BEST PLACES TO LIVE ABROAD AS A DIGITAL NOMAD IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
Best places to live Abroad as a Digital Nomad In Southeast Asia
Life as a Digital Nomad can be very tough sometimes, when choosing where to live abroad, there are just so many options! No need to worry, I compiled a list for you of the top places to work and live abroad. This time I will start with Southeast Asia
Sofar, since my first blog on becoming a Digital Nomad, I have lived in Portugal, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and traveled to numerous other countries. There are some places that I personally have not been to, since I am in the loop for the Digital Nomad community I have a good list of the top places to live abroad all over the world. Stay tuned for my list of Europe and South America as well!
Thailand
Thailand has so much to offer for someone wanting to live abroad. It is absolutely beautiful with stunning beaches, huge temples and giant national parks. The people are super friendly, it actually also nicknamed the “Land of Smiles” because of that reason! All across the country the food is absolutely incredible, with so many variations and healthy alternatives.
Chiang Mai:
This is the perfect place for a laid back nomad. Everything seems to just run on slower time here. Which is great, but can also be hard to keep motivated. This place is one of, if not THE biggest hub of Digital Nomads in the world. A good place to go to surround yourself with likeminded people and keep the inspiration going!
Cost of living –
You can get by in Chiang Mai for about $650 per month. You can live very comfortably for about $1100 per month. This part is all up to you and your level of comfortability.
Weather-
with temperatures being slightly cooler than Bangkok, you may enjoy it if you are not into the extreme heat. In the winter, it can actually get pretty cold, so pack a jacket!
Fitness/Wellness-
Chaing Mai is a hub for yogis, with so many variations of yoga studios to choose from. There also is of course, Muay Thai, which is Thailand’s national sport of Thai Boxing. There is also a great Crossfit Box there as well. Remember these gyms cost almost as much as back home, but you need to implement some wellness into your lifestyle to keep your health and sanity! Because of the big yogi population, there are also a lot of healthy and vegan cafes to choose from.
Cons-
It can be hard to get around, there is not the best public transportation. if you are going to rent a scooter, do it at your own risk! Avoid burning season, as it is very bad for the lungs. This is a good time to go and check out some of the other spots.
Bangkok
Bangkok is a huge city, but with a really unique vibe. There is definitely a lot of hustle and bustle and tons of amazing restaurants to eat at. The public transportation is very good here, so you will have no problem getting around.
Cost of living-
Slightly more expensive than Chiang Mai, to live comfortably you are looking at about $1200-1500 per month. You can find a good place to rent with a gym and pool for about $600 per month. You can also find wicked (and safe) street food for $1.00, so that helps with costs quite a bit.
Weather-
Bangkok always seems to be pretty hot. Of course the occasional rain and thunderstorms, but it is generally good weather.
Fitness/Wellness-
Being such a huge city, it is obvious that they will have many options for fitness. There are some really cool and affordable gyms all over the city. Juice bars and healthy cafes as well. A huge majority of condos have a full gym included on site, so that is always a major win-win!
Cons-
You are in a very busy city, which means a lot of smog and pollution. Be prepared and keep on top of your health. You are however, in a place to get super cheap flights, so you can always escape to a nice island when you feel you need some relaxation.
Bali, Indonesia
Bali is absolutely amazing. There is a very special energy to bali, which makes it a wonderful place to live abroad! The people are Buddhist, which makes them very warm and loving. Bali is the most perfect place for a healthy nomad, especially if you love meditation and yoga. There is also a ton of places to surf, and climb volcanos too. If you are an adventurist, look no further than Bali!
Ubud
Ubud is like the spiritual/Yogi capital of the world. They actually have more yoga instructors per capita than anywhere else in the world. I like to say that Ubud is like a theme park for the modern day hippie, which is why it is one of my top favorite places in the world to live abroad!
Cost of living-
You can have a pretty good life in Ubud for about $1200 per month. If you partake in yoga, add about $20 per class or at least $100-150 per month to that. If you go to the fancy, raw vegan restaurants you will be paying prices similar to North America, but the quality is good. You can find some absolutely delicious and healthy food there for around $5 though.
Weather-
There are two distinct seasons. Dry from May till September, and wet season from October until April. Yes there is a rainy monsoon season, but keep in mind that is why the lush, vibrant green fields keep their beauty though!
Fitness/Wellness-
As mentioned above, Bali is THE TOP place for a health nut to live abroad. Everywhere you turn around there is vegan restaurants, yoga studios, and Chakras painted on the walls. You like healthy food? How about a vegan buffet for $5.00!
Cons-
For being such amazing, spiritual people, they sure treat the planet like crap. Unfortunately, there is garbage all over. Hopefully they will soon realize what they are doing to our planet and clean up their act-literally.
Canggu
Simply put, if you love to surf- live in Canggu! There are some amazing waves, with a really cool and laid back surfer vibe.
Since Bali is a pretty small island, Canggu has a lot of the same perks that Ubud has to offer. The only difference is one is for surfers and yogis, and the other is mainly yogis! Both have delicious health food, altho since Ubud is bigger, it has way more of a selection. It is fairly easy to get between the two places, if you want to hire a driver. Otherwise you have to rent your own scooter and drive at your own risk. A lot of people have no problem but it is always smart to know your risks and use precautions. Their way of driving is organized Chaos, if you are comfortable with that- giver! Same goes for Thailand.
I hope you found this list helpful, feel free to comment below if you have any questions!
With love, health and happiness,
The Fit Gypsy
