Top 12 Cheap Destinations To Start Your Digital Nomad Career
If you've been thinking about becoming a digital nomad, the first thing you need to do is choose your destination. There are plenty of places in the world where it's easy to start a new life as a digital nomad—but if you want to save money, what are some cheap destinations? Here are our top 12 picks:
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Chiang Mai is a great place to live as a digital nomad. The weather is fantastic, with high temperatures from November to March and cooler evenings in the rainy season (May through October). You can expect to pay around $2 per night for accommodation during this time period. Food and drink prices are low; you can eat at street stalls for less than $1 per meal, or go out for drinks with friends after work for about $4-$5 USD. Transportation is also cheap and easy here: the airport has buses that run every 15-20 minutes from early morning until late at night; taxis are inexpensive ($1-$3 USD) if you share them with others; tuk-tuks charge between 10-30 baht ($0.30–$1) per ride depending on distance traveled.
As far as internet goes—no problem! It's widely available throughout Chiang Mai, though some areas may be better than others depending on where exactly you choose to stay. Wifi speeds will often exceed 20 Mbps (megabits per second), which is more than enough bandwidth for streaming music online or watching videos on YouTube without buffering issues."
Cebu, Philippines
Cebu is the largest city in the Philippines and is one of the most popular places for digital nomads to live. The weather here is warm and sunny all year round, making it ideal for outdoor activities. There are plenty of beaches nearby where you can relax on a hammock or go diving.
Cebu also has several great restaurants serving delicious local cuisine; there’s no shortage of food choices around town! You will never be bored when it comes to eating out in Cebu because there are many options available – from fast food chains like Jollibee (the Philippines' answer to McDonald's) or Chowking (Chinese food), to more upscale restaurants like Sage Restaurant & Lounge by BNP Paribas - Cebu Tower Hotel or Tulay na Kapihan which serves up Filipino favorites with a modern twist.
If you want somewhere more authentic than what's offered by these more Westernized chains then don't worry about finding somewhere because there are also plenty of mom-and-pop establishments serving up traditional Filipino dishes such as sinigang (sour broth soup made with various kinds of seafood) and adobo (chicken stewed in vinegar).
Da Nang, Vietnam
Da Nang, Vietnam
You’ll find it hard to resist the charm of Da Nang. The city is a good place to live, with great food and weather. It’s also safe and affordable while having a good internet infrastructure. As a result of its affordability and friendly locals, Da Nang is one of the best destinations for digital nomads who are looking for their next adventure.
Budapest, Hungary
You might not have heard of Budapest, but it's a fantastic place to start your digital nomad career. The cost of living there is extremely low, and the weather is mild for most of the year. There are many great restaurants and bars where you can meet other digital nomads and make new friends.
The Hungarian people are warm, friendly people who love to party—which means that there's always something going on in the city at night! You'll find plenty of bars with live music or DJs playing electronic music until late into the night.
Hungarian food is delicious, especially when eaten at one of their famous restaurants like "Csendes" (which translates as "quiet"). The wine list here is also excellent if you're looking for a good glass after work!
Medellin, Colombia
Medellin is the second most populous city in Colombia and is the capital of Antioquia Department. Medellin is known for its mountain landscape, its parks, museums, theaters and many other attractions that attract tourists from all over the world.
The city has a unique culture and history which makes it one of the most popular destinations for digital nomads looking for a cheap place to live while they travel around South America.
As with any other city that attracts so much tourism, Medellin can be quite expensive with prices similar to those found in Europe or North America. But if you're willing to do some research and look outside of downtown where most tourists stay there are many cheap options available!
Sofia, Bulgaria
Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria, and it is a great place for digital nomads. It's affordable, has a thriving nightlife scene with lots of culture and amazing weather in the summer.
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Vietnam is one of the best countries for digital nomads to live in. It has a great quality of life, and it's easy to get around.
The internet is fast and reliable in Vietnam, so you can work from home with no problems!
Coffee shops are everywhere in Vietnam, so you'll never have to worry about finding somewhere to work out of if that's what you're looking for. And there are plenty of coworking spaces too!
There are many events and meetups happening all throughout the country—from Da Nang to Hanoi—so if you want something social while working remotely, this place has got it all covered!
Lisbon and Porto, Portugal
If you want to start your digital nomad career in Europe and are looking for a place with beautiful beaches, great food and culture, then Lisbon and Porto are the best options for you. Lisbon has been named one of the coolest cities in the world by Lonely Planet. It's also one of the cheapest places to live (according to Numbeo), so it's great if your budget is tight.
Porto is Portugal's second largest city with a population of 1 million people; it has many universities and lots of young people who have moved there over recent years.
Beaches: You can find some amazing beaches close by both cities that don't cost much money at all: Cascais (Lisbon) and Guincho (Sintra). They're both about 30-40 minutes away from these cities by car but you can take public transport if you want to save some money!
Food: There are plenty of restaurants around both cities where you can get great food at low prices. In Lisbon there are multiple traditional Portuguese restaurants which serve delicious seafood dishes such as cataplana or grilled fresh fish on skewers! In Porto there are also some fantastic seafood restaurants where you can eat great fresh fish cooked in different ways such as fried or grilled with lemon juice on top - yum!!
Koh Lanta Island, Thailand
Koh Lanta is an island in Thailand, and it’s one of the best places to start your digital nomad career. It’s a beautiful island with many things to do, but also very safe and has good internet.
You can live anywhere on the island and still have access to high speed internet at all times. So you don't need to worry about not having access when you live there!
Belgrade and Novi Sad, Serbia
Serbia is a great destination for digital nomads. It has a low cost of living, and an excellent internet speed. The capital city is Belgrade, while the second largest city is Novi Sad (New Serbia).
Both cities offer attractive neighborhoods to live in and plenty of things to do on the weekends. In addition to it's beautiful historic buildings, Belgrade has museums about its history during WW2; this includes displays about its resistance movement against Nazi occupation during that time period. The National Museum of Contemporary Art also contains some fantastic exhibits from both Serbian artists as well as international ones who have exhibited there over time such as Van Gogh or Picasso. For those interested in music there are many opportunities too: you can hear live performances at various venues throughout both cities including jazz clubs but also rock bands playing their own original compositions which often include English lyrics written by themselves rather than someone else."
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Ubud is the cultural capital of Bali, and it's home to many artists, yogis, and healers. It's also a great place for digital nomads to meet other digital nomads!
The expat community in Ubud is large with lots of different people from all around the world. You'll be able to find other nomads at coworking spaces or simply by joining an activity like yoga or surfing that attracts expats.
Tbilisi and Batumi, Georgia.
Georgia is a great place for digital nomads. It has fast internet, it's safe, and it's cheap! You can live there without spending much money at all, especially if you rent a room or an apartment on Airbnb. The food in Georgia is also very good - I recommend going to the local markets and trying some new things!
If you are looking to become a digital nomad, we hope this list of cheap destinations will help you on your journey. We want to encourage everyone who is eager to travel the world and work remotely that they shouldn’t let any perceived barrier stop them from doing so. Whether it’s money or time off work, there are plenty of options out there for those who want them!