People who undertake the concept of working remotely, often in a foreign country, are referred to as “Digital Nomads”.
How do digital nomads decide where to live and work?
Due to the requirement of being able to communicate via digital equipment, it is vital that any location chosen by a digital nomad has a reliable internet connection, preferably at a high-speed and low cost. Many freelancers choose to work in locations that provide free wi-fi, such as coffee shops and libraries, so as to keep their expenses down.
Wherever the location you pick, make sure you have travel insurance in hand. If you’re not sure about which travel insurance is best for you, read on this world nomads travel insurance review to compare your options and ensure you pick the right one.
Where to be a digital nomad in 2020
Locations around the world are popular with digital nomads, below is a list of six cities that will be popular in 2020.
Digital nomad destinations for 2020
- Cape Town, South Africa.
- Da Nang, Vietnam.
- Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
- Melbourne, Australia.
- Tallinn, Estonia.
- Valencia, Spain.
1. Cape Town, South Africa
Accommodation is available from as little as $15 per night in a shared dorm at a hostel. For those with a larger budget, apartment rentals start at around $350 per month but expect to pay $500 -$1000 per month in a more central, down-town area.
Considering working spaces, Cape Town offers a range of locations providing desks and support services alongside a multitude of coffee shops providing fast and stable internet connection. Places that are popular include Yours Truly, Hard Pressed Café, and Truth Coffee Roasting.
2. Da Nang, Vietnam
Da Nang is located in central Vietnam and is less ‘busy’ than the better known Ho Chi Minh City and the Capital city of Hanoi. The Han River divides the ‘city’ area from the ‘beach’ area. Accommodation is available from around $300 per month for a studio apartment.
Workspaces are available at Enouvo Space on the beachside of the river with The Hub, DNC, and Rom Casa in the city area. Coffee shops with internet access include Gozar Coffee, Six On Six, and Why Coffee.
The Internet is generally fast enough for video chat but is susceptible to outages from time to time.
3. Johor Bahru, Malaysia
Johor Bahru is a short trip across the causeway to Singapore but a million miles away in terms of costs. Accommodation is available in guest houses and an apartment can be rented from around $360 per month.
Co-working space is available at Dream Space while there are coffee shops such as the Faculty of Caffeine providing wi-fi and delicious coffee.
4. Melbourne, Australia
Accommodation in Melbourne varies in prices. A one-bedroom apartment can start at $1000 per month. Sharing property is very popular among digital nomads in Melbourne as well.
As the food capital of Australia, Melbourne is not short of coffee shops, cafes and one of the best city for nightlife for a digital nomad to find a seat and use the wi-fi. Libraries provide workspaces with free wi-fi. Paid for workspaces include ‘Creative Cubes’ in the Hawthorn district. Space is available from $39 per day.
5. Tallinn, Estonia
An apartment in Tallinn will cost $800 – 1100 per month. This is considerably lower than for most European capital cities. The city is easy to walk around with public transport available.
Workspaces are widely available in Tallinn. The quality of wi-fi is considered as exceptional throughout the city. Workspace costs are from around $110 per month.
6. Valencia, Spain
Accommodation in Valencia is very reasonably priced. A studio apartment should be available from $500-$600 per month. The city is easy to get around.
Workspaces are widely available and wi-fi is considered as strong. Botani, Vortex, and Wayco are three popular locations. Costs are around $20 per day. There is an abundance of coffee shops.
Sim cards combining calls with data are available from Vodafone, Orange, and Lebara. 4G is available from around $25 per month.