Tired of your same old routine? Looking to escape your home office? With companies offering more and more opportunities to work remotely, professionals are traveling to other cities and countries while continuing to work from abroad.
How do you choose your destination? If you’re a newbie to digital nomadism, it can be a mind-boggling task! While you can technically work from anywhere with a wifi connection, there are a number of factors to take into account. Let’s chat about a few of these factors, and some of the top-rated cities in the world for working remotely!
Selecting Your Remote Work Destination
Access to Wifi and Co-Working
Part of being a digital nomad is the opportunity to travel while you work. Wifi and a comfortable workspace should therefore be your priority numero uno! Here’s a list of some of the world’s top co-working spaces.
Some cities are better than others in terms of wifi and cell connectivity, so it’s important to do your research. Check out this database, which provides information on internet quality around the world.
Residency and Visas
Every country has different visa and residency limitations, and it is vital that you check these depending on your nationality. For example, Americans can live in Mexico City year-round on a tourist visa. Generally, you receive a 180 day tourist visa upon entering the country, and therefore you only need to leave and re-enter one time per year. Other countries, such as Colombia, allow for 90 day visas with a maximum of six months in-country per year.
A number of nations now offer special visas for digital nomads, and some even provide tax incentives! To obtain the visa, oftentimes you just need to prove that you earn a minimum salary, which varies from country to country.
Affordability
With the novelty of living in a new place, It’s easy to spend money while living abroad. Although the cost of living may be less expensive than your hometown, you will most likely be going out to eat more often, engaging in local cultural activities and traveling in the region, therefore spending more money. Cities in Europe, are of course more expensive. You’ll notice that many of the most popular locations for digital nomads are down south - South America and Southeast Asia.
Community
Living abroad can be lonely, and even if you have experience traveling solo, it can be a challenge to navigate. Many of the top digital nomad destinations already have a community of foreigners and expats, with meetups and events happening weekly.
Cultural Immersion
At Venture with Impact, we strongly believe that if you live in a new country, it’s so important to understand the local culture and also build relationships with local people. We highly recommend getting involved in the local community through volunteering, and also learning the language in order to better engage.
Top Digital Nomad Cities
Mexico City, Mexico
With over 1.5 million Americans living in Mexico, Mexico City has always been a desired location for expats. In recent years, especially post-pandemic it’s become popular for digital nomads due to its cool hotels, bars and nightlife, along with its rich culture, ancient ruins and gorgeous weather. There are hundreds of day and weekend trips to historic pueblo magicos all over the country, and in a city of 25 million people, you will never be bored.
Medellin, Colombia
The second largest city in Colombia after its capital, Bogota, Medellin is teeming with digital nomads. With a population of three million, it is a small city by Latin American standards, and many Paisas (nickname for Colombians from Medellin) call it a pueblo (town). You’ll encounter some of the friendliest locals in the world and eternal spring. The temperature stays between 60-80 degrees F year-round.
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Thailand may be the most popular country in the world for digital nomads, it IS the country of smiles! Chiang Mai, a small city in the north is surrounded by spiritual mountains, and is just a quick flight from bustling Bangkok and the southern islands. The food scene in Chiang Mai is to die for, and there's a cute coffee shop with great wifi on every corner.
Lisbon, Portugal
With over 300 days of sunshine per year, and as the least expensive capital in Europe, Lisbon has become a new home for many northern Europeans and Americans. You’ll find its foreign community to be quite diverse. There are also a number of Lisboans from Portugal’s former colonies and territories, including Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde and Goa India, which also contribute to some of Europe's best restaurants. If you want a European experience, Portugal is your best bet.
Bali, Indonesia
Bali has blown up in terms of popularity in recent years. It’s no surprise with its low-cost of living, outdoor attractions, and spiritual focus. Not to mention, you can go from web-surfing to ocean surfing within minutes.
Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town’s backdrop of jaw-dropping mountainous landscapes plummeting into crystal-clear blue waters is a primary reason to hop a flight and spend at least a few months here. As you can imagine, people from around the world come to enjoy the outdoor activities such as surfing, diving, and hiking. As one of the most progressive cities in Africa, it has become the top spot for remote workers on the continent.
