I've Worked Remotely Around the World. Here's What All the 'Best Cities for Remote Workers' Lists Get Wrong

Where to find reliable information about working remotely abroad

Public tranist? Fast Wi-Fi? Awesome cultural sights? Check, check, and check. Medellin it is! Photo: oscar garces/Shutterstock

Before noting what I dislike about remote work lists, it’s important to note that there are plenty of websites that are incredibly useful when researching and executing an international workation. A great place to start is Nomad List, a site that breaks down remote work metrics for nearly every city in the world. Here you can find information on Wi-Fi speed, safety, weather, availability of coworking, and other factors that make “workations” effective, efficient, and enjoyable. After you’ve determined spots you want to visit, look at the availability of remote-work-friendly accommodations. These can include coliving and coworking chains like Outsite or Selina, but you can also look at Airbnb, which will help you uncover places like Avenida Baja in Cabo, which hosts villas specifically tailored to remote workers. Some websites I’ve come to trust over the years include Goats on the Road, Legal Nomads, Matador Network’s digital nomad hub, and private communities like Location Indie and the Dynamite Circle.

Now for the issues I’ve had with many of these “best places to work remotely” articles.

Issue #1: Those conducting the studies (or writing the article) haven’t worked remotely abroad

Not an authoritative place from which to research international remote work hotspots. Photo: Cedric Crucke/Shutterstock

The most glaring issue with these “best places to work remotely” lists is exactly what I noted above. They’re frequently researched and written by people who apparently have never worked remotely abroad. This is obvious from the intro hook (“A new study by LawnStarter, which scored the 200 largest U.S. cities on 20 metrics across seven categories to determine the best and worst places for remote work, could help you decide,” quipped the New York Times, which famously quarreled with its staff over return-to-office policies), to the location descriptions, and is eponymous with the way media companies churn out quick hit stories (why is a lawn care blog putting together a “best places to work remotely” list? Because sites like Matador and NYT will backlink to it, not because they have any actual interest in helping remote workers travel).

These lists tend to lack almost any context about what it’s actually like to live in and work remotely from each location – because the author has never been there, nor did they speak with anyone who has. The studies look at data points rather than on-the-ground observations.

Any city worth its salt has ample coffee shops and craft beer bars. But what is the scene like in those places? Will I arrive in an awkward setting in a coffee shop where I’m the only one working remotely and the staff clearly can’t wait for me to leave? Or are laptop workers a core part of the business model?

How effectively can I move about using public transit, bikes, and/or rideshare apps, since I won’t have a car of my own?

How do the locals feel about remote workers?

It’s tough to know the answers to these questions without boots on the ground, no matter how many data points are being analyzed.

Issue #2: Not all remote workers travel to avoid cold weather

The author in his happy place. Photo: Tim Wenger

Every study and resource for remote workers I’ve seen – even Nomad List is guilty – seemingly operates under the assumption that all remote workers are snowbirds looking to trade in their jacket for a bikini and spend afternoons lounging by the pool with a tropical drink.

Not me. Not many of my remote worker friends.

Most of my international travels are to places where I can snowboard. I’ve only visited Europe in winter, and am far more likely to visit Argentina or Chile to post up in the Andes than to visit Viña del Mar or Rio. Boulder, Colorado, is such a hotspot for remote workers that Outsite, a hospitality company specializing in coliving spaces for them, recently opened a location there. The ski area I frequent in western Colorado has a coworking space onsite, as do an increasing number around the country and world. I’d be remiss if I failed to mention Bansko, Bulgaria, a European ski town home to one of the most thriving communities of digital nomads anywhere on the planet. Yet, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Bansko on a “best places to work remotely” list in the mainstream media.

Issue #3: Digital nomad visas are great, but often not necessary

Photo: Arkadij Schell /Shutterstock

Access to a country for at least 30 days is essential for an extended workation. Quartz recently highlighted a study purporting to show the best locations for hybrid workers, one of which was Beijing. Even with recently loosened visa restrictions, you can’t just show up at Beijing Capital International Airport, pull out a US or Euro passport, and expect to hightail it to the nearest coworking space. You’ll need a visa in advance, and will likely have to answer a bunch of questions about who you are and what you plan to do in China. One need only browse the website of the company that released the list to learn that it offers flexible office space for rent in Beijing, a more likely explanation of why it is listed in the “study.”

An increasing number of countries releasing digital nomad visas is a key indicator that more governments are realizing the economic benefits that luring freewheeling tech workers, freelancers, and entrepreneurs can bring. However, a special visa isn’t necessary in most cases unless one plans to spend the bulk of their year in that location. The most common international remote work destination for Americans, by far, is Mexico. Americans can spend 180 consecutive days in Mexico on a tourist entry visa obtained for free upon arrival, without the hassle and risk of declaring their profession or intention. I have spent ample time in Mexico and have never needed anything more than this.

Even in remote work hotspots like Bali, Indonesia, it’s possible to extend the 30-day basic entry visa at least once (for a total of 60 days) before needing to exit the country. Thailand may be an exception here due to the irrefutable pull of Chiang Mai as the “digital nomad dorms” and a popular first stop for remote workers learning the ropes of long-term international freelance work, and of course, individual needs vary – but for most workation trips and even most digital nomads, a tourist visa is just fine.

Issue #4: Cost of living is important, but community is essential

Photo: Alexanderstock23 /Shutterstock

As cliche as it sounds, the main reason I posted up in Ubud, Bali, in the summer of 2017 was simple – I knew I’d immediately find a network of fellow remote workers to befriend. Yes, Bali has an approachable cost of living for those bringing US dollars, but that need was secondary to having an inspiring and welcoming community of remote workers. Part of the appeal of solo travel is the people you meet, and when you’re freelancing, the networking that can be done at a coworking space like Outpost is unparalleled when it comes to finding new clients.

Going back to the point above, you’re not going to find a hub of digital nomads in Beijing. Nor will you find one in Broomfield, Colorado, ranked #24 in the US by the LawnCare “study” I referenced. Let’s hone in on Broomfield as proof to why the list it’s on is terrible, because I grew up in the Denver metro and can speak to it authoritatively. Broomfield is a suburb between Denver and Boulder. It is nearly impossible to get around the area on a day-to-day basis without a private car. Much of the population of Broofield commutes to either Denver or Boulder to go to work, and you won’t find much in the immediate vicinity beyond neighborhoods, strip malls, and schools (the one big-name concert venue in Broomfield was recently slated for demolition). The cost of living may be slightly cheaper than Denver or Boulder, but you’ll spend any money you saved going to one or the other for everything you do, be it visiting coffee shops, meeting friends, going to dinner, or enjoying a night out. Plus, a big part of the reason people come to Colorado to work remotely is because of the outdoors – and there are few worse spots in the state for outdoor access than cookie-cutter suburbs.

For international destinations, a major factor drawing remote workers is being able to make US dollars, pounds, or Euros stretch further than they do at home. Cost of living is always noted in “best places to work remotely” lists, and this tends to rule out tech-friendly, global hub cities like San Francisco, Sydney, or London – yet each of these has a thriving remote work scene. Maintaining an affordable lifestyle is important when traveling and working, but whether you’re traveling abroad or domestically, lifestyle and community are more important than knocking 10 percent off of your monthly rent bill.