HBR talks about the balancing autonomy and structure of remote work and its significance to demands in the new work culture trends. With the rise of remote work culture, more and more professionals are looking for the best locations to work remotely. There are plenty of destinations around the world that offer excellent work-life balance with beautiful scenery, and an affordable living lifestyle. If you’re a full-time remote worker, a freelancer, or a digital nomad, you can choose your desired place of work that motivates you.
From bustling cities with vibrant spaces to quiet beaches to mountain towns, there’s always a perfect destination for every remote employee. However, considering a remote work destination can be cumbersome, and you might need help figuring out where to start. Let’s explore some of the best places to work remotely based on factors like cost of living, quality of life, and access to amenities that make remote work possible.
Best Places for Remote Work Around the World
The advancement of remote work has brought a revolution in business, recruitment practices, and corporate frameworks. Mostly the benefits of remote work have more effect on the lives of individuals who have the freedom to work with greater flexibility. Many professionals are now seeking out the best places to work remotely with the new remote work culture.
Even though working from home or coworking space is fine, but sometimes all you need is a change of scenery. The real challenge is to choose where to work remotely or the right destination for your first or next remote work locations. Also, there are a few countries offering remote work visa to employees. Here, you can choose the right and the best places to remote work based on continents.
Best places for remote work – Asia
Bali, Indonesia
Bali is well known for its affordable and relaxed lifestyle, with a rich culture and breathtaking scenery. Bali is one of the most popular destinations among the best places to work remotely worldwide. The city is most well known for its beautiful beaches and warm weather.
- Currency to Use: Indonesian Rupiah (RP)
- Cost of Living: Affordable; the city is way more affordable when compared to other popular remote work locations.
- Quality Of Life: High; the city offers a number of adventurous activities such as surfing, hiking, and exploring.
- Access to Amenities: Easy; a range of amenities and resources are easily available to make remote working more comfortable and convenient.
Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok is one of the most happening places on Earth and is gaining popularity among remote workers. The city is vibrant, with lights, places, and entertainment spots to explore to maintain a work-life balance.
- Currency to Use: Thai Baht (THB)
- Cost of Living: Affordable; There are various options to fit different budgets for everyone.
- Quality Of Life: High; the city is full of historical landmarks, museums, and thriving nightlife places.
- Access to Amenities: Easy; With rising popularity, the city is more accessible with easy access to amenities and resources.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur is one of the most developed cities in Malaysia. Recently, the city has received uprising popularity among remote workers and contractors. The city is well known for its impressive architecture, such as the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, various green spaces, and parks.
- Currency to Use: Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
- Cost of Living: Affordable; the city is mostly famous for its affordable and low cost of living.
- Quality Of Life: High; The city conveniently ensures high quality of life with its accessibility.
- Access to Amenities: Easy; The city easily provides all amenities and resources to remote employees.
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, is gaining popularity among remote employees and digital nomads. There are a growing number of coworking spaces, networking opportunities, and coffee shops with internet access. In addition to that, the city and nearby places are easily accessible, as the transportation services are improving.
- Currency to Use: Vietnamese Dong (VND)
- Cost of Living: Affordable; a remote employee can live comfortably with a budget of around $1,000 to $1,500 per month.
- Quality Of Life: High; The city is rich in culture and diversity, providing a better quality of life.
- Access to Amenities: Easy; plenty of amenities and resources are available to all the city’s people.
Bangalore, India
Known as the Silicon Valley of India, Bangalore is one of the most popular cities in India and one of the best places for remote work. The city is well-developed and contributes to the economy of the country in a significant way.
- Currency to Use: Indian Rupees (INR)
- Cost of Living: Affordable; based on a budget, a person can choose the cost of living.
- Quality Of Life: High; Within a range of distance, anyone can explore the various cultures and heritages of the city.
- Access to Amenities: Easy; The city provides effortless access to all the amenities and resources for all remote workers.
Best cities for remote work – Europe
Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon, Portugal, is one of the most fascinating remote workplaces. In recent years, the city has become more popular among remote workers and contractors. Lisbon is full of lush green landscapes and historical architecture.
- Currency to Use: Portuguese Escudo (PTE)
- Cost of Living: Affordable; Lisbon is relatively more affordable than other European cities for remote work
- Quality Of Life: High; The city offers a number of coworking spaces and entertainment places to explore.
- Access to Amenities: Easy; The city has convenient and affordable access to amenities and resources.
Porto, Portugal
Porto is located on the northern side of Portugal and well knows for its beautiful architecture, delicious cuisine, and thriving cultural scene. Thus, Porto is listed as one of the best places for remote work among remote employees and contractors.
- Currency to Use: Portuguese Escudo (PTE)
- Cost of Living: Affordable; Porto is quite affordable and cheap from other European cities.
