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Thailand has recently announced changes to its visa policies, which will make it a lot easier for digital nomads to travel, live, and work in the country. So, is Thailand a good country to live and work as a digital nomad?
The quick answer is yes. Thailand is an amazing country for digital nomads. In this article, we will go in-depth and explore some of the advantages of Thailand for digital nomads, but we will also share some of the challenges too because we like to keep it real.
We are a full-time digital nomad family. For us personally, Thailand is one of our favourite countries to circle back round to (almost like a second home in Southeast Asia!). Thailand is one of our first choices when we are looking for a place to travel slowly, connect with culture, and increase our routines and productivity.
FIND OUT MORE – Latest Visa Changes in Thailand – the cheapest & safest way to sort out your Thai Visa is to do it directly with the official Thai Embassy & immigration services.
Live the dream and earn as you go
Welcome to the exciting Backpacking Family course – How to earn as you travel!
We have travelled most of our adult lives – and we have been on the road – Full Time – backpacking with our kids for the past 3 years. We have decided to share our top tips, secrets and MUCH more in this super in-depth course. We take you through the journey step-by-step on How to Become a digital nomad family. AND there are some very enticing and very unique free bonus materials too. Not sure if this is for you?
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Best Digital Nomad Hubs in Thailand
Here are some of the best digital nomad hubs in Thailand
- Phuket – Rawai District, Phuket Town and Kata Bay
- Koh Phangan – Haad Yao, Mae Haad and Chaloklum
- Koh Lanta – quieter destination in the south
- Pattaya – popular beach hub near Bangkok
- Chiang Mai – Old City and Nimman
- Pai – For relaxed village vibes
Prices in Thailand
In general the north of Thailand is cheaper than the south of Thailand. Here is a feel for prices in Thailand:
- Accommodation – Rooms and apartments start for £10 – £20 per night ($12 – $24)
- Food – Street food starts for around 40 baht or £0.80 or $1 (north) and 80 baht or £1.60 or $2 (south Thailand)
- Transport – Short taxi journeys 60 baht (around £1 or $1.20) Long bus or train journeys £20 – £30 or $25 – $35
FIND OUT MORE – What are prices like in Thailand NOW?
1 Internet speed and availability
Internet speed, reliability, and availability are definitely one of Thailand’s strong points. In our experience, Thailand has some of the best and most affordable data in the world. When you are sorting out your SIM card, don’t make the mistake of buying a tourist SIM at the airport.
Instead, we recommend that you go to an AIS shop (you can normally find these in shopping malls around the country). If you buy your SIM from an AIS shop, you can get some great deals. Consider the One SIM Special data package. Find out more about AIS packages. You can get a 30-day deal with 60GB of sharable data and 20mbps for 350 Baht. This is approximately £7 or $10 (you normally have to pay around 50-100 Baht for the SIM card as well). This deal is renewable, so you can keep paying each month.
You do need to show a passport, and they can help you register your SIM card in the shop. You should be set up and ready to go straight away. Network coverage is generally excellent around Thailand. If you’re struggling to find a Wi-Fi network, you can set up a hotspot on your phone. Thailand also has plenty of free internet widely available in malls, coffee shops, and hotels. Wi-Fi speeds tend to be pretty fast.
2 Coffee shops and coworking spaces
An important digital nomad efficiency tip is to find a third space (this is a space that is different from your normal home space and your normal working space). Having a third space enables you to change your scenery, and in many cases, it can be conducive to fast, efficient, and productive work. Many people find comfortable, air-conditioned coffee shops as third spaces in Thailand. Thailand has plenty of coffee shops offering fast, free internet and amazing food and drinks. You’re never far from a good latte in Thailand. Not only are there plenty of coffee shops around, but they are also great value for money. In many places, you can get a coffee for under 100 Baht (£2 or $2.50). In some areas of Thailand, you can also find co-working spaces (particularly in Phuket, Bangkok, and Chiang Mai).
FIND OUT MORE – The Best Cafes & Coffee Shops in Chiang Mai
3 Community and networking
Another advantage of Thailand is the potential for community and networking (both of which are essential personally and professionally). Thailand is a very popular country for tourists, expats, and digital nomads. You can meet people from all over the world and learn from a very diverse range of cultures. You can meet people when you’re out and about at cafes, restaurants, bars, and on the beach. There are also plenty of Facebook community groups in Thailand where you can connect with like-minded people, find advice, and share helpful information.
4 Cost and quality of life
In terms of cost and quality of life, Thailand really is impressive. Thailand is a relatively cheap country to live and travel. You can find affordable accommodation. Thailand also has an amazing food culture with plenty of fresh, healthy, tasty, affordable street food on every corner. There are 7-Eleven convenience stores all around the country (particularly handy if you are traveling with kids). It is also very easy to travel around Thailand. You can book affordable taxis using the Grab Taxi app, which is used widely around Thailand. Most short taxi journeys cost around 100 Baht, which is roughly £2 or $2.50. You can also use buses, sleeper trains, or budget airlines to travel around the country. As a family living in Thailand, we can generally afford apartments with a swimming pool, eat out on a regular basis, and use taxis to travel around, and all this for much less than we would spend in our home country.
5 Opportunities for digital nomad families
Thailand is a particularly good option for digital nomad families. Most cities in Thailand have public parks and indoor play spaces where you can find clean, affordable, and safe places for your kids to play. We particularly recommend checking out larger Big C supermarkets, which often have kids’ soft play spaces attached. Also keep you eye out for Kidzoona play spaces (best for 1 – 10 year old kids). Child care is also impressively cheap in Thailand. You can find babysitters, nannies, drop-off child care, and schools, and many of these options are often very affordable. Alternatively, if you are world-schooling your kids, there are a lot of opportunities for amazing world-schooling experiences in Thailand. Thailand is packed with amazing learning opportunities, from the jungle-covered mountains of the north to the beautiful islands of the south.
FIND OUT MORE – FULL GUIDE – The BEST things to do in Thailand with kids
6 Opportunities for travel and adventure
And finally, what is the point of being a digital nomad unless you make the most of travel and adventure? Thailand is absolutely packed with epic adventures. Some areas can be pretty crowded, especially the main tourist hotspots (Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui, Bangkok, and Chiang Mai), but it is not hard to break away from the crowds. In north Thailand, you can explore waterfalls, hot springs, caves, and mountains. You can visit elephants, explore tribal villages, and go white-water rafting. In the south of Thailand, you can enjoy beaches, snorkeling, diving, waterfalls, and trekking. You can try sea kayaking or learn to freedive. Thailand really does have so many opportunities for travel and adventure. If you are willing to go independent and arrange your own trips, Thailand is also a very cheap country for activities and experiences.
