You’re working remotely, you make money online, and you want to enjoy life on the road? It’s important for you to know the best cities to digital nomads to live for a few months.
After living in many European and Asian countries as a digital nomad, I can definitely say which places are worth it and the ones with the best value for money.
Whether you’re a new digital nomad or you’re willing to become one and are considering the best cities for digital nomads, this article is for you.
How to become a digital nomad, the best tips, and all the steps one by one.
I’ve put together the best places in Europe, in Asia, and in South America for you to have more options. While I definitely prefer living in Asia for the climate and the cheap life quality, the rest of the world is also nice to consider.
What’s Important to Consider as a Digital Nomad?
There are several things to consider as a digital nomad.
First of all, and most importantly, you’ll want to check the available visas that you need to travel.
For instance, if you’re traveling to Mexico on a US passport, you’ll be able to stay for up to 6 months.
On the other hand, if you travel to Thailand, you’ll only be able to stay for a month on a tourist visa. Sure, visas can be extended. However, being a digital nomad can be very time-consuming and you’ll certainly don’t want to waste time going to immigration.
The second thing to consider is the hospital situation.
Let’s be honest, even if you’re young and healthy (as I am), you might end up having a road accident, in need of a vaccination, or even do a blood test.
For example, I currently live in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and the hospitals here are top-notch. They’re clean, they can provide every kind of service, and they’re affordable (not cheap…affordable).
Lastly, and as you probably guess, you need to check the internet speed.
While you don’t need a super high-speed internet if you’re a developer or a content writer, you definitely do if you’re an online teacher or a sales agent.
To give you an example, the internet is very fast all over Europe and in East Asia. However, in some places in Southeast Asia and South America, expect to have slower internet.
Bali, Indonesia
Bali has been the number 1 favorite to digital nomads for quite some time now, and for various reasons. In fact, this beautiful Indonesian island has become, not only a popular tourist destination but also a hub for remote workers.
First of all, it has amazing weather all year long with high temperatures, its nature is stunning, and it’s very cheap to live in Bali.
Secondly, the internet connection on the island is on average 12Mb/s with lots of co-working spaces. In addition, there are a few free WiFi spots in Ubud and Canggu which is always nice to have.
Moreover, living in Bali is relatively cheap compared to the other best cities for digital nomads.
The 2 downsides of living in Bali for a few months are that the hospitals are below average and the visa situation. As a digital nomad, you’re not eligible for a long-term visa, so you’ll need to apply to a tourist visa of max. 3 months.
The best areas to stay in Bali as a digital nomad are Ubud for its nature and peacefulness, and Canggu for its beach and the nightlife.
Value for Money: 8/10
Average Monthly Rent: $250 – depending on the area
Best Co-working Space: Hubud / Livit Hub Bali
Average Meal in a Restaurant: $5
Chiang Mai, Thailand
After living in Chiang Mai for 2 yeara, I can proudly say that this is definitely one of the best cities for digital nomads in the world. From healthcare, its quality of life, and the friendliness of the locals, you’re in for a treat.
Apart from being very cheap, Chiang Mai has very good international hospitals and modernity that many Asian cities dream of. That Western touch in Asia will certainly make you feel more at home.
In addition, the average internet speed in town is 23Mb/s which is almost double than Bali – and they have many coworking spaces in Chiang Mai.
Other than that, there are endless things to do in Chiang Mai and around that will keep you entertained during weekends and time off from work. From Buddhist temples, mountains, and night markets, Chiang Mai has it all.
However, I wouldn’t recommend staying in the city during the burning season (between mid-January and April), as it would spoil your experience. Also, applying for a 2 months visa in your home country will give you the chance to stay 3 months in total (renewing it for an extra month, so 3 months in total).
All in all, it’s a much more attractive destination (cost-wise) than other countries like Italy, where the cost of living is much higher.
Value for Money: 9/10
Average Monthly Rent: $250 – depending on the area
Best Co-working Space: PunSpace / Hub53
Average Meal in a Restaurant: $5
Budapest, Hungary
Budapest is a great city for nightlife, sightseeing, modern cafes, and cheap living cost. Other than that, Budapest is strategically located which makes it practical to visit neighboring countries for a long weekend.
Some of the main cities around that are worth visiting are:
- Sofia, Bulgaria
- Munich, Germany
- Vienna, Austria
- Vilnius, Lithuania
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Warsaw Old Town, Poland
Now, if you’re interested in working in Budapest as a digital nomad, there are plenty of possibilities. From the dozens of coworking spaces and cafes around the cities, you’ll be able to work from anywhere.
