Many of the world's most popular digital nomad destinations don't come cheap.

Even in Asia, where you can find some of the cheapest cities for digital nomads, you have to know where to look.

Both Japan and South Korea just announced new digital nomad visas, but with prohibitively high income requirements and a steep cost of living in both countries, these will not be an option for budget-conscious digital nomads.

Fortunately, there are still plenty of affordable destinations for digital nomads! According to Nomad List, these are the cheapest cities in Asia for digital nomads right now.
 

1. Hoi An, Vietnam: $794

Vietnam has been exploding in popularity with digital nomads lately, and it's not hard to see why. This country is one of the cheapest in Southeast Asia and it's packed full of cool cities and natural beauty.

Hoi An is the perfect base for digital nomads. It's conveniently located on the country's central coast, giving you easy access to the rest of the country. It's a smaller city packed with historic charm and influences from cultures ranging from Chinese to French to Japanese.

And best of all, Hoi An is one of the most affordable places in the world to live, with Nomad List estimating a monthly cost of living of under $800 for one person.

2. Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia: $871

It's no secret that Bali has become extremely trendy in recent years. And prices reflect that — the chicest areas of this gorgeous Indonesian island have become extremely expensive!

However, there's one city in Bali that is still affordable, and that is Denpasar. It's Bali's capital, and so it's not as focused on tourism as the popular areas of Canggu, Seminyak, or Ubud.

It's not as popular with digital nomads as the aforementioned areas either, but it's where you'll find the cheapest prices on the island with an average cost of living under $900 per month.

3. George Town, Penang, Malaysia: $951

Another affordable city in Asia for digital nomads is George Town. This is a fast-growing digital nomad hotspot known for its vibrant culture, delicious food, beaches, and historic sites.

George Town is the colorful capital of the Malaysian island Penang. It's a diverse, multicultural city that has something for everyone.

It's also very affordable, so you won't break the bank basing yourself here as a digital nomad. Americans can stay in Malaysia for up to 90 days.

4. Da Nang, Vietnam: $967

Another Vietnamese city that you can live in for under $1,000 a month is Da Nang. This coastal city is actually only 40 minutes away from Hoi An.

The difference is that Da Nang is a major metropolis with over 1 million inhabitants. It's also known for being more of a lively beach destination than quaint, historic Hoi An.

So if that's more of your vibe, Da Nang is the perfect place to stay as a digital nomad. Americans can stay in Vietnam for up to 90 days.

5. Chiang Mai, Thailand: $1,002

Finally, Chiang Mai is a great city for digital nomads who don't want to spend a lot of money.

This charming city in the mountainous north of Thailand is extremely popular with digital nomads. It's a great place to live and gives you easy access to exploring the rest of Thailand.

Another thing to love about Thailand? It's the country with the cheapest Airbnb prices in the world, so you can easily find a good deal on a nice apartment in Chiang Mai.