The 5 Best Places to Live as a Remote Worker

The Dawn of the Laptop-travelling adventurer. Remote work may have passed it’s COVID peak, but there are still thousands of digital nomads travelling all over the globe in search of the fastest wifi and the cheapest accommodation. I’ve visited many of the best spots, and heard of others. This is the most comprehensive list that I have ever seen (party my bias), with some obvious ones you will recognize + a few gems that are still not as popularly known. 

Here’s the quick rundown if you’re looking for some quick info:

• Bali:  $900-$1,500/month cost of living, but you could realistically spend as much as NYC and find yourself in a villa you’ve always dreamed of. Insane gym scene and everywhere has fast wifi. 

• Cape Town: $1,485-$2,000/month, new 3-year digital nomad visa, stunning nature, coworking culture, and copious amounts of activities to keep you busy during your free time. 

• Alicante: €1,200-€1,800/month, Spain's digital nomad visa, 300+ days of sunshine, beach and city life. This place is so insanely underrated that it is bound to pop off within the next few years.

• Puerto Escondido: $800-$1,200/month, surf town vibe, growing remote worker community, Pacific coast. This place is a blast, but it will likely get over developed soon. Still a great spot with excellent tacos. 

• Bangkok: $1,000-$1,500/month, 5-year digital nomad visa, massive expat community, world-class infrastructure. One of the only major cities (10m+ population) that I would ever recommend to post up in. 

1. Bali, Indonesia

Bali has long been the mecca for digital nomads. It first started as a surfer hotspot and then COVID brought those lucky of us outside of our home country and flooding into the tropical marvel that is Bali. 

It really depends on your budget, but you could easily get by on $900-$1,500 per month depending on location and lifestyle. Canggu is the trendy surf town that everyone knows of. Kinda overrated in my opinion but still livable. One-bedroom villas run $600-$800 per month. Ubud is quieter, more cultural, and cheaper. Seminyak is upscale with better nightlife and higher prices, but I would stay there if I was paid to. It’s like Bali’s version of Cancun. The further West you go from Canggu, the better it gets. 

Internet speeds have improved significantly. Fiber optic connections are basically everywhere and if they don’t have it in your villa (rarity), then any cafe will certainly do. Mobile data is solid, you can get a package from Globie and use it all across Indonesia. 

Indonesia launched a Digital Nomad Visa (E33G) that allows remote workers to stay and work tax-free for up to 5 years, provided income is from outside the country. The minimum income requirement is $60,000 annually. The visa costs around $1,500-$2,000 to secure through an agent. But, honestly, you don’t always need that. You can do visa runs every few months whenever yours starts to run out. Just be sure not to abuse this as they are cracking down on those who are staying for months on end. 

Bali is no longer the undiscovered gem it once was. The island is crowded, especially in Canggu. But the infrastructure has matured through improved coworking spaces, networking events, the greatest gyms and wellness centers you could ask for, world class restaurants, and a community of thousands of remote workers. If you're looking for a tropical base with reliable internet and a built-in community, Bali remains one of the best.

Image of Bali, Indonesia

2. Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town claimed its spot as one of the best cities for remote workers in 2025 and it's holding that position in 2026. This place is only going to gain in popularity. The biggest problem they have is non-existent in the places you’ll stay, what once was a dangerous place to live has realms of some of the safest spots you could ask for. The city itslef offers stunning natural beauty, affordable living compared to Western cities, and a digital nomad visa that allows stays up to 3 years.

Monthly expenses for a comfortable lifestyle range from $1,485 to $2,000. Rent for a one-bedroom apartment in neighborhoods like Sea Point, Green Point, or De Waterkant costs $400-$1,000 per month, but often more. I’d call a place in that range a steal, especially if you find it towards the beaches. Food, transport, and all the fun activities are significantly cheaper than Europe or North America. A solid 300g sirloin steak at a nice steakhouse costs around $10 and my god are they delicious

Internet infrastructure in Cape Town is reliable just about everywhere you go. Average speeds are around 26 Mbps download and 21 Mbps upload, but many apartments and coworking spaces offer fiber connections reaching 100-550 Mbps. You genuinely won’t have an issue having a fast connection most places you go, and if you do, just try the spot next door. Popular coworking spaces like Workshop17 and Cube Workspace offer memberships starting at $110 per month. Highly recommend getting a South Africa eSIM prior to your trip.

