Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by almost everyone, is the place for remote workers who feed off energy. It is loud, hot and relentlessly commercial, with a deep bench of startups, agencies and foreign companies, rooftop bars, and street food on every corner. It suits people who want networking events and a big-city social life rather than a quiet retreat.

Thao Dien, in the former District 2, is the expat village of leafy lanes, villas and international cafés; The Hive and Saigon Coworking both have spaces there, with hot desks from about 1.5 million dong a month. District 1 is central and lively but pricier, while District 3 offers older apartments and a more local feel, with Toong's Vo Thi Sau branch close by. Binh Thanh sits between the two and is popular for value. Dreamplex has several polished sites in District 1 and Thao Dien for those who want a more corporate setting.

Grab cars and bikes are the default way around, and the first metro line now links District 1 with Thao Dien and Thu Duc. Fibre is fast and cheap, and power cuts are rare in central districts. A furnished one-bed in a nomad-friendly area costs roughly US$550 to US$700 a month, and a comfortable lifestyle comes to about US$1,450. There are two seasons: dry and slightly cooler from December to April, and wet from May to November, when short, heavy afternoon downpours are the norm and streets can flood briefly.

The downsides are the noise, the heat that never really lets up, and the traffic, which makes walking unpleasant in many districts. Bag and phone snatching by passing motorbikes is the most common crime against foreigners, so keep phones away from the kerb. Air quality dips in the dry season, and the expat bubble in Thao Dien can be expensive by Vietnamese standards.