Hoi An vs Madrid

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.

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.

Madrid, Spain
🇪🇸Spain

Madrid

83Freedom Score#12Global rank$2,525Per month

Spain's capital blends world-class dining, a huge expat scene, and a 2023 Digital Nomad visa — inland, walkable, and endlessly social.

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.

ExpenseHoi AnMadrid
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$1,050✓$2,525
Rent, 1BR city centre$400✓$1,136
Meal, mid-range$6✓$18
Coworking deskper month$100✓$227
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper40.0✓56.1

Quality of life

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

MeasureHoi AnMadrid
Safety
82
71
Healthcare
48
85
Walkability
88
85
English spoken
35
65
Food & dining
82
90
Nightlife
45
90
Outdoors
70
62
Nomad community
58
80
Climate quality
75
85
Public transit
40
90

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureHoi AnMadrid
Freedom Score71/10083/100✓
Global rankof 100 cities#43#12✓
Internet45 Mbps170 Mbps✓
Average temperature79°F60°F
Air quality40/100✓30/100
Airport connectivity35/10088/100✓
Nomad visa45 days freeNomad/long-stay visa
Headline tax rateon local income20%24%

Which should you choose?

Choose Hoi An if runs $1,475/mo cheaper, rent is $736/mo lower, it scores higher on safety (82 vs 71) and it is more walkable.

Choose Madrid if internet is faster at 170 Mbps, English is more widely spoken, the climate scores better and the nomad community is larger.

What each city is known for

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

Madrid

  • Spain Digital Nomad visa + Beckham Law 24% flat tax for new residents
  • One of Europe's most walkable capitals with a world-class metro
  • Massive nomad & expat community across Malasaña and Chamberí
  • Barajas hub airport — nonstop to the Americas, Europe, and Asia

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Hoi An or Madrid?
Madrid scores higher on the Freedom Score (83/100 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: Hoi An or Madrid?
Hoi An is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $1,050 against $2,525, a difference of $1,475 a month or about $17,700 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $400/mo in Hoi An versus $1,136/mo in Madrid.
Which is safer: Hoi An or Madrid?
Hoi An scores higher on safety, 82/100 against 71/100. 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 Hoi An and Madrid?
Hoi An averages 45 Mbps and Madrid averages 170 Mbps, so Madrid has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Hoi An or Madrid?
Hoi An sits in Vietnam (45 days free) and Madrid in Spain (Nomad/long-stay visa). 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.