- Quality Of Life: High; The city offers networking and professional development opportunities for employees and contractors.
- Access to Amenities: Easy; The city offers all remote workers easy access to amenities and resources.
Madrid, Spain
Madrid the Capital of Spain and a city of elegant boulevards and expansive. The city is popular among remote workers and contractors for its high quality of life a diverse culture.
- Currency to Use: Euro (EUR)
- Cost of Living: Affordable; You can choose various options to fit different budgets and explore the city.
- Quality Of Life: High; The city has a number of places to explore and growing coworking spaces and cafes.
- Access to Amenities: Easy; Access to amenities and resources are easily accessible in the city.
Valencia, Spain
Valencia is located near the southeastern coast of Spain and is a famous choice for the best places to work remotely. Valencia is mostly famous for its Arts and Sciences, the Valencia Cathedral, the Old Town, the Central Market, and as the birthplace of paella.
- Currency to Use: Euro (EUR)
- Cost of Living: Affordable; The city offers a lower living cost than other major Spanish cities.
- Quality Of Life: High; With unique historical places and old towns to explore, the city offers a better quality of life.
- Access to Amenities: Easy; The city provides easy access to amenities and resources that are required for remote workers.
Tallinn, Estonia
Tallinn is Estonia’s capital on the Baltic Sea, rich in a mix of culture, language, and tradition. With its peaceful locations and places to explore, remote workers are moving to the city for remote work.
- Currency to Use: Euro (EUR)
- Cost of Living: Affordable; The city offers an affordable cost of living based on the choice of budget.
- Quality Of Life: High; With digital infrastructure, the city provides high quality of life to remote workers and contractors.
- Access to Amenities: Easy; The city provides easy access to amenities for remote workers and contractors.
Best destinations to work remotely – Latin America
Antigua, Guatemala
Antigua is an island on the coast of the Caribbean Sea. The city has gained quite a popularity among remote workers because of reef-lined beaches, rainforests, and resorts.
- Currency to Use: Guatemalan Quetzal (GTQ)
- Cost of Living: Affordable; The city offers an affordable lifestyle and low-cost living standards.
- Quality Of Life: High; Antigua offers an ample quality of life to remote workers and contractors.
- Access to Amenities: Easy; Access to amenities and resources are easily available.
Mexico City, Mexico
Mexico City is the oldest capital city of Mexico and is well-known for its Templo Mayor (a 13th-century Aztec temple). Mexico City is one of the best places for remote work with its historical palaces and amazing architecture with green landscapes.
- Currency to Use: Mexican Nuevo Peso (MXN)
- Cost of Living: Affordable; Mexico City offers an affordable cost of living based on the choice of budget.
- Quality Of Life: High; Remote employees and contractors are availed of quality of life in the city.
- Access to Amenities: Easy; The city has easy access to amenities and resources for remote employees.
Lima, Peru
Lima is the capital of Peru along the Pacific coast. Its rich cultural heritage is famous among remote employees and contractors. Thus, Lima is listed among the top places where to work remotely.
- Currency to Use: Sol (PEN)
- Cost of Living: Affordable; Based on the budget, Lima offers quite an affordable living style for remote workers.
- Quality Of Life: High; The city offers a number of co-working spaces and entertainment places.
- Access to Amenities: Easy; remote employees can avail easy access to amenities and resources.
Santiago, Chile
Santiago is the capital and one of the largest cities in Chile. The city is popular among remote workers and contractors as the Andes and the Chilean Coast Range surround it.
- Currency to Use: Chilean peso (CLP)
- Cost of Living: Affordable; The city offers affordable living compared to other cities in Chile.
- Quality Of Life: High; The city offers a range of co-working spaces, cafes, and entertainment places for remote workers.
- Access to Amenities: Easy; The city offers easy access for remote workers to amenities such as easy transportation and services.
Quito, Ecuador
Quito is located on the Andean foothills and is the capital of Ecuador. The city is most popular among remote workers for its unique blend of traditional and modern culture with stunning architecture.
- Currency to Use: United States Dollar (USD)
- Cost of Living: Affordable; The city provides a number of affordable housing and food for remote workers.
- Quality Of Life: High; The city offers remote workers a range of co-working spaces, cafes, and entertainment places.
- Access to Amenities: Easy; a range of amenities and resources are easily available to make remote working more comfortable and convenient.
Best destinations for remote work – USA
Austin, Texas
Austin is an inland city and the capital of Texas. With a thriving tech industry and high quality of life, Austin is very well known among remote employees and contractors. Additionally, the city has green landscapes and diverse and vibrant culture with great music scenes all around.
- Currency to Use: United States Dollar (USD)
- Cost of Living: Affordable; Compared to other cities in the US, Austin is quite affordable for remote workers.
- Quality Of Life: High; The city provides high quality of life with a variety of housing options to various places to explore.
