Belgrade 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.

Belgrade, Serbia
🇷🇸Serbia

Belgrade

71Freedom Score#42Global rank$1,623Per month

Serbia's capital — legendary nightlife, riverside energy, and easy long stays for many nationalities at some of Europe's lowest prices.

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.

ExpenseBelgradeHoi An
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$1,623$1,050
Rent, 1BR city centre$730$400
Meal, mid-range$12$6
Coworking deskper month$146$100
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper36.140.0

Quality of life

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

MeasureBelgradeHoi An
Safety
62
82
Healthcare
60
48
Walkability
70
88
English spoken
70
35
Food & dining
70
82
Nightlife
85
45
Outdoors
55
70
Nomad community
60
58
Climate quality
66
75
Public transit
65
40

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureBelgradeHoi An
Freedom Score71/10071/100
Global rankof 100 cities#42#43
Internet55 Mbps45 Mbps
Average temperature54°F79°F
Air quality72/10040/100
Airport connectivity60/10035/100
Nomad visa90-day+ stay45 days free
Headline tax rateon local income15%20%

Which should you choose?

Choose Belgrade if internet is faster at 55 Mbps, English is more widely spoken, the nomad community is larger and the headline tax rate is lower.

Choose Hoi An if runs $573/mo cheaper, rent is $330/mo lower, it scores higher on safety (82 vs 62) and it is more walkable.

What each city is known for

Belgrade

  • Easy long-stay/extension rules for many passports
  • Belgrade nightlife — riverside splavovi clubs are legendary
  • Very low cost of living for a European capital
  • Fast-growing nomad and remote-worker community

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: Belgrade or Hoi An?
Belgrade and Hoi An tie on the Freedom Score at 71/100, so the decision comes down to which individual measures matter most to you.
Which is cheaper: Belgrade or Hoi An?
Hoi An is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $1,050 against $1,623, a difference of $573 a month or about $6,876 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $730/mo in Belgrade versus $400/mo in Hoi An.
Which is safer: Belgrade or Hoi An?
Hoi An scores higher on safety, 82/100 against 62/100. 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 Belgrade and Hoi An?
Belgrade averages 55 Mbps and Hoi An averages 45 Mbps, so Belgrade has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Belgrade or Hoi An?
Belgrade sits in Serbia (90-day+ stay) 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.
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