Accommodations in Budapest will vary in price depending on the location. I’d personally recommend staying in the city center for the central location. However, if you’re willing to save some cash, reaching downtown from outside isn’t difficult with the subway.
This is a great way for you to experience life in Budapest while you are still enjoying the sights, sounds, and sights that this wonderful city has to offer.
To sum up, Budapest is a great city to live cheap, to work from modern coworking spaces, travel to other countries, and visit the beautiful countryside.
Value for Money: 8/10
Average Monthly Rent: $540 – depending on the area
Average Meal in a Restaurant: $6.60
Berlin, Germany
Berlin is one of the most popular places to live in Germany and it’s not hard to see why! A large number of expats living in Berlin include British, Irish and Americans as well as expats from other countries such as Canada or even Italy.
That is definitely an advantage as a digital nomad and you’ll be able to make friends easily.
Working remotely in Berlin is one of the best ideas. Other than being full of history spots, English is widely spoken and you’ll find food from all around the world. Furthermore, there are many coworking spaces and cafes to work at which is really nice.
Coworking spaces, historic buildings, and great nightlife are some of the reasons why Berlin is one of the best cities for Digital Nomads.
Plus, Berlin’s public transport system is excellent, which is super convenient to get around the city easily.
Moreover, living in Berlin is quite cheap (compared to other European cities) if you live outside the city center. For instance, when I worked in Berlin, I used to pay $600 for a 1-bedroom apartment outside the city center. Sure, you’ll need to take the subway to get around, but as a digital nomad, you won’t have these issues.
Lastly, just like Budapest, Berlin is in central Europe which is definitely a nice asset to travel around the old continent fairly easy by bus and train.
Value for Money: 8/10
Average Monthly Rent: $1050 – depending on the area
Average Meal at a Restaurant: $10
Koh Samui, Thailand
Thailand is one of the best hubs for digital nomads in the entire world and Koh Samui is another example of how great it is for remote workers.
Apart from the obvious reasons that people would want to work in Koh Samui, there’s much more that could benefit your working life.
The Internet is fairly quick on the island, with an average speed of 17Mb/s. However, you’ll hardly find free WiFi spots around the island.
On the downside, it is significantly more expensive than the northern Chiang Mai, which an average life would cost around half the price.
To sum up, Koh Samui is the perfect place to spend a few months working remotely while enjoying life. It isn’t the perfect place if you’re into modern cities with lots of shopping malls and infrastructures.
Value for Money: 7/10
Average Monthly Rent: $450 – depending on the area
Best Coworking Space: Mantra Work Lounge / WYSIWYG Coworking Space
Average Meal in a Restaurant: $10
How to Get to Koh Samui, Thailand
Getting to Koh Samui is fairly easy from nearly everywhere in Asia thanks to the international airport. In fact, there are daily flights (on a normal period) from Malaysia, Dubai, Hong Kong, or even Singapore.
In addition, there are direct flights from other Thai cities like Phuket or Bangkok for reasonable fares.
Lastly, if flying is not your thing, Koh Samui is reachable by boat from Phuket, Krabi, and Bangkok. However, it will take you HOURS to reach the island by bus + ferry, so flying is the best option.
Buenos Aires
With a high quality of life and rich history, Buenos Aires has become the ideal destination for anyone that loves beautiful scenery and affordable travel. Buenos Aires is one of the best spots on the Nomad’s top destinations to visit, work, and live. It’s the perfect place to start a nomad lifestyle.
So, what is it about Buenos Aires that makes it such a desirable choice for a nomad life? While there are certainly plenty of reasons why people come, one of the major reasons is because of its great internet connection and cheap costs of living.
With the amount of things to do and the cheap yet high quality of life, Buenos Aires is one of the best cities for Digital Nomads.
Also, the transportation system in the city is great. From buses, taxis, to rail and even light rail, visiting Buenos Aires on your days off will be very easy and affordable. This means that Buenos Aires is a great place to get around with a vehicle that isn’t tied to the road or the train. And since this is a big part of the Nomadic lifestyle, it’s just good for you, too.
Buenos Aires is, in general, a great place to live as a digital nomad. Not only does it have a fantastic climate but it also offers a wide variety of housing options.
Value for Money: 8.5/10
Average Monthly Rent: $280 – depending on the area
Best Coworking Space:
Average Meal in a Restaurant: $7.00
Taipei, Taiwan
Taipei, the largest city in Taiwan, is small in size but crammed with over 2 million inhabitants. It is well-known for its skyscrapers, modern culture, and cosmopolitan nightlife. The city is well connected by international airports in Taipei and cities like Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo.
