Hoi An vs Seoul: cost of living for digital nomads

Hoi An, Vietnam and Seoul, South Korea, line by line from the catalogue: what a month costs, rent, food, coworking, safety and internet. Every figure links back to its source on the city page.

The short version

  • Hoi An is about 55% cheaper than Seoul for a month of nomad living ($990 vs $2,200).
  • Rent is the biggest gap: $400 in Hoi An against $1,000 in Seoul.
  • Seoul scores higher on safety (9/10 vs 8/10).
  • Internet is faster in Seoul: 250 Mbps typical against 100 Mbps.
  • Hoi An is tropical; Seoul is continental.

Hoi An wins 6 of the measured lines; Seoul wins 2.

LineHoi AnSeoul
Monthly total (USD)$990$2,200
Rent$400$1,000
Food$280$550
Transport$40$80
Coworking$80$170
Safety (out of 10)8/109/10
Internet (Mbps)100250
Climatetropicalcontinental
City sizesmallmetro
Settingcoastinland
Nomad score (out of 10)8/107/10

Compare Hoi An with

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Costs are typical monthly figures for one person in USD, from the sources named on each city page; safety and internet are the catalogue's own ratings. Check the city pages for the dates each was last verified.