Vietnam vs Thailand: Which is Best in 2025?

Are you wondering which destination to travel to next or considering taking the leap and wondering where to become a digital nomad in Southeast Asia? If Vietnam or Thailand is on your radar then this video is for you. I've spent time traveling around both countries and I've spent time living in both countries as a digital nomad. So in this video I'll share up-to-date advice in 2025 about traveling to both countries and which one might be right for you. One of the biggest and most noticeable differences about Thailand and Vietnam is Thailand has a much more commercialized feeling in 2025 and in the last few years it's just been changing a lot which means prices are higher. Think of places like Phuket, Koh Samui. Because you've got more of a demand from tourists, from expats, from digital nomads, from backpackers, the prices are just going up and up. So that has been a noticeable change in the last two to five years in Thailand where going to these places they might still be beautiful but there's going to be bigger crowds and there's going to be a bigger cost attached to them. Accommodation costs more, daily things like scooter rental, taxis, gyms cost more, apartments, condos, hotels, all of these things are things to consider if you're thinking of staying long term. If you're going for a holiday it might not be as big of a deal but when you are looking to get a monthly rental or get the best value for money some places in Thailand now are just a little bit outpriced in my opinion. Or at the very least they're harder to come by good options because of the commercial aspect, the big crowds and the tourism. But that does come with some plus sides. So Thailand has more things to do, it's more catered for Westerners, it's easier to adjust if it's your first time in Southeast Asia, there's more shops and supermarkets catering for the Westerner, for the foreigner, for the tourist. And whilst Vietnam does have malls, supermarkets and shops of course they're just a little bit different and there's fewer of them which does make Thailand a little bit easier to adjust to in terms of daily life. And Vietnam has a more authentic, a more local feel, less tourism, less commercialized. But that comes with its pros and cons of course being less commercialized, less touristy means the prices aren't quite as high. It feels more authentic, it feels more like you're in genuine Vietnam rather than a tourism destination. Little things worth considering for example recently I've had an issue with my Mac and I couldn't find anywhere to get it fixed here in Da Nang. Which isn't a major issue but if you're working remotely or working long term for example these are all things to consider if you were thinking of coming to Da Nang or Vietnam in general. Now the cost of living in both countries is still very affordable and even though Thailand has increased in recent times there's still plenty of places around Thailand where you'll still get very good value for money. In Thailand I was spending between 1500 and 1700 US dollars per month but I was living a nice lifestyle, had a good condo with a pool and a gym, was training Muay Thai on a regular basis, had a gym membership, was eating out, was drinking a little bit more than I usually do as well. So all of these things add up but I was living a nice lifestyle. Whereas in Vietnam I'm spending between 1300 and 1500 US dollars per month but again a really good quality of life. I'm not drinking much but I don't go without anything and I could easily bring that down another 200 US dollars if I wasn't spending on certain things or if I was on a tighter budget. Thailand is still good value but if you are going to Phuket, Koh Samui, if you are going to Bangkok then the prices have inflated. The prices are more expensive now so it's worth considering and it's worth budgeting for if you're going there on a tighter budget or if you've it's going to be super easy to find cheap accommodation and just live very affordably. It is still very possible it's just harder to find them deals and you might need to go a little bit further out of the touristy areas if you want to get cheaper accommodation for example. Now which has the best lifestyle and is more fun? In my opinion because Thailand is more equipped for tourism it's always going to have more to do there and be more fun. If you want excursions and want to meet people that aren't just working and maybe even passing through on holiday or just in Thailand to to train Muay Thai then that's going to be the better option. There's no place better in the world to go and train Muay Thai and spend time with others that are just there on either a training vacation or something similar where they haven't got much responsibilities, they've got a lot of free time and you can do a lot of stuff together. Also in places like Phuket and Koh Samui there's a lot more gyms and a big fitness community. In Phuket particular there's the fitness street or Soi Thaid in Chalong which has a whole street dedicated to gyms, healthy eating cafes, smoothie bars and it's just mainly filled with either digital nomads or people that live in Thailand long-term, athletes or people that are going on training or fitness retreats or holidays. So it's a very good atmosphere especially if you're going and don't want to drink and don't want to party, it's a good vibe to be around. If you're into that I would definitely recommend it. I spent around three months on the fitness street in 2023 and it was a good time and there's no coincidence I got into what was probably the best shape of my life. Now the lifestyle in Vietnam is really good too, there's a lot of food options, a lot of restaurants and even in the last two years you can see how much more options for western food there is, how many more gyms are popping up, how many more options for accommodation so it's growing fast and evolving. There's also a huge community especially in Da Nang of expats, digital nomads living and working here remotely and there's a big community of people running, doing fitness and a massive community of pickable. Pickable is massive here in Da Nang so there's a lot to do on that front, there's a lot of people to meet that will be on a similar page as you if you're into those things, if you're into your sport but I wouldn't necessarily recommend coming here longer term if I wasn't working. I think I would get a little bit bored and maybe I wouldn't meet as many people on the same page and there's still a lot to keep you busy especially if you're in the bigger cities like Ho Chi Minh or Hanoi, there's still lots to do it's just in my opinion there's a little bit more to do and a little bit