Cartagena 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.

Cartagena, Colombia
🇨🇴Colombia

Cartagena

60Freedom Score#83Global rank$888Per month

Colombia's jewel on the Caribbean — a UNESCO walled colonial city, azure waters, perfect US market hours, and the warmth of the coast at a fraction of Miami 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.

ExpenseCartagenaHoi An
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$888✓$1,050
Rent, 1BR city centre$569$400✓
Meal, mid-range$18$6✓
Coworking deskper month$92✓$100
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper30.2✓40.0

Quality of life

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

MeasureCartagenaHoi An
Safety
40
82
Healthcare
60
48
Walkability
60
88
English spoken
40
35
Food & dining
80
82
Nightlife
80
45
Outdoors
68
70
Nomad community
60
58
Climate quality
78
75
Public transit
40
40

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureCartagenaHoi An
Freedom Score60/10071/100✓
Global rankof 100 cities#83#43✓
Internet30 Mbps45 Mbps✓
Average temperature82°F79°F
Air quality45/100✓40/100
Airport connectivity60/100✓35/100
Nomad visa90 days45 days free
Headline tax rateon local income0%20%

Which should you choose?

Choose Cartagena if runs $162/mo cheaper, English is more widely spoken, the climate scores better and the nomad community is larger.

Choose Hoi An if rent is $169/mo lower, internet is faster at 45 Mbps, it scores higher on safety (82 vs 40) and it is more walkable.

What each city is known for

Cartagena

  • US market opens at 9:30am — perfect trading schedule
  • UNESCO walled city: one of the Americas' most photogenic spots
  • Rosario Islands 45 minutes by boat — Caribbean paradise
  • Street food in Getsemani neighbourhood is world-class

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: Cartagena or Hoi An?
Hoi An scores higher on the Freedom Score (71/100 against 60/100), 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: Cartagena or Hoi An?
Cartagena is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $888 against $1,050, a difference of $162 a month or about $1,944 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $569/mo in Cartagena versus $400/mo in Hoi An.
Which is safer: Cartagena or Hoi An?
Hoi An scores higher on safety, 82/100 against 40/100. 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 Cartagena and Hoi An?
Cartagena averages 30 Mbps and Hoi An averages 45 Mbps, so Hoi An has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Cartagena or Hoi An?
Cartagena sits in Colombia (90 days) 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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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.