With so many opportunities to work from a laptop, these days it’s possible for many people to make money while living like a nomad. The digital nomad lifestyle has been on the rise for the past decade or so, and it will continue to become more relevant as more online jobs are created.
There are tons of perks related to working from a laptop, the main one being that you’re not tied down to one geographic location. This world is a huge place, and trying to experience it when your 2-week vacation rolls around each year can be difficult. While living the digital nomad life, it’s possible to see the world and make money while doing it.
However, if you plan on adopting a nomadic lifestyle with only the need for a passport, laptop, and an internet connection, it is important to understand that not all destinations are suited for digital nomadism. First thing’s first, strong and reliable WiFi is a must. It also helps to live in a place with a solid digital nomad community; this will make it ten times easier to adopt to the foreign lifestyle.
These destinations around the world have been rated as top picks for digital nomads looking for a comfortable yet adventure-filled lifestyle. On top of offering good WiFi and solid nomad communities, each of these destinations has a relatively low cost of living. So if you want to get the biggest bang for your buck and live like a king for next to nothing, check out these 5 destinations.
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand has been deemed as the digital nomad capital of the world for too many years to count. Chiang Mai ranks high for every nomad consideration, including reliable WiFi, trendy coffee shops, affordable cost of living, and a strong sense of a nomadic environment. On top of that, Chiang Mai is home to some of the best food in Thailand, both in terms of Thai cuisine and international dishes.
If you pack up and move to Chiang Mai and start feeling a bit antsy after a few months, you’ll love the fact that most of Thailand and much of SE Asia is within a quick trip. With the help of transportation booking platforms like bookaway.com (for land and sea travel) and Skyscanner (for air travel), many adventures await those who live in Chiang Mai as digital nomads.
Bali, Indonesia
The Indonesian island of Bali is not only the most popular tourist destination out of the 15,000+ islands of the country, but it is another popular digital nomad hub of the world. It ranks just slightly lower than Chiang Mai for its digital nomad qualities. This is mainly because the huge amount of tourists can be a bit much for some nomads, especially those hoping for a quiet place to live.
If the high amount of tourism doesn’t bother you, the place to settle down in Bali is Canggu. Canggu is a short drive from the international airport found on the island and is known by surfers as one of the “sickest places for riding a wave”. Even if you’re not into surfing, you’ll love the trendy cafes, health-oriented restaurants, and fun nightlife scene of Canggu.
Budapest, Hungary
It’s time to move away from Southeast Asia and discuss one of the ultimate digital nomad hubs on the European continent: Budapest, Hungary. Budapest ranks high for its nomad scene based on its fun environment, high safety rating, and relatively low cost of living (at least compared to the rest of Europe).
According to a source called Micropreneur, “Budapest can be affordable if you invest enough time and get away from the city center…Being a European city, you have all the advantages of being in Europe -minus the Euro-, like access to good hospitals, a decent level of English among the population and a safe environment.”
All in all, Budapest isn’t the ideal spot for all digital nomads, but many nomads love the city’s strong culture, good food, and relative affordability when living outside of the main city center.
Medellin, Colombia
So far we have covered Asia and Europe for the top digital nomad destinations, but what about the other side of the world? Although there are some decent places in North America, heading down south is a much better option for nomads on a budget. Central America has several top-notch choices, but the ultimate destination for digital nomads is Medellin, Colombia.
Medellin has only recently entered the top list for best digital nomad destinations, but it continues to gain recognition from laptop warriors of the world. The WiFi is good, the food is even better, and the budget-friendly accommodations allow almost anyone to live like a king. Oh, and don’t forget about the strong Colombian coffee you’ll be drinking while getting things done at a comfortable coworking space.