If you are thinking of working remotely in Taipei, you should first look at the various options available to you. For instance, you will be able to choose between working in a coworking space and living in a cheaper apartment or renting a nicer property and work from there.
The advantage of working remotely in Taiwan compared to Hong Kong or Singapore is that it is much cheaper, reason why Taipei is one of the best cities for digital nomads.
There are endless coworking spaces in Taipei, lots of housing possibilities, and transportation in the city is extremely well organized. To sum up, Taipei is one of the best places to work as a digital nomad and I couldn’t recommend it enough.
Value for Money: 9/10
Average Monthly Rent: $615 – depending on the area
Best Coworking Space:
Average Meal in a Restaurant: $4.50
Tenerife, Spain
If you have been thinking about moving to a new place but are still not sure what you should do or where you should go, then you might want to look at living in Tenerife.
The cost of living in Tenerife is very reasonable and many people who are used to high prices in the States or Europe can easily afford it here in the area. There are plenty of nice condos available in this area as well as a variety of different homes that you could rent.
In addition to all of these choices, there are plenty of things to do like going out to dinner every night or other fun activities on a regular basis. Needless to say, that’s exactly why we’re digital nomads, and Tenerife will certainly treat you well.
Last but not least, it has an international airport where you’ll be able to fly everywhere you can think of, and that’s definitely a big plus.
Value for Money: 9.5/10
Average Monthly Rent: $650 – depending on the area
Best Coworking Space:
Average Meal in a Restaurant: $12.00
Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok is one of the cities for digital nomads for so many reasons. After spending more than 2 years in Thailand, I could go on forever explaining all of them, but I’ll focus on the main points.
First of all, Bangkok is chaotic and crazy. You might think that’s a disadvantage. However, this actually translated into endless things to do, food options 24/7, and lots of people everywhere to make new friends. The city is vibrant and you can literally anything you can think of in Bangkok, and that’s why one of the best places to work as a digital nomad.
Secondly, Bangkok is safe, cheap, and housing won’t certainly break the bank. That means you can get a nice apartment for less than $400, eat for $2 or less, and go out at night alone with no fear.
Another advantage of Bangkok is that it’s the gate to Asia and the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport offers many flights to many countries.
Last but not least, Thailand is great and you’ll be able to reach Chiang Mai, Phuket, or other amazing places within less than 2 hours. Do I need to write more to convince you?
In conclusion, Bangkok is the perfect city for digital nomads if you’re into crazy vibes, lots of great street food, endless things to do, and warm weather.
Value for Money: 8.5/10
Average Monthly Rent: $660 – depending on the area
Best Coworking Space: The Hive
Average Meal in a Restaurant: $3.00
Kiev, Ukraine
If you’re looking to move or work remotely in Kiev, there are a few things you should know. The city is a very cosmopolitan city with a number of people from all over the world and lots of great attractions.
While I personally wouldn’t recommend staying in Kiev in the wintertime, it’s definitely a nice city to live as a digital nomad the rest of the year.
Moreover, Kiev is cheap, everything is easily reachable, and people are usually helpful. On top of that, there are many cafes and coworking spaces to work at, which is always good.
If you’re looking for one of the best cities for digital nomads in Europe, Kiev is definitely an option for everyone, from freelancers to remote employees.
Value for Money: 8/10
Average Monthly Rent: $570 – depending on the area
Best Coworking Space: Coworking Platforma Art-Zavod
Average Meal in a Restaurant: $5.00
Vilnius, Lithuania
For those who have never lived in Vilnius before, you will soon find that it’s not only about history but also about the lifestyle. Vilnius is a great place for digital nomads and is still one of the cheapest European cities.
Other than being able to work remotely everywhere in the city, there are incredible things to do in Vilnius. For instance, the countryside surrounding the city offers lush green hillsides, mountains, and lovely lakes and rivers that make it an ideal place to relax after work.
Cheap lifestyle, peaceful countryside, and fast internet connection characterize Vilnius. That’s why it’s one of the best cities for digital nomads.
Just like everything in Vilnius, life is pretty cheap. You can get a 1-bedroom apartment for less than $600 and enjoy a full meal for less than $10. For someone like me that sometimes struggle to find clients online, it’s a great city not to spend lots of money.
The great thing about living in Vilnius is that the food in the city is usually very good. If you are in the mood for a coffee, you can head towards one of the cafes in the city center and work there.
Lastly, the internet in Vilnius is fast which means that you’ll be able to get a stable connection pretty much everywhere.
