Work From Anywhere. Actually.
The dream: a laptop, a WiFi signal, and your choice of where to be. The reality: not all destinations are built the same for remote work. This guide cuts through the noise with real data on visa length, internet reliability, cost of living, community size, and whether you can actually get work done.
The complete guide to remote work destinations in 2025. Real data on visa options, internet speeds, cost of living, community size, and whether you can actually get work done.
Chiang Mai ($800/mo)
Portugal (2yr)
Lisbon & Bali
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Pick Your Priority:
Under $1,000/month total
Longest legal stay without visa runs
Largest nomad populations
Best internet reliability
Productivity climate
Match your clients/team
Each destination includes exactly what you need to know: visa options with lengths, realistic monthly costs, internet speeds, coworking spaces with prices, where nomads actually live, and why people are moving there in 2025.
Founder of Nomad List (the database literally built for this). Influenced millions of nomads. Founder of $3M+ ARR business from the road.
Top destinations: Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Lisbon, Barcelona, Mexico City
Budget-focused long-term traveler. Advocates for slow travel and affordability.
Top destinations: Chiang Mai, Medellín, Lisbon, Budapest, Prague
Lived in Chiang Mai 5+ years. Entrepreneur-focused.
Top destinations: Bangkok, Da Nang, Manila, Southeast Asia
Visa expert and YouTube creator. Focuses on visa-friendly destinations and community.
Top destinations: Mexico City, Barcelona, Porto, Medellín
Visa lengths vary. Tourist visas = 30-180 days. Digital nomad visas = 1-3 years. Most nomads combine approaches: tourist visa + extension + periodic visa runs.
For video calls: minimum 50 Mbps (both directions). For streaming/collaboration: 100+ Mbps. Get 150+ Mbps and you have buffer for everything.
In coworking spaces: yes, almost always. At home: depends. Test before commitment. Have backup mobile hotspot plan.
Major consideration if you have scheduled client calls. Choose destination based on where your clients are. Europe (UTC+1-2) suits US/EU. Asia (UTC+7-8) suits US evening + early Asia.
Join coworking spaces, attend nomad meetups, Facebook groups, attend community events. Larger hubs (Chiang Mai, Bali, Lisbon) make this easier.
Rules vary wildly. Tourist visas = technically illegal to work (rarely enforced). Digital nomad visas = legal. Some countries don't care. Others are strict. Research and consider tax advice.
Bring travel insurance. Most destinations have decent healthcare. Coworking communities usually know good doctors.
Thailand: every 30-60 days. Lisbon: not at all (2-year visa). Mexico: can stay 180+ days. Plan based on your destination.
Location independence isn't about paradise every day. Some days you'll be lonely. Some wifi will fail. Some neighborhoods won't feel like home.
But here's the real benefit: if something isn't working (wrong timezone, too lonely, weather terrible), you move. You have options. The next destination is always possible.
That's the digital nomad advantage.
This guide maps where the best combinations of infrastructure, affordability, community, and visa flexibility exist. The rest is up to you.
Start with a destination that matches your needs. Expect 2-4 weeks to truly settle. If it works, stay. If it doesn't, move. That flexibility is the whole point.
Get a personalized itinerary with hotels, activities, restaurants, and budget breakdown - all tailored to how you love to travel.
Get personalized recommendations, destination deals, and updates when we add new content to this guide.