Want to work abroad? Here are the top 8 Asian cities for digital nomads

With the array of tools and applications that we have at our disposal today, telecommuting is far more realistic a possibility than it was several years ago. And thank goodness for that — nine out of ten workers hate the daily commute to the office, and the last one is a liar. That’s something I just made up, but I wouldn’t be surprised if you immediately believed it. After all, commuters are generally less satisfied with life, view their daily activities as having lesser worth, are less happy, and have higher anxiety than those who don’t commute — at least, according to a report from Britain’s Office for National Statistics.

Suffice to say, most would far prefer to have the freedom to pick where they want to work from. It comes as no surprise then that out of Fortune’s ‘100 Best Companies to Work For in 2013’, eight of the top ten offer telecommuting options. After all, happy workers are better workers, and the science supports it.

And why stop at just working from home when you can work remotely from anywhere in the world? There’s a whole group of people doing just that. These ‘digital nomads’ are a growing breed, and their numbers will only get bigger as more people hop on board the telecommuting express.

So, assuming that logging on to a virtual workplace from the beachside becomes a reality, the next question is: which country should you work from? Thanks to budding digital nomad Pieter Levels, several options are available for the picking at his crowdsourced guide Nomadlist.io, which is his fourth startup since leaving Amsterdam early last year.

According to Levels, almost a thousand people have added to the list since it was launched, and he and his team do constant checks to ensure that the data is credible. “We manually check most data and moderate it. It’s true that many people will add their own cities and fill in the data with a total bias. So we have to correct for that,” he explains.

While the slogan for the website reads, “the best cities to live and work remotely”, Levels admits that the data is currently very much tailored towards nomads looking for low-cost options, though he is looking to find a “middle way” that includes expensive places with great facilities as well.

Of this list, we’ve picked out the top eight cities in Asia that you can consider working from.

1. Chiang Mai, Thailand

Standing at 138 points, Chiang Mai is the number one choice globally amongst digital nomads. And no wonder — not only is the “NomadCost” (the monthly cost to live/work for digital nomads) extremely low at an estimated $648 per month, the northern Thai city also ranks high in terms of work-crucial factors such as safety and availability of wi-fi.

2. Bangkok, Thailand

Coming in a close second in this list at 115 points — and overall third — is Thailand’s lively capital. The only downside is that it is relatively more expensive to live and work in, with a NomadCost of about $1,368 per month. However, the comparatively more exciting nightlife would likely more than make up for it.

3. Hoi An, Vietnam

When talking about hot startup scenes, Vietnam doesn’t immediately come to mind. Don’t be fooled, though — there are waves of promising Vietnamese startups coming up on the horizon, and certainly more to come. Wi-fi is readily available, though the level of safety seems to be lower than in Thailand. However, taking into account its NomadCost of $1,083, Hoi An still manages to come in close behind Bangkok with 105 points.

4. Davao, Philippines

The Philippines is well-known for its massive online freelance industry. In fact, a whopping $76 million worth of work was produced by local Elance-oDesk freelancers in 2013. Despite having slower internet speeds, Davao manages to snag 96 points and an overall seventh placing in the global tally. Its main advantage is a largely English-speaking population, as well as good wi-fi availability and a respectable NomadCost of $1,038.

5. Ubud, Indonesia

Located on Bali, picturesque Ubud often plays host to many a digital nomad’s remote working fantasies, thanks to its neverending rice fields and lovely scenery. Apart from that, it is a relatively safe place to be, though internet speeds are fairly slow, and wi-fi is more difficult to get a hold of compared to the the cities higher up this ranking. Still, that might not be a bad thing if you need to put your head down for a period of time and get some serious work done. The NomadCost here is a par-for-course $1,160.

6. Phuket, Thailand

Yes, it’s Thailand again, but this time in an area that’s more popularly known as a tourist destination. As with other parts of Thailand, the internet speed here is fairly good, though wi-fi is hard to find. The good news: the nightlife here is fantastic (especially in Patong), and the NomadCost is average at $1,170.

7. Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Another nascent startup scene that is on its way up, Phnom Penh’s low NomadCost of $935 is probably its main draw. With readily available wi-fi and a thriving nightlife scene, Cambodia’s capital is the perfect place to find a nice work-life balance.

8. Taipei, Taiwan

Taiwan would strike most digital nomads as an odd choice, given that it is relatively costly to live in, with a monthly NomadCost of $2,121, making it the most expensive option by far on this list. However, for the price you would get a very comfortable level of technology, with speedy internet and ever-present wi-fi. Plus there’s a very happening party scene at night, as well.

See: 12 startups in 12 months: here’s how this digital nomad is doing it

Originally published at www.techinasia.com on September 30, 2014.