The best digital nomad cafes in Chiang Mai for brilliant coffee and even better work

Chiang Mai has become a hotspot for remote workers, and if you’re searching for the best digital nomad cafes in Chiang Mai, you’re in the right place. Chiang Mai, Thailand, isn’t just a beautiful city full of ancient temples and lively streets—it’s also a digital nomad hotspot. With its mix of culture, modern amenities, and an affordable cost of living, it’s no wonder so many remote workers (myself included!) find it hard to leave.

During my month in Chiang Mai, I explored the best digital nomad cafés in Chiang Mai to get work done—whether in the trendy Nimman area, the charming Old Town, or beyond. Here are my top recommendations!

Best digital nomad cafes in Chiang Mai: Nimman

Nimman is the heart of modern Chiang Mai, where young Thai people come to hang out and eat brunch! With the Maya Shopping Centre at its heart, it offers trendy restaurants, hip shops and an abundance of cafes. It’s the area a lot of digital nomads choose to base themselves, as it has more of a lived-in feel than the Old Town. Some of the best digital nomad cafes in Chiang Mai are in Nimman.

Even if you’re not looking for somewhere to work for the day, Nimman is absolutely a part of Chiang Mai you should check out.

Life Space Coworking

Once I found Life Space Coworking in Nimman, I stopped working in coffee shops – I think that says it all. Really reasonably priced – 120 Baht for 5 hours including a drink – this bright coworking space was always busy but never noisy. There are cute little bunks for relaxing/reading/watching videos etc, as well as a variety of desks for more structured work. They have a decent menu of coffee and other drinks, and the staff were always super friendly. Absolutely my fave!

Diciotto

This tiny spot in Nimman has great vibes if you can get one of the tables. It’s only got two inside tables and a couple outside, but that makes it a great place to work because it’s so quiet.

Volks Bagels

I spent a lovely couple of hours working at a table outside Volks Bagels. In the heart of Nimman, this little coffee and bagel shop has limited space inside, but a bunch of quiet tables outside. The beauty is that they’re away from the road, as even the side roads in Nimman can feel very busy. The wifi was good, and my table was far enough away from others that I felt completely unbothered. Definitely one of the great digital nomad cafes in Chiang Mai!

Cottontree Roasters

In the peaceful Green Hill condo complex, this little cafe is hidden away, and you won’t find it unless you go looking. It’s a lovely place to sit outside as there’s no traffic – it’s not on a road. Inside was full of digital nomads tapping away, and there were a few tables outside too.

Best digital nomad in Chiang Mai: Old Town

The Old Town is the centre of Chiang Mai in every way. The laid back streets inside the moat are filled with an abundance of beautiful Wats, delicious restaurants and shops catering to every need a tourist could possibly have! Most people will base their time in Chiang Mai around the Old Town, so it’s a great place to do some work before heading on to the rest of your day. However, it’s not always easy to find the best digital nomad cafes in Chiang Mai’s Old Town, so I’ve prepared a guide to the few quiet ones I found.

Co-working spaces

There are a lot of co-working spaces in Old Town, but they all felt extremely expensive – around 300 baht per day compared to the 180 at Life Space in Nimman. For example, Punspace has two Old Town locations at 289 Baht per day.

As a result, I never ended up trying them out and used a few coffee shops instead.

La Singha

This neighbourhood style coffee shop is clearly a big favourite with digital nomads. It’s small but has plenty of tables for working, and a small curated drinks menu. It has a friendly feel, with a small range of eco products offered in the cafe, and a gallery upstairs. While I didn’t eat there, the people next to me had pesto pasta and the glorious smell was nearly enough to make me buy it mid-afternoon (and they confirmed it was delicious)!

Blue Diamond

This old town favourite would be a great place to work for a few hours. While it’s not one of the more traditional digital nomad cafes in Chiang Mai, it has a huge variety of drinks including coffee, smoothies and juices, as well as food. Most importantly, it has a gorgeous garden area with lots of seats among the greenery, and it’s quiet – it doesn’t feel like you’re in a city at all.

Best digital nomad cafes in Chiang Mai: Outside Old Town

The first place I stayed in Chiang Mai was just outside the Old Town, in the area next to Tha Pae Gate. This part of Chiang Mai felt like a cross between an extension of the Old Town and a local neighbourhood, with hip cafes jostling alongside street food stalls used by locals.

Most of the coffee shops I tried around the edges of Old Town were definitely Instagram places, attracting crowds and offering beautiful but uncomfortable interiors – not great places to work, even if the coffee was amazing. I’ve listed them on my guide to the best coffee shops in Chiang Mai. However, I did find one good digital nomad cafe in this part of Chiang Mai.

Gateway

Gateway was the exception to this outside rule! My favourite of the cafes I tried outside of the Od City, this lovely little spot is upstairs on an unassuming corner. It has beautiful sunlight, and retains that industrial vibe while having comfortable seats. They roast their own coffee on site as well, and offer a few cakes if you’re peckish.

Whether you prefer a bustling coworking space, a quiet café tucked away from the crowds, or a garden escape, Chiang Mai has something for every remote worker. There are so many digital nomad cafes in Chiang Mai it can feel overwhelming! My top pick? Life Space Coworking for a dedicated workspace, Gateway for a cozy café vibe and Blue Diamond for a gorgeous outside area.

Have you worked remotely in Chiang Mai? Let me know your favorite spots in the comments!