7 Awesome Places To Be A Digital Nomad Right Now

Being a digital nomad gives you the freedom to work wherever you like: all you need is Wi-Fi access and a workspace. Once you’ve got these things sorted, you can just sit back and take full advantage of the beautiful scenery, history, and culture around you.   

Below I’ve looked at seven awesome digital nomad destinations that are trending right now. Whether you’re into adventure, community, or sight-seeing, you’ll find a destination perfect for you.

Recommended reading: 4 Reasons Why You Should Absolutely Travel After a Breakup

Seoul, South Korea

Home to Samsung, Hyundai, and LG, Seoul is a digital hotbed. It’s one of the most advanced cities on the planet with a great quality of life. This makes it a perfect destination for nomads. Online accessibility is essential for digital nomads. Without it, you can’t move fluidly — which undermines the whole point of being a nomad.

Seoul is unrivaled for Wi-Fi speed. It has the quickest internet on the planet and it’s getting faster. Today it’s at 2.5 gigabits per second. Tomorrow? Who knows. And how quick is Wi-Fi in the US? 18.7 megabits per second.

What about co-working spaces? Seoul has plenty of them. Check out InstantOffices and you’ll see what the city has to offer. They’re spacious, energetic, and beautiful.

The nearby countryside is among the prettiest you’ll find anywhere in Asia. There are plenty of peaceful spots in the city too. While you’re never far from a temple. And if you want nightlife, you’ll get it: Seoul fizzes and throbs with energy.

Porto, Portugal

Porto is Portugal’s second largest city. It’s famous for a delightful river: the Douro, fine port, and cheap beer. If your nomad requirements are good drinks and great cruises, you’ll adore Porto.

That’s not all, though. While Porto is a city of 1.8 million people, it doesn’t have the hustle of bigger destinations. There’s a gentle vibe that lets you set your own pace, rather than having someone else force the tempo.

You’ll find a great digital nomad community there (unsurprisingly). It’s been growing in popularity in recent years and has great interaction between nomads. Have a look at Porto Digital Nomads Meetup before you head out. It’ll give you a chance to build connections before you head out.

Admire the Douro below:

Credit: Max Pixel

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Favored by gap year kids for generations, this Asian jewel is one of the places for nomads to be. And why not? It has cheap food and accommodation, and plenty of co-working spaces. It’s a picturesque bargain.

It’s a destination of choice for Americans, with over a million having visited in 2017 alone. Expect even more to have visited by the end of 2018. With such a strong community of nomads around you, there will be plenty of like-minded people to learn from.

This is perfect if you’re a nomad novice because you can always find someone with tips on the nomad lifestyle in your native tongue. If you’re aspiring to handle your income through on-the-go income streams (many nomads create affiliate sites or pick up businesses to run remotely), then you’ll benefit hugely from the tech-savvy community.

Whatever your status, there’ll be a nomad near who’s been there before can help you take the next step. And if you’re an experienced nomad with a taste for the party life, then there are few better places for you than Chiang Mai. It’s a city that barely sleeps and loves tourists.

Budapest, Hungary

One of Europe’s historic cities, Budapest is the place to go nomad if you love great architecture. Just have a look at the image below and you’ll see:

Credit: Ian Hoyt

Told you. It’s wonderful.

But great sites aren’t the only reason it’s a great place for an unbound worker. There are few capital cities in Europe more affordable than this one. (You’ll pay a lot less to live here than Paris, that’s for sure). It’s also filled with co-working spaces, many of which are frequented by digital nomads.

Oh, and it’s got the Sziget Festival.

Prague, Czech Republic

If Budapest sounds great, you won’t need to be sold on Prague. The two cities are European capital cousins. And they mirror each other’s benefits.

So what didn’t I cover about Prague? The fine arts. Sure, it has the same great community nomad vibe. And it’s got a global festival. But Prague has the State Opera House, a plaything for Zemlinsky, Gigli, Caruso, Mahler, and R. Strauss.

Credit: Unsplash

It has a history of producing genius artists. Adolf Born, Josef Manes, Josef Vaclav Myslbek, and Antonin Braun, all were Czech. Visit the National Gallery and you’ll be overloaded with art.

Berlin, Germany

I’ve visited Berlin more times than I have fingers and toes. I’ve drunk in its bars. I’ve cycled its streets. And I’ve soaked in the rich graffiti. If I had to pick one place to be a nomad it would be this city.

But I know that’s not enough for you. So here’s more.

It’s got enough hostels and Airbnbs to house the Indianapolis Motor Speedway twice. It’s not just anumbers by beds game, though. These places are cheap and they’re clean – I can vouch for them. The wi-fi facilities are great too.  

That’s not why it’s the place to be. It’s the hip culture. It has a long history of artistic rebelliousness.

Punk music made a home here in the 70’s and it spat its spirit of independence across the city. But it did so without making a hostile environment. Then there’s the techno. Nowhere in the world loves techno more than Berlin. It’s why the hippest club you’ll ever visit is there. Which club? Go there and you’ll find out.

Medellin, Colombia

It’s almost unfair to tell you how great Medellin is now. But don’t be fooled. This Colombian city is a rare flower – it’s why people call it the City of Eternal Spring.

Credit: Flickr

Like many of the other options, it’s got a great digital nomad community. And it’s growing. That’s not the reason you’ll love to go there. The scenery is worthy of a prolonged stay. You’re a stone’s throw from great hiking spots and there’s greenery everywhere.

There’s a reason for this. Medellin’s located in the Aburrá Valley in the Andes mountains. Now you’re sold. If you want to build your nomad empire surrounded by panoramic views, choose Medellin.  

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Honestly, these seven awesome places are just the start. Add a zero to the end and you still won’t have a list of everywhere it’s great to be a nomad. It’s exciting, right? So go ahead and take the plunge. Become a nomad today!