Value for Money: 7.5/10
Average Monthly Rent: $600 – depending on the area
Best Coworking Space: The Wolf Space
Average Meal in a Restaurant: $10.00
Krakow, Poland
With many things to do in Poland, it’s easy to see why it’s one of the best cities for digital nomads in Europe.
To start with, living in Krakow is very different from other cities you’ve visited before. Krakow is very rich historically, you’ll find endless amazing things to do, food opportunities, and places to party.
As a digital nomad, you’ll want to stay in a safe, beautiful, and modern city to make the most of it. Needless to say, Krakow is the perfect combination of all 3.
Discover here the best attractions in Krakow that make it one of the best cities for digital nomads in Europe.
In addition, Krakow offers a large variety of restaurants and bars. There is also a wide selection of places for anyone looking for a social gathering or meet other digital nomads.
You can easily see the beautiful natural beauty of this region while enjoying a walk along the beautiful streets. There are also many parks located all over this city that will give you hours of entertainment.
To sum up, from museums and galleries to cheap living costs and fast internet, Krakow is certainly one of the best cities for digital nomads in Europe.
Value for Money: 7.5/10
Average Monthly Rent: $650 – depending on the area
Best Coworking Space: Yolk Coworking Space Krakow
Average Meal in a Restaurant: $6.50
Seoul, South Korea
What does it cost to live in Seoul? What to do in Seoul? How is Seoul to work? These are only some of the questions that you can ask yourself as a digital nomad.
Well, you will often hear Seoul mentioned as one of the best cities to live in the world. And that’s partly true. In fact, you can get by living decently in Seoul as a digital nomad without breaking the bank and still enjoying life. Keep in mind though that Seoul isn’t the cheapest place to live.
The modern setting, the attractions, and the delicious street food are what make Seoul one of the best cities for digital nomads.
It is a city with tons of great things to offer. If you have a decent job, you can easily make enough money to support yourself but actually live and work out of this beautiful city.
One thing that you should definitely keep in mind is that you need to check into your options. In fact, Seoul is massive and hosts over 10 million people. For this reason, you may want to rent an apartment in districts like Cheongdam-dong or Dongdaemun.
The great thing about living in Seoul as a digital nomad is that there are cafes and coworking spaces everywhere you go (did I mention 24/7 restaurants?!)
There are many bargains in the city and if you do some research about shopping cheap, the best markets, and inexpensive apartments, Seoul is certainly a nice place to live for a few months.
To conclude, if you have the budget and want to live in a modern city with lots of attractions, Seoul is definitely one of the best cities for digital nomads in Asia.
Value for Money: 8/10
Average Monthly Rent: $750 – depending on the area
Best Coworking Space: Fastfive (various coworking spaces throughout Seoul
Average Meal in a Restaurant: $12.00
Da Nang, Vietnam
If you are considering living in Da Nang as a digital nomad, there are things to consider. First of all, it is not only an exciting city to live in but also a stunning place.
One of the best things about Da Nang is that there are endless unique things to do while living there. There are a lot of historic buildings that you can visit and take in the rich culture and history that this region holds.
Also, one of the other great things about Da Nang is that it’s also one of the largest cities in Vietnam. Therefore, it has everything you need including fast internet.
In fact, you can enjoy the beaches, the nightlife, and the cultural offerings that are available to you here. It is this mix of all of these different things that make living in Da Nang as a digital nomad an exciting experience.
Furthermore, you’ll be able to explore other parts of Vietnam by bus or flying, and that’s what I loved about Da Nang.
Value for Money: 9/10
Average Monthly Rent: $400 – depending on the area
Best Coworking Space: The Embassy Da Nang City Center
Average Meal in a Restaurant: $2.00
Lisbon, Portugal
If you’re looking for a new place to live as a digital nomad or want to take a break from your current one, Lisbon is a great option.
In the past few years, Portugal has experienced a large increase in both the number of tourists and the number of expats, which has given rise to the number of remote workers in the city.
From delicious food and great attractions to amazing things to do at night and a cheap lifestyle, Lisbon is a great city for digital nomads. In addition, bear in mind that, yes, Lisbon is cheap. However, apartments tend to be quite expensive for the number of people living here. Expect to pay at least $700 for an apartment, even outside the city center.
The Internet is overall stable and fast. As for the coworking spaces and cafes, you’ll find many places to work in the city center and outside which is always nice.
Value for Money: 9.5/10
Average Monthly Rent: $900
Best Coworking Space: Cowork Central
Average Meal in a Restaurant: $9.00
