Public travel plan
A Digital Nomad’s 12-Day Thailand & Vietnam Relocation Scout
This is a fast comparison trip for someone weighing where to build a longer-term remote-work life, not a sightseeing itinerary. The source compares Da Nang, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with Chiang Mai, Phuket and Bangkok…
Source videos
Travel inspiration behind this plan
Plan notes
Useful context before you go
This is a fast comparison trip for someone weighing where to build a longer-term remote-work life, not a sightseeing itinerary. The source compares Da Nang, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with Chiang Mai, Phuket and Bangkok, so allow two days in each city and use the same questions at every stop: realistic housing cost, daily pace, transport comfort, remote-work setup, community and visa fit. The creator describes Vietnam as less expensive and more energetic, while Thailand offers more varied lifestyles and clearer long-term visa pathways. The video mentions Vietnam’s 90-day multiple-entry e-visa and Thailand’s DTV, LTR, Thailand Privilege, teaching and retirement options; eligibility and rules can change, so verify them with official immigration sources before making plans. For hot-weather carry-on packing, the creator favors lightweight, breathable, versatile natural-fiber clothing such as cotton and linen.
Resources for this plan
Shared by the source creators. These are not VibePlanit endorsements and may be affiliate links.
View free remote work guide · GoingFartherTogether ↗ Creator link · may be an affiliate link
Review travel medical insurance · GoingFartherTogether ↗ Creator link · may be an affiliate link
Itinerary highlights
What is in this plan
Days 1–2: Da Nang and its named expat neighborhoods
Use Da Nang as the first Vietnam comparison point. The video describes it as the most affordable of the three Vietnamese cities discussed, with furnished one-bedroom apartments in My An or An Thuong cited at roughly $300–$600 monthly. It also cautions that English-language listings may cost nearly twice as much as local listings. The creators’ own two-bedroom apartment cost $846 for a month, but was in an unnamed residential neighborhood; do not treat that as a pin or a neighborhood recommendat…
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My AnMy An, Da Nang, Vietnam
Compare furnished-apartment listings in this expat-friendly area against the video’s cited range of about $300–$600 per month. The creator warns that English-language listings can carry a foreigner premium compared with local listings.
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An ThuongAn Thuong, Da Nang, Vietnam
The video also names An Thong as an expat-friendly area for furnished one-bedroom rentals, within the same approximate $300–$600 monthly range. Compare actual local and English-language listings before judging the neighborhood’s value.
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Da Nang Social ClubDa Nang Social Club, Da Nang, Vietnam
Assess Da Nang’s daily pace and remote-work fit alongside rent: the creators describe it as more manageable than Ho Chi Minh City, while still noting frequent motorbike traffic and infrastructure limitations. Their apartment example was about 20 minutes from the main area, but its specific neighborhood was not identified.
Days 3–4: Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Thanh
Use this stop to compare a larger, faster city with Da Nang. The video gives a broad furnished one-bedroom range of about $800–$1,500 monthly in Ho Chi Minh City; older buildings and outer neighborhoods such as Binh Thanh are cited around $600–$750, with a trade-off in location and amenities. The creators describe heavy traffic and motorbike activity as part of everyday life.
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Binh ThanhBinh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
The video cites Binh Thanh as an outer-neighborhood option where older apartments may run about $600–$750 monthly, trading some location convenience and amenities for lower rent. Compare the actual apartment and commute rather than assuming all listings match that range.
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Ho Chi Minh CityHo Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Compare the main-city rental range of roughly $800–$1,500 per month for a modern furnished one-bedroom with the outer-neighborhood option in Binh Thanh. The creators describe the city as dense, loud and fast, with traffic that can make car journeys slow.
Days 5–6: Hanoi and Tay Ho
Compare Hanoi’s central rental market with Tay Ho, which the video identifies as the city’s main expat neighborhood. Central one-bedroom rents are cited at about $400–$550 monthly, while Tay Ho is put closer to $600–$900. The creators also estimate another $430–$700 per month for groceries, food, rides, utilities and internet in Vietnam; use these as source-era comparison figures, not guaranteed current prices.
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Chef Bi Cooking ClassHanoi, Vietnam
The video places central one-bedroom apartments at approximately $400–$550 per month. Use this city-level benchmark to compare actual listings; no particular building or central neighborhood was named.
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Tay HoTay Ho District, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tay Ho is identified as Hanoi’s main expat neighborhood. The video cites one-bedroom rents closer to $600–$900 monthly here, above the stated central-city average; compare that premium with the neighborhood’s fit for your ordinary workdays.
Days 7–8: Chiang Mai’s remote-work comparison
The creators call Chiang Mai the strongest Thailand option for budget, describing it as laid-back and walkable. Their example apartment cost $708 monthly and included a pool, gym, coworking space and security; they add that a lease might be around $500–$600 at the high end. The apartment was not named, so treat these as city-level comparison points rather than a specific property recommendation.
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Sunday Night Market Chiang MaiRachadamnoen Rd, Chiang Mai
Use the city to compare the video’s housing examples: an apartment with a pool, gym, coworking space and security was $708 per month, while the creators suggested a lease could be around $500–$600 at the high end. The property itself was not identified.
Days 9–10: Phuket’s beach-oriented option
The video presents Phuket as a middle-of-the-range choice for Thailand, with a one-bedroom in a decent expat area cited around $440–$600 monthly and closer to $700–$900 near the beach. The creators describe beach access and international amenities as part of the appeal. No specific Phuket neighborhood or apartment was named.
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Inter Property Phuket Co.Inter Property Phuket Co., Phuket, Thailand
Compare the video’s city-level estimates: about $440–$600 monthly for a one-bedroom in a decent expat area, rising to roughly $700–$900 closer to the beach. The creators’ own month-long apartment stay was about $35 per night and included a washing machine, stovetop, building gym and pool; they did not identify the property or neighborhood.
Days 11–12: Bangkok’s metropolitan option
Finish in Bangkok to compare Thailand’s major-city infrastructure and lifestyle with the Vietnamese cities. The video cites roughly $850–$1,200 monthly for a nice one-bedroom near a BTS station in an expat-friendly neighborhood, and highlights restaurants, hospitals and infrastructure. It does not name particular neighborhoods or apartment buildings.
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Bangkok Street Food StallsBangkok, Thailand
Use Bangkok as the high-infrastructure comparison point. The video gives a monthly rent range of about $850–$1,200 for a nice one-bedroom near a BTS station in an expat-friendly neighborhood, and notes the city’s restaurant variety, hospitals and infrastructure. No specific neighborhood was named.