You can be a digital nomad anywhere with fast broadband and a good power source. A low cost of living also helps, but some locations just make it so much easier to work online than others, plus they have the added advantage of a thriving digital community you can be part of.
Here’s our guide to the best worldwide hubs for digital nomads:
Asia:
As a spectacular and cheap continent, it’s no surprise it scores highly.
Thailand:
Chiang Mai:
Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand is one of the world’s best destinations for digital nomads. It’s value for money, packed with WiFi rich coffee shops/working spaces and has a digital community vibe. Add to this culture, temples, lush forest and an amazing food scene.
Bangkok:
More frenetic than Chiang Mai, but with several tourist areas with WiFi powered cafes and work spaces. It’s still possible to live on a low budget and Bangkok combines history and the 21st century like no where else.
Phuket:
Has all the advantages of Chiang Mai and Bangkok, but with beaches. Digital nomads tend to cluster in Phuket Town, Rawai, Kata and Karon. There’s spectacular beaches, cheap cafes with fast broadband and a selection of shared work spaces.
Bali:
Canggu:
This cafe packed beach town is Bali’s number one spot for online work. Take your pick of instagrammable coffee shops with speedy broadband. Canggu has a laid back vibe, is great for surfing and has a hip yoga scene.
Ubud:
This hillside, hippie hangout was Bali’s top hotspot, but has recently been overtaken by Canggu. Ubud has cheap accommodation, cheap connected cafes and views. Lush, jungle views. In contrast to Canggu, Ubud has more culture, temples and of course rice paddies. Like Canggu, Ubud is also laid back and into yoga big time.
Vietnam:
Ho Chi Minh City:
Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh, or Saigon, is affordable, modern and a busy hub for nomads and entrepreneurs. Coffee shops are everywhere – there’s even an apartment block stacked with them. It’s a buzzing place to base yourself with the Mekong Delta nearby and beaches 2 hours away.
Da Nang:
Da Nang is the fastest changing city in Vietnam. Modernist hotels, apartment blocks and restaurants are shooting up along the river and beach front. It’s laid back, high tech and home to a growing number of digital nomads. It has a fantastically, long stretch of beach, amazing food and is a short drive to Hoi An, the Marble Mountains and Hué.
Central and South America:
Central and South America have the benefit of the same time zone as the US, but with a much lower cost of living.
Mexico:
Mexico City:
Mexico City or CDMX is a booming capital city. It’s totally embraced digital nomads, especially in the neighbourhood of La Condesa. This hipster haven has Art Deco mansions, art galleries and, all importantly, connected coffee houses and co-working spaces.
Playa del Carmen:
All of the Yucatan Coast is popular with digital nomads with Playa del Carmen as the number one hotspot. Playa or PDC has always been popular with expats and retirees and its solid infrastructure (shopping malls, modern hotels, apartment blocks and strong WiFi) is now attracting the online working community.
Columbia:
Medellin:
Columbia’s “City of Eternal Spring” has a perfect climate and a great infrastructure for remote working. This, and the low cost of living, has made it a thriving hub for digital nomads. There’s various support networks for new arrivals and an ever growing coffee shop scene.
Europe:
Europe has a much higher cost of living than the previous hotspots we’ve listed, so it’s not the best place to base yourself financially. But, if you can’t resist experiencing European culture in more detail, the following cities are hubs for digital nomads:
- Berlin in Germany
- Lisbon and Porto in Portugal
- Budapest in Hungary
- Zagreb and Spilt in Croatia.
If you’re thinking of becoming a full time digital nomad, check out the Nomad List – a global community site packed with information.