Best Places in Thailand to Live and Work Remotely
Thailand has undoubtedly become THE ultimate digital nomad destination in recent years. That’s why we keep on returning virtually every year!
It’s the perfect place for us to build a sustainable online business with a thriving digital nomad community, an excellent choice of workspaces and of course, a low cost of living.
The great weather is also a plus and there is a lot to see and do when you get some downtime.
Thailand has that something special that keeps making us want to go back again, again AND again!
During our various stints in Thailand, we’ve set up base in a number of different locations which has enabled us to truly experience and establish the best places to live and work remotely in the country.
For any digital nomads or soon-to-be digital nomads who are considering setting up base in Thailand, we’ve put together our list of the top 3 places we consider the best spots to live and work remotely:
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Chiang Mai
Top of our list is the city labelled the “mecca” and digital nomad capital of the world – Chiang Mai.
We’ve spent a number of months here and found the city offers the perfect mix of affordability, infrastructure, and a great quality of life. It’s no surprise that Nomad List give Chiang Mai a 10/10 rating as a digital nomad destination.
Finding an apartment can be difficult, especially if you’re looking for anything less than a 6 month lease, but it is definitely doable.
Our 1-bedroom apartment in Chiang Mai cost $500 per month.
The cost of living can come in anywhere between $500-$1000 a month. There is a fantastic digital nomad community in Chiang Mai and the shared workspace facilities were the best of any city we’ve visited across the globe.
This city tops all criteria for freelancers and digital nomads – it’s even home to an international airport which makes getting in and out a breeze.
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Bangkok
Bangkok arouses different opinions from traveller to traveller but as the capital city of Thailand, it offers an excellent environment for digital nomads.
Although you can expect average rental costs to be significantly higher than in Chiang Mai – the average cost of living and working remotely in Bangkok comes in at around $1,200 per month – it does offer some significant advantages.
The WiFi speed is much greater in Bangkok, averaging around 25 mbps vs. 10-15 mbps in other Thai cities and it is incredibly easy to find a suitable workspace with free WiFi.
Not only does Bangkok come out top when it comes to internet speed and availability, it also trumps other cities in Thailand when it comes to climate, city size, food, and cheap flights.
The street food in Bangkok is amazing. We had some of the BEST curries in all of Thailand whilst in the city.
The Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok offers a number of cheap domestic flights from a range of Thai airlines ensuring it is ever so easy to grab some quick weekend breaks and explore other cities and areas of Thailand.
The capital city might be most famous for its nightlife, temples and markets, but it’s a major international hub for digital nomads, offering all the great modern comforts of home.
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Koh Samui
Located along the beautiful clear waters in the Gulf of Thailand, off the east coast of Thailand, Koh Samui offers digital nomads a taste of paradise.
Few cities in the world can offer the functional facilities and idyllic landscape of Koh Samui. What is for many the dream island escape, Koh Samui is perfectly equipped to support the digital nomad lifestyle with a number of bright, well-appointed workspaces available for a very low cost – typically $150 per month.
One of our mobile offices in Koh Samui, Thailand.
Finding apartments for rent in Koh Samui is usually pretty straightforward. You’ll find top class luxury accommodation usually for anywhere between $600 and $1200 per month.
The cost of living and working remotely in Koh Samui typically comes in higher than Chiang Mai or Bangkok at $1,350 per month.
However with average temperatures of 29 degrees Celsius, you can enjoy the perfect blend of a beach lifestyle coupled with a quiet, relaxed atmosphere which maximises productivity.
It is definitely one of the best places in Thailand to live and work remotely.