South Africa's Digital Nomad Visa launched in March 2025. Requirements include proof of remote work, a clean criminal record, and earning at least $35,700 annually. The visa is valid for up to 3 years. Health insurance valid in South Africa is mandatory so don’t skip that!

Cape town is a combination of nature, adventure, unique culture, incredible activities, and beach life. There is nowhere else on earth that has this quality of life for this low of a price. The food alone is enough reason to post up there for a few months. And truly, just look at the picture below if you need anymore convincing…..

Image of Cape Town, South Africa

3. Alicante, Spain

Alicante is one of Europe's best-kept secrets for remote workers. I almost don’t want to include this one because of how great of a secret this is. Alicante sits on Spain's Costa Blanca and offers 300+ days of sunshine per year, Mediterranean beaches, and a cost of living significantly lower than Barcelona or Madrid.

Monthly expenses for a comfortable lifestyle range from €1,200 to €1,800 ($1,300-$1,950). Rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center costs around €600-€900 per month, buttt that is increasing and gets even higher in the summer time. Food is wildly cheap. You’ve got tapas all around and who doesn’t love a nice €2 dish? You can bar crawl across the city for €20 and have a full belly by the end of it. The city is walkable and public transport is reliable. Taxi / ubers are cheap and fast. 

The Internet in Alicante is fast just about everywhere you go. Fiber optic connections are standard in most apartments, with speeds reaching 300-600 Mbps. Coworking spaces are growing in number and cafes are laptop-friendly. The city has a smaller digital nomad community compared to Valencia or Barcelona, but that's part of the appeal imo. Less crowded, more authentic, and easier to integrate with locals who absolutely love to party. Their slogan is, “Alicantinos borrachos y finos.” I won’t tell you what that means, you have to find out for yourself when you go there. 

Spain has a Digital Nomad Visa that they introduced under the Startup Act which allows non-EU remote workers to live in Spain while working for foreign employers or running an online business. It’s pretty sweet. The visa is valid for up to 5 years with renewals. Minimum income requirements are approximately €2,000 per month ($2,160) so if you can’t afford that then you probably shouldn’t be traveling! 

Alicante is absolutely perfect for remote workers who want the European experience without the European price tag. The beach is a 10-minute walk from most neighborhoods, and even less if you’re lucky enough to score a spot even closer. The city has culture, history, and a pace of life that doesn't feel like you’re in a hurry (basically everywhere in Spain). If you want to live in Spain but avoid the tourist crowds and inflated costs of Barcelona or Madrid, Alicante is where you should be looking. 

Also, they have an international airport which is very rare for a mid-sized city like this in Spain. Get in well the gettin’ is good. Grab our Spain eSIM before you head over so you stay connected during your bar crawl :).

Image of Alicante, Spain

4. Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Puerto Escondido is a surf town on Mexico's Pacific coast that's quietly becoming one of the best destinations for remote workers in Latin America. I say quietly, but it's not that quiet anymore. Everyone and their mother seems to be heading there these days, but it's still got that laid-back vibe that makes you forget you're supposed to be working at all.

Remote workers typically spend $800-$1,200 per month here, which is honestly insane when you think about what that gets you. Rent for a one-bedroom apartment or small house ranges from $300-$600 per month depending on how close you want to be to the beach. The closer you are, the more you pay, but even the expensive spots are cheap by Western standards. Food is ridiculously cheap. Local tacos and fresh seafood are everywhere and meals rarely cost more than $3-$5. I'm talking fresh caught fish tacos for less than a coffee back home. Western restaurants and cafes exist if you need that fix, but they're pricier (still affordable though).

