Amsterdam vs Hoi An

Real cost of living, rent, internet, safety and visa terms for both cities, side by side — then open the interactive tool to weight them against your own priorities.

Amsterdam, Netherlands
🇳🇱Netherlands

Amsterdam

88Freedom Score#4Global rank$3,800Per month

Europe's most livable trading hub — English spoken everywhere, world-class infrastructure, 30% tax ruling for expats, and Schiphol as a gateway to any city on earth in under 3 hours.

Hoi An, Vietnam
🇻🇳Vietnam

Hoi An

71Freedom Score#43Global rank$1,050Per month

A UNESCO lantern-lit old town between rice paddies and the river — Vietnam's most picturesque base, with 45-day visa-free and rock-bottom costs.

The short answer

Compare these two in the full toolBoth cities pre-loaded — add your income and priorities to get a personal match score

Cost of living

Monthly figures for one person. Rent, meals and coworking are measured values, not shares of the total budget.

ExpenseAmsterdamHoi An
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$3,800$1,050✓
Rent, 1BR city centre$1,900$400✓
Meal, mid-range$20$6✓
Coworking deskper month$280$100✓
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper84.540.0✓

Quality of life

Scored 0–100 on the same attributes the match engine weights, so these agree with the interactive tool.

MeasureAmsterdamHoi An
Safety
86
82
Healthcare
85
48
Walkability
85
88
English spoken
95
35
Food & dining
75
82
Nightlife
80
45
Outdoors
68
70
Nomad community
85
58
Climate quality
60
75
Public transit
90
40

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureAmsterdamHoi An
Freedom Score88/100✓71/100
Global rankof 100 cities#4✓#43
Internet160 Mbps✓45 Mbps
Average temperature52°F79°F
Air quality35/10040/100✓
Airport connectivity92/100✓35/100
Nomad visan.a.45 days free
Headline tax rateon local income37%20%

Which should you choose?

Choose Amsterdam if internet is faster at 160 Mbps, it scores higher on safety (86 vs 82), English is more widely spoken and the nomad community is larger.

Choose Hoi An if runs $2,750/mo cheaper, rent is $1,500/mo lower, it is more walkable and the climate scores better.

What each city is known for

Amsterdam

  • English spoken at native level by virtually everyone
  • 30% tax ruling: first 5 years, 30% of salary is tax-free
  • Schiphol: nonstop to 300+ destinations, 3rd busiest in Europe
  • Bikes, trams, walking — car-free lifestyle fully possible

Hoi An

  • UNESCO old town of lanterns and tailors
  • 45-day visa-free for Westerners
  • Among the cheapest nomad towns
  • Rice paddies and river beaches

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Amsterdam or Hoi An?
Amsterdam scores higher on the Freedom Score (88/100 against 71/100), which makes it the stronger all-round base. That is an average, though — if cost, climate or community is what actually decides it for you, the tables above will point the other way as often as not.
Which is cheaper: Amsterdam or Hoi An?
Hoi An is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $1,050 against $3,800, a difference of $2,750 a month or about $33,000 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $1,900/mo in Amsterdam versus $400/mo in Hoi An.
Which is safer: Amsterdam or Hoi An?
Amsterdam scores higher on safety, 86/100 against 82/100. Safety scores blend crime levels, political stability and healthcare access, and they describe a city as a whole — individual neighbourhoods vary far more than the headline number suggests.
How fast is the internet in Amsterdam and Hoi An?
Amsterdam averages 160 Mbps and Hoi An averages 45 Mbps, so Amsterdam has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Amsterdam or Hoi An?
Amsterdam sits in Netherlands (n.a.) and Hoi An in Vietnam (45 days free). Requirements, income floors and processing times change often, so check the visa and residency guide before you commit to either.
Open the interactive comparison

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Cost, connectivity and quality-of-life figures come from the YourLifeMatch city dataset. Where a value is not confirmed it reads n.a. rather than an estimate. Figures are for planning, not professional advice.