Best Cities in Southeast Asia for Fast Internet

Reviewed 2026-10-31. General independent information; check current official immigration, financial and medical guidance before acting.

Expert take — Cost of Asia editorial team In Indonesia, the median mobile connection (66.34 Mbps) is faster than the median fixed broadband line (51.40 Mbps), according to Ookla's August 2026 figures as reported by Bisnis.com. In Thailand and Vietnam, fixed medians are close to 300 Mbps. If you plan to work from Bali, treat a mobile data backup as essential, and run a speed test on the villa's actual connection before you pay a deposit.

This page is for remote workers, streamers and anyone whose income depends on a stable upload. We compare the cities Cost of Asia covers in Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Bali.

The trade-off: the countries with the fastest home broadband are not always the ones with the best mobile data, and a national median says little about the building you rent. Use this list to narrow your options, then test on site.

At a glance

How we chose

• Speed: Ookla Speedtest Global Index medians for August 2026, as reported by Bisnis.com. The figures we could verify are national, not city-level, so we apply them to each country's main cities.
• Price: Numbeo's average monthly cost for unlimited broadband of 60 Mbps or more, converted to dollars at the rate implied by Numbeo's own summary figures.
• Backup: the mobile median, because a phone hotspot is your fallback when the line drops.

Checked on 31 October 2026.

1. Ho Chi Minh City — best for speed for the price

Vietnam had the fastest fixed broadband median of our four countries in August 2026 (301.48 Mbps, 8th in the world) and the fastest mobile median (219.93 Mbps, 9th). Numbeo puts a 60 Mbps+ plan in Ho Chi Minh City at about ₫270,000 a month, roughly $10.50. Hanoi sits on the same national networks.

Check that your building has fiber to the unit, not a shared line, and ask the landlord which provider is installed.

2. Da Nang — best for the lowest broadband bill

Da Nang shares Vietnam's national networks and has the cheapest broadband of the cities we checked: about ₫211,000 a month on Numbeo, roughly $8.20. That leaves room in the budget for a second line or a generous mobile plan as backup.

Numbeo's Da Nang figures rest on a smaller sample (75 contributors in the past year), so confirm prices with a local provider.

3. Bangkok — best for fast fiber in Thailand

Thailand's fixed median (298.92 Mbps, 9th in the world) is almost level with Vietnam's. Numbeo lists a 60 Mbps+ plan in Bangkok at about ฿611 a month, roughly $18. Mobile data is slower than in Vietnam or Malaysia (143.45 Mbps median), so your fallback is less of a cushion.

Ask whether the connection is in your name or shared through the building, since a shared line can slow down at peak hours. See our Bangkok guide.

4. Kuala Lumpur — best for mobile-first workers

Malaysia's fixed median (179.32 Mbps) trails Thailand and Vietnam, but its mobile median (165.32 Mbps, 14th in the world) is the strongest backup after Vietnam. Numbeo lists a 60 Mbps+ plan at about RM107 a month, roughly $26, so broadband costs more than in Vietnam or Thailand. See our Kuala Lumpur guide.

5. Penang — best quieter Malaysian option

Penang uses the same national networks as Kuala Lumpur, with Numbeo putting a 60 Mbps+ plan at about RM118 a month, roughly $29. It suits people who want Malaysia's mobile coverage with lower rent. See our Penang guide.

6. Bali — only with a backup plan

Indonesia ranked 113th in the world for fixed broadband in August 2026, with a median of 51.40 Mbps, and the median mobile connection was faster than the median home line. Numbeo lists a 60 Mbps+ plan in Bali at about Rp350,000 a month, roughly $19. If you go, choose housing on connection quality first and treat rent savings as secondary. See our Canggu guide.

What to check before you decide

• Run a speed test on the actual connection during a viewing, at the time of day you work.
• Ask whether the line is fiber to your unit or shared with the building.
• Check upload speed, not just download, if you make video calls or upload large files.
• Buy a local SIM or eSIM with a large data allowance as a backup (eSIM options).
• Consider a power backup for your router if outages are common in your area.

FAQ

Which Southeast Asian country has the fastest internet?

Singapore leads the region for fixed broadband (462.50 Mbps, 1st in the world in August 2026). Among our four countries, Vietnam is fastest on both fixed and mobile medians, with Thailand close behind on fixed.

Is Bali internet good enough for remote work?

It can be, but plan for it. Indonesia's fixed median is far below Thailand's or Vietnam's, so test the line before signing and keep mobile data as a backup.

Are city-level speed rankings reliable?

The medians we use are national. Any city figure you see depends on how many tests were run there, so treat it as a guide and test your own connection.

Related guides

• Destination finder
• Best cities for digital nomads
• Best eSIMs for Southeast Asia
• Coworking services
• Budget calculator

Sources

• Bisnis.com — Indonesia's internet speed ranking, August 2026 (Ookla Speedtest Global Index) — fixed and mobile medians and global ranks for Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore
• Numbeo — Cost of living in Ho Chi Minh City — broadband price, exchange rate implied by summary
• Numbeo — Cost of living in Da Nang — broadband price, contributor count
• Numbeo — Cost of living in Bangkok — broadband price
• Numbeo — Cost of living in Kuala Lumpur — broadband price
• Numbeo — Cost of living in Penang — broadband price
• Numbeo — Cost of living in Bali — broadband price