more to do that's exciting in Thailand than there is here in Vietnam. The weather varies quite a bit from country to country, in Vietnam it varies a lot so it's worth checking when you're coming and where you're going to because depending on whether you're going to the north or south will depend a lot on what weather you get, do check that before you go. In Thailand you pretty much have two seasons for 90% of the country which is hot or hot and humid. In the high season or dry season when there will be more crowds the weather will be less humid and be a bit more consistent and sunny. In the other months check before you go it can be really hot and humid or it might be wet. I wouldn't recommend against going during the wet season which a lot of people tell you not to, I still think the wet season in Thailand or the low season in Thailand is still a good time of year to go. It just depends where you're going and what you want so do check beforehand if you just want pure sunshine like what we've got now then it's worth going in the high season and checking which months are going to be the best suited for your trip. Now in terms of the scenery even though I'm stood on a beach here in Da Nang, if you want beaches tropical paradise blue clear water the best bet is Thailand. Even though Vietnam does have that in Thailand you've got more of it the islands the crystal clear water there's a lot more choices there whereas in Vietnam if you want the countryside the green fields the rice paddies this is your best option. It just depends what you want and even though you do still have that in the south of Vietnam like in an island like Phu Quoc I've never been but I know they do have that here it's not quite the same and you have a lot more choice in Thailand if blue clear water paradise tropical beach palm trees etc like this is what you're after. Which is also why I like Da Nang a lot because you have the city you have all of the other opposite things but you also have this which on a nice day when the seas calm and the sun's shining is beautiful. Now for visa options there's some good similarities but there's definitely some differences so these are worth taking note of or looking into yourself. So Vietnam offers currently a 45-day stamp when you arrive meaning you can stay for just over six weeks without the need for pre-approved or pre-applying for a visa. You can also get a 90-day tourist visa before coming which means you can stay for 90 days without leaving. Thailand is currently offering a 60-day visa upon arrival or visa exemption and when you arrive in Thailand you will get a stamp you'll be allowed to stay for 60 days and then you can actually renew it within Thailand if you want to stay for longer which will total to 120 days. However Thailand is subject to change in this very very frequently so for example last year when I was in Thailand the rules changed two to three times and the year before they changed two to three times again. That is super common in Thailand so just be aware if you are going check before you go because they can change very frequently. As of reporting this you get 60 days on arrival in Thailand and they also offer the digital nomad visa which you can apply for and you will get six months without needing to leave Thailand before you need to renew it and you can do that for up to five years so that's a very good option if you're a digital nomad wanting to stay in Thailand and base there longer term. That's something to look into and check out all the details before you apply. In terms of safety and infrastructure both countries are super safe, got great internet and you're not going to have any issues being connected if you're working online or remotely. The infrastructure in Thailand however is better in terms of transport, in terms of healthcare, in terms of everything. Thailand's infrastructure is amazing but Vietnam is improving every single year and it is still getting better here and I would imagine in five to ten years time the country will look completely differently and have evolved again. Accommodation options in both countries are both widely available throughout the main cities, throughout the main places. I would say the key differences are in Thailand on the islands quite often you'll have villas or small houses instead of like a massive condo complex whereas in the cities in Thailand you'll get a lot of condos or apartment complexes where you have gyms and pools. Last year I was paying around 350 English pounds or 500 US dollars for a nice place in a condo that had gym and nice pool facilities which was actually really nice and really good value for that. I would say that's one of the main differences is you have a lot of apartments or hotels to choose from here in Vietnam but there doesn't seem to be as many massive condo complexes especially in Da Nang with swimming pools, gyms etc like you do in Thailand. One slight asterisk to that though there is a lot of building going on here in Da Nang currently. There's a crane over there, this is getting built, there's building going on all around the city, this building over here. So I don't know whether these are hotels, some of them look like apartment complexes so maybe that's going to change soon and maybe they realize there's a big market for it. To wrap up there is no better or worse, there's only better or worse for you. There's a right option for you based on these things. These are what I think are the important changes and things bearing in mind out of Vietnam and Thailand in 2025 especially for digital nomads. It's easy to travel around in both countries either buses, trains, flights especially if you're in the main cities or main places. If you're looking to train Muay Thai then there's no better place on earth than Thailand, the native place where Muay Thai is from is part of the culture. It's amazing to train there with others that are on the same page. If you're looking for something a little bit more laid back, a little less chaotic, a little more raw, a little less touristy and commercialized then I would say Vietnam is your place to go. If you're into your nightlife and partying and want to meet a lot more people that maybe are passing through on holiday then Thailand is definitely your option. If you're on a tighter budget or want just a low cost of living for a good quality of life then Vietnam probably edges it. So just have all them considerations in mind before making your call and if you have the option they're only about a $50 flight away from each other so spend some time in both countries. They're both amazing places. Guys I appreciate you tuning in. I hope you found the video useful and I'll catch you in the next one. Peace.