When I first arrived in Southeast Asia, I felt as many first-timers often do – completely and utterly overwhelmed. Landing in Hanoi just over two years ago, exhausted from the long-haul flight via New York, I remember feeling excitement and chaos around me. I must have taken a photo of every scooter carrying a family of 4+, which I’d later be entirely desensitized to, finding it to be my new normal. Street vendors selling anything and everything poured out from tiny shops and carts into the streets. People eating noodles sitting on miniature orange stools on every sidewalk, steam flowing overhead from the woks making a local (and soon to be personal) favorite, Bún chả. And the smells, the smells you won’t ever forget. Late summer in Hanoi smells like street spices, cà phê, monsoon, and something you can’t quite put your finger on. Maybe history, maybe how old everything is, and how much turmoil it has been through. There’s a stink that singes your nose, that you never quite get used to. For me, I was in love instantly. Hectic, hectic, love.

The past two years I have spent living and traveling throughout Southeast Asia, only to have a wildly unique experience like this each time I touch down somewhere new. Before living here, most of Asia was a mystery to me. I’d get Singapore and Shanghai confused as if they were acquaintances I met once years ago. Now each country triggers a visual memory, so different from the next. Each with adventures to recall, none of which would have existed if I didn’t also find a way to maintain my remote work while exploring this part of the globe.

So, if you are fantasizing about a Southeast Asian getaway, here are my top recommendations for places to live and work while you are here!

Image from Nations Online

Southeast Asia is highlighted in red

* Cost of Living Data Sourced from NomadList and is based on a single person.

Hanoi, Vietnam

🤑 Cost of Living: $954 USD /month

🤹‍♀️ Best for: Those who like a little chaos in their lives

🇻🇳 Culture: You’ll always be aware you are in a foreign country, but Vietnamese haven’t held onto historical grudges and are surprisingly welcoming

🗣 Language: Learning some basic Vietnamese will get you lots of smiles from locals, but most younger locals speak English and/or French. Vietnamese is a very difficult language but the basics are easy to cover and remember.

💻 Co-working: Try out Moonwork

Hội An, Vietnam

🤑 Cost of Living: $1,043 USD /month

🤹‍♀️ Best for: Those who want a quaint village feel while still getting an authentic Vietnamese experience.

🇻🇳 Culture: This village is a huge tourist destination so there are plenty of western amenities if you’re ever feeling homesick, while still embodying the charm of a small village.

🗣 Language: Because the local economy is so reliant on tourism, you should have no trouble speaking English to locals.

💻 Co-working: Try out Hub Hoi An for about $172 USD /month for a hot desk.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

🤑 Cost of Living: $1,277 USD /month

🤹‍♀️ Best for: Those who want to the lifestyle of a first-world country, with access to unique cultural experiences and cuisine.

🇲🇾 Culture: Malaysia is made up of a blend of several different cultures from countries who once colonized this land, making for delicious dining and fascinating architecture.

🗣 Language: Being a larger modern city, almost everyone speaks some level of English.

💻 Co-working: Try out Common Ground or Paper + Toast.

Chiang Mai, Thailand

🤑 Cost of Living: $1,068 USD /month

🧘‍♂️ Best for: Those who want to experience the more peaceful side of Thailand.

🇹🇭 Culture: Thailand is famous for being a super friendly country, and Chiang Mai is full of amazing restaurants, shopping, and fun, all with access to beautiful nature trails and temples.

🗣 Language: Always helpful to learn the basics, but you won’t have a problem getting by with English here.

💻 Co-working: Try out Common Ground or Paper + Toast.

Phuket, Thailand

🤑 Cost of Living: $1,364 USD /month

🤹‍♀️ Best for: Those who love to party by the beach, and island-hop on the weekends.

🇹🇭 Culture: This area definitely caters to international travelers, however, you are still in a small town in the middle of Thailand and will find some things very appealing (cost of living well) and somethings unappealing (trashed beaches).

🗣 Language: with an average of 9.29 million visitors a year, English is standard.

💻 Co-working: Try out Cocoworking Space

Canggu, Bali, Indonesia

🤑 Cost of Living: $1,247 USD /month

🤹‍♀️ Best for: Surfers, adventurers, late-night beach ravers, and yoga lovers – although the ex-pat crowd tends to prefer the latter.

🇮🇩 Culture: It’s really easy to make a home-away-from-home here, with any kind of cuisine you could crave nearby, lovely locals, and extremely cheap rent, the only downside might be learning to navigate the old and sometimes make-shift roads by scooter.

🗣 Language: Most locals will speak enough English to have a conversation, but learning a few phrases of Bahasa or Indonesian will not only make you local friends but show that you are an ex-pat and not a tourist.

💻 Co-working: My absolute go-to spot is Dojo Bali

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

🤑 Cost of Living: $1,296 USD /month

🧘‍♂️ Best for: Yogis, vegans, and mountain adventurers. Kind of the grown-up, sober, and spiritual sister of Canggu.

🇮🇩 Culture: a great place to get embedded in the spiritual culture of Bali – if you came to Bali after watching Eat, Pray, Love.. this is the place you are looking for.

🗣 Language: the downtown of Ubud is a massive tourist destination, so English is standard.

💻 Co-working: Try out Hubud

Singapore

🤑 Cost of Living: $2,741 USD /month

🤹‍♀️ Best for: Those who want a super-modern city life

🇸🇬 Culture: a very international city will make it easy to meet interesting people while experiencing fun local experiences like eating at a Hawker Centre.

🗣 Language: English is one of the 4 Official languages here, so nothing will be lost in translation.