Internet has actually improved a ton over the last few years. Fiber optic is available in many areas and speeds can hit 50-100 Mbps when it's working. Coworking spaces like La Casa de Lolita and Cometa Workspace have reliable connections and you'll meet other remote workers there. That said, the power goes out sometimes (it's Mexico), so having backup mobile data from Globie is basically mandatory. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Mexico gives most people a 6-month tourist visa automatically when you fly in, which is perfect for testing the waters. If you want to stay longer, you can apply for a Temporary Resident Visa that's good for up to 4 years. The catch is you have to start the process at a Mexican consulate before you enter the country, so plan ahead on that one.

Puerto Escondido isn't as developed as Bali or Cape Town and honestly that's the entire point. The infrastructure is still catching up and the town has this rugged, slightly chaotic feel that won't be everyone's cup of tea. But if you want to slow down, surf in the mornings, work in the afternoons, and watch genuinely incredible sunsets over the Pacific every single night, this is the spot. The community is tight-knit without feeling cliquey, and the beaches are some of the best I've seen. Just go before everyone else figures it out.

5. Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok is criminally underrated as a remote work destination and I genuinely don't understand why more people aren't talking about it. Yeah it's massive, yeah it's chaotic, and yeah it has a reputation for being a party city. But if you actually spend time there instead of just doing Khao San Road for three days, you'll realize it's one of the best setups you could ask for.

Remote workers in Bangkok typically spend $1,000-$1,500 per month and that includes everything. Rent for a modern one-bedroom apartment in neighborhoods like Thonglor, Ekkamai, or Ari (all solid choices) runs $400-$700 per month. Food is stupid cheap. Street food costs $1-$3 per meal and it's genuinely some of the best food you'll eat anywhere. Mid-range restaurants rarely break $10 per person. The BTS Skytrain and MRT are fast, clean, and affordable. You can get across the entire city for like $2.

Internet in Bangkok is legitimately world-class. Fiber optic connections are standard in basically every modern apartment, with speeds hitting 100-300 Mbps without breaking a sweat. Coworking spaces are absolutely everywhere - Hubba, TCDC, The Hive, and about fifty others. Memberships start around $100-$150 per month. Cafes are laptop-friendly and usually have solid WiFi. You will not have connectivity issues here, but just in case, you should brag a Thailand eSIM before your trip.

Thailand recently introduced a Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa for remote workers that's valid for up to 5 years which is pretty wild. The visa does require proof of employment with a foreign company or freelance income over $80,000 annually, so it's not for everyone. For shorter stays, Thailand's 60-day tourist visa is extendable and you can stretch it to about 180 days with visa runs if you play it right (just don't abuse it because they're cracking down).

Bangkok takes time to appreciate, I'll be honest. It's loud, it's crowded, and when you first land it can feel completely overwhelming. But once you find your neighborhood and settle into a rhythm, it clicks. Everything is accessible: food, transport, entertainment, healthcare (which is excellent and cheap). The expat and digital nomad community is massive so you'll never struggle to meet people. If you want a big city with endless options, incredible food, and a cost of living that makes Western cities look ridiculous, Bangkok absolutely delivers.

 Just give it a chance past the first week.

Image of Bangkok, Thailand

Ready to set up your laptop abroad?

Bali, Cape Town, Alicante, Puerto Escondido, and Bangkok are the five cities where remote work isn't just possible. It's better. These cities offer low costs, reliable internet, strong communities, and a lifestyle that makes you forget you're working at all. Whether you want tropical beaches, European culture, surf towns, or big city energy, one of these five will fit.

Pick the one that matches what you're after, book the flight, and start living like you've been planning to. And when you land, staying connected is easy. Grab an eSIM before you leave and you'll have data the second you touch down. No hunting for WiFi, no dealing with airport SIM card shops. You land, you're online, and you're already working.