Asian nomad cities: where is enjoyable and accessible?

Asia ranking · 20 July · Visa news for Chinese passport holders

Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Hanoi, and Bali make very different trade-offs between lifestyle and the practical barrier to moving. The chart compares enjoyment on the horizontal axis with relocation accessibility on the vertical axis.

What changed

Lifestyle enjoyment comes from the review-derived Like score on chufachufa. Relocation accessibility gives equal weight to affordability and access to a suitable digital-nomad route. Costs were cross-checked against current Nomads.com estimates, while visa accessibility follows the countries' active remote-work routes. Bangkok scores 75 for enjoyment and offers the most balanced combination; Tokyo is the most desired, but cost and its short nomad permission make it harder to access.

What this means for Chinese passport holders

For people prioritising a practical remote-work base, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur sit closest to the upper-right. Bali works better for applicants who clear its higher income threshold. Hanoi is inexpensive but lacks a dedicated nomad visa. Tokyo is a high-enjoyment, lower-accessibility choice requiring a larger budget and acceptance of a six-month, non-renewable nomad stay.

Related routes

Thailand's DTV offers five-year multiple entry with stays of up to 180 days at a time. Malaysia's DE Rantau provides 3 to 12 months with renewal. Indonesia's E33G remote-worker permit lasts one year and can be extended, but carries a higher foreign-income threshold. Japan's nomad permission lasts six months without renewal. Vietnam still relies mainly on an e-visa of up to 90 days rather than a dedicated nomad route.