Cost of Living in Hoi An
Complete monthly cost breakdown for digital nomads in Hoi An, Vietnam
Hoi An offers digital nomads one of the most affordable bases in central Vietnam, with monthly costs running 10-20% less than Da Nang and roughly 25-30% below Ho Chi Minh City. On a budget tier of $700-900/month (17-22 million VND), you can rent a basic studio or homestay room in Cam Chau or Tan An for $200-300, eat almost exclusively at local com binh dan restaurants and street stalls for $150-200, ride a bicycle everywhere for nearly free, skip coworking in favor of cafe-hopping, and cover utilities and a SIM card for another $30-50. This lean setup works well in Hoi An because the town is flat, compact, and packed with affordable Vietnamese eateries serving pho, banh mi, and mi quang for 25,000-50,000 VND per meal.
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Monthly Budget Breakdown
| Category | Budget | Mid-Range | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏠 Accommodation | $200 | $250 | $350 |
| 🍽️ Food & Dining | $110 | $155 | $320 |
| 💻 Coworking | $0 | $70 | $100 |
| 🚇 Transport | $30 | $50 | $100 |
| 🎯 Entertainment | $50 | $100 | $200 |
| 📱 Other | $50 | $100 | $200 |
| Total | $440 | $725 | $1,270 |
Accommodation
The most popular neighborhoods for digital nomads in Hoi An form a corridor between the Ancient Town and An Bang Beach. Cam An and Cam Chau sit in the middle of this stretch, offering rice-paddy views and quiet residential streets with one-bedroom apartments ranging from 6-10 million VND ($240-400) per month. An Bang Beach is the social hub of the nomad scene, with furnished studios and apartments running $350-600/month depending on proximity to the shore, and several options include rooftop terraces or shared pools. Tan An, just south of the Old Town, provides the most authentic Vietnamese neighborhood feel with homestay rooms from 4-6 million VND ($160-240) and small apartments around 5-8 million VND ($200-320). The Old Town itself tends to be pricier and noisier, better suited for short stays than long-term remote work.
Food & Eating Out
Hoi An is one of Vietnam's greatest food cities, and digital nomads here eat extraordinarily well for very little. The town's signature street dishes are world-class and dirt cheap: a bowl of cao lau (thick noodles with pork, herbs, and crispy croutons) runs 30,000-50,000 VND ($1.20-$2.00) at local spots, com ga Hoi An (turmeric chicken rice) is about 30,000 VND ($1.20), a banh mi from vendors near the Old Town costs 20,000-35,000 VND ($0.80-$1.40), and a plate of white rose dumplings averages 40,000-60,000 VND ($1.60-$2.40). Street-side com binh dan (workers' rice plates) with protein and vegetables go for 25,000-35,000 VND. For three meals a day from street stalls and local eateries, budget $4-$7 per day or roughly $120-$200 per month.
Groceries
Hoi An's grocery scene blends traditional wet markets with modern convenience stores, giving digital nomads flexible options for self-catering. The main hub is Hoi An Central Market on Tran Phu Street along the river, which is best visited before 7 AM when fishermen deliver the morning catch and produce is freshest. Here you will find rice at roughly 20,000-25,000 VND ($0.80-$1.00) per kilogram, a dozen eggs for 35,000-40,000 VND ($1.40-$1.60), pork at 80,000-100,000 VND ($3.20-$4.00) per kilogram, chicken at 70,000-85,000 VND ($2.80-$3.40) per kilogram, and seasonal vegetables like morning glory, tomatoes, and cucumbers for 10,000-20,000 VND per bunch or kilogram. Fresh seafood is a standout: shrimp, squid, and whole fish from the nearby coast are significantly cheaper than supermarket equivalents, often 50-70% less than Western prices.
Transportation
Hoi An is one of the most walkable and bike-friendly towns in all of Vietnam, making transportation costs negligible for most digital nomads. The flat terrain, compact layout, and UNESCO-protected Old Town with its vehicle-free streets mean a bicycle is all you need for daily life. Bike rentals run just 25,000-50,000 VND ($1-2) per day from shops like Hoi An Bike Rental, and many guesthouses and hotels lend bicycles to long-stay guests for free. Riding from Cam An to the Old Town takes about ten minutes, and the popular An Bang Beach is a pleasant fifteen-minute pedal through rice paddies. For longer-term stays, buying a used bicycle for 500,000-1,000,000 VND ($20-40) and reselling when you leave is common practice among nomads.
🪪 Driving & License
Only 1968 Vienna Convention IDPs are accepted. US-issued 1949 Geneva IDPs are NOT valid — Americans need a Vietnamese temporary license. Motorcycle/scooter license category required. Traffic is chaotic and enforcement is increasing, especially in cities. Many travelers ride without a valid license but face no insurance coverage in case of an accident.
Connectivity
Hoi An's internet infrastructure has improved significantly as the town has attracted more digital nomads, though it still trails nearby Da Nang in consistency and coworking options. Home fiber internet from Vietnam's three major ISPs — Viettel, VNPT, and FPT Telecom — starts at just 180,000 VND ($7) per month for 300 Mbps plans, with packages up to 1 Gbps available for 250,000-300,000 VND ($10-12). These are national rates and apply in Hoi An, though real-world speeds in the town average somewhat lower than in major cities. Most furnished apartments include internet in the rent, but always confirm the connection type and ask for a speed test before committing to longer stays.
Health
Hoi An has limited but functional healthcare for a small city. The main facility is Hoi An General Hospital on Tran Hung Dao street, a public hospital that handles emergencies and basic care at low cost, though English-speaking staff are scarce and facilities are modest. Pacific Hospital at 6 Phan Dinh Phung is the better private option, offering cleaner facilities and some English-speaking doctors, with GP consultations running around 400,000-500,000 VND ($16-20 USD). For anything serious, you will need to get to Da Nang, just 30 km north. Vinmec Da Nang International Hospital is the gold standard for expats, with modern equipment, English-speaking staff, and international-grade care. Specialist consultations there cost 500,000-700,000 VND ($20-28 USD), and a private hospital room runs $200-400 USD per night.
Tips & Traps
Vietnam's 90-day e-visa is the go-to option for digital nomads, available as single-entry ($25 USD) or multiple-entry ($50 USD) with fully online processing in 3-7 business days. There is no dedicated digital nomad visa, so you are technically a tourist and cannot legally work in-country, though enforcement for remote workers is effectively non-existent. The e-visa cannot be extended, so plan a border run to Laos, Cambodia, or fly to Bangkok before it expires. Many nomads do back-to-back 90-day stays with a brief exit between them.
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