed Mbps; and average broadband speed Mbps.
On a scale of 100, Hoi An is at the top position with 73.94. As a world heritage site recognised by UNESCO, Hoi An is home to well-preserved buildings that are hundreds of years old, and winding streets filled with colorful lanterns which create a magical atmosphere. The ancient beauty of Hoi An will attract digital nomads who want to work in a unique corner of the world.
Meanwhile, Da Nang got 71.32 out of 100. The city is well-known for its beautiful coastlines and amazing destinations, for example Ngu Hanh Son, that inspire digital nomads.