- Access to Amenities: Easy; Austin has the best-in-class amenities such as transportation, food service, and many more.
Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn is one of the most populated cities in New York County and the second most populous county in the US. Brooklyn is famous for Brooklyn Bridge and attracts more and more remote workers and travelers.
- Currency to Use: United States Dollar (USD)
- Cost of Living: Affordable; The cost of living in Brooklyn is based on a budget of expenses.
- Quality Of Life: High; The city offers remote workers and contractors a fantastic quality of life.
- Access to Amenities: Easy; The city is accessible with all the amenities and resources for remote employees, such as transportation and hospitality.
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the largest seaport city in Washington. With high-tech architecture, buildings, and thousand acres of parkland, Seattle is one of the best places for remote work. Remote Employees are exploring the mountains and evergreen forests.
- Currency to Use: United States Dollar (USD)
- Cost of Living: Somewhat Affordable: The city is affordable to remote workers based on budget.
- Quality Of Life: High; The city provides a number of landscapes, ports, and entertainment places to explore.
- Access to Amenities: Easy; Anyone can easily get avail to amenities and resources based on their requirements.
Denver, Colorado
Denver is the capital of Colorado and is known for its booming tech industry, vibrant culture, and outdoor activities. In recent years, Denver has gained much popularity from remote employees and contractors.
- Currency to Use: United States Dollar (USD)
- Cost of Living: Affordable; The city offers quite an affordable and low-cost living lifestyle.
- Quality Of Life: High; With easy access to outdoor activities such as hiking, skiing, and entertainment places to explore, the quality of life is high.
- Access to Amenities: Easy; Denver provides easy access to amenities such as transportation, hospitality, and more.
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a Pacific Northwest city known for its natural beauty and thriving arts and culture scene. Remote workers and contractors choose this city as their destination as it is the largest city in Oregon.
- Currency to Use: United States Dollar (USD)
- Cost of Living: Affordable; The city is relatively affordable compared to other major cities in Oregon.
- Quality Of Life: High; The city has ample outdoor activities, entertainment, and housing access.
- Access to Amenities: Easy; Portland has the strongest access to amenities to, transportation, and hospitality compared to other major cities.
Things to Follow for Remote Employees or Digital Nomads for Remote Working
Study shows that remote workers report higher levels of work satisfaction and a better work-life balance. Remote working as a Digital nomad or remote employee can be a rewarding experience as you can avail work-life balance. Mental health plays a vital role in health and well-being, and remote working maintains the flexibility to manage work and personal life. In addition to all that, remote working reduces stress levels due to less commute, travel, time, and costs.
While you move to explore the best destinations to work remotely, there are a few things that are important to remember. Digital Nomad Taxes and Digital Nomad Visas these two are essential factors that a remote worker must be aware of. The former is all about taxes deductions and contributions to pay while working remotely. The latter is about the remote working visas that are provided by some specific countries.
Here are the Countries that offer visas for remote working. Know more about Digital Nomad Visas.
- Estonia
- Barbados
- Bermuda
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Dubai, UAE
- Germany
- Georgia
- Iceland
- Portugal
- Spain
- Thailand
Challenges to Mitigate While Working Remotely for a Better Work-Life Balance
Remote working is a great way to achieve a better work-life balance. However, it comes with some unique challenges that are important to remember. Such challenges can be mitigated with simple procedures or having better knowledge or information on the specific challenge. Here are the unique challenges you must be mindful of while working remotely.
Proper Workspace
Creating a proper workspace with necessities such as chairs, desks, and a workstation (Laptop or Desktop) is crucial to maintain proper focus and productivity while working remotely.
Internet Connection
Remote working is only possible with a stable and fast internet connection. Before you start working remotely, make sure you have a good internet connection to ensure fewer discrepancies.
Communication Tools
While working remotely, it is also essential to have proper communication with your team members and clients. In order to ensure this, make sure that you have access to communication tools like email, chat, and video conferencing.
Security
One of the most important aspects to ensure is to have secure connections to ensure that there is no data or information breach. Therefore, ensure you are using the right VPN services and that the files are password protected.
Time Management
In order to ensure work-life balance, you need to have strong time management to balance both. To do so, you can set clear boundaries between work and personal time, thereby creating a schedule that works for you.
Health and Well-being
Out of all the unique challenges, maintaining better health and well-being is crucial, so prioritize your health and well-being. Exercise, connect, and take breaks to maintain it.
Wrapping up!
There are several places or locations that are well-known among remote workers. Factors like cost of living, quality of life, and access to amenities into consideration, the above places are the best destinations for remote work. These destinations offer a great mix of affordability, safety, modern amenities, outdoor experiences, and a thriving digital nomad community. Also, being aware of the visas and other requirements while you work remotely is essential. However, the destinations always depend on your specific need and place to explore.
