Best Country to Move to for Digital Nomad Work / Semi-Retire

May4th on 02/09/2024 - 16:49

As I am procrastinating at work I'm fantasizing about taking an extended working holiday overseas and wanted to see if anyone has done this or want to share the journey.
We don't want to emigrate forever but long term travel from 6 months to 2-3 years at a time to see the world and not just stopover for 2-3 weeks at a time seeing all the touristy sites / lay around on a resort for days.

What are your picks for the best countries for this? Considering things like

  1. Cost of living - rent/food
  2. Access to quality healthcare
  3. Safety: we have young children so can't go backpacking in SA
  4. Visa: digital nomad visas would be desirable as I can work remotely / internet connection
  5. Culture/food/people

Some popular choices are SEA Bali/Malaysia/Thailand, Spain/Portugal/Croatia have been mentioned.

Interested to hear from people who have escaped the rat race and made the plunge, and their experiences/ tips / how they made it work.

Education & Work

Comments

  • chingy213 on 02/09/2024 - 17:16
    +7

    Vietnam. Its very cheap there. and 3rd world but developing quickly.

    Went there last year for a holiday.

    • May4th on 02/09/2024 - 17:28

      we had a great time in vietnam on a short holiday once, it's definitely on our list

    • donga100 on 02/09/2024 - 18:18
      +3

      Great place but the visa situation isn't really suitable for OP as they can only really get the 30 day tourist visa. Thailand and Cambodia are much easier at the moment for getting a visa that allows longer stays.

      • May4th on 02/09/2024 - 18:38

        that's a shame..this is good info thanks

      • mikekiwimike on 03/09/2024 - 09:01
        +1

        You can get 90 days on a visa now and there are several services that will help you cross the border into Cambodia (or Laos) to get the Visa renewed at the end of 90 days. It is not hard to get a longer term visa if you know the right people.

        Vietnam is amazing and providing you do not have health issues (because you will need Health insurance) and enjoy the heat you will love it, cheap and relaxed lifestyle, try Nha Trang for a city that moves at a relaxed pace with beaches, good food and easy to get around.

        • donga100 on 03/09/2024 - 10:11

          The 90 days makes it a bit more attractive. Still a bit inconvenient but could turn it into a weekend trip to Thailand/Singapore/Malaysia to lessen the pain.

    • wallet72 on 02/09/2024 - 19:14
      +1

      I went this year and it was a beautiful place with very friendly people.
      The only things I'd say if you were going to be a nomad there is prepare for some incredibly hot and humid days, start learning to speak the local language, and don't compare things to 'back home'.

  • Gdsamp on 02/09/2024 - 17:26
    -5

    long term travel from 6 months to 2-3 years at a time
    we have young children

    Where should you go to interrupt your childrens' schooling and friendship groups for your own selfish goals

    • May4th on 02/09/2024 - 17:28
      +10

      by young children I mean <5years old, I don't see travelling as a bad thing for kids even when older- seeing the world gives you perspective and helps their development

      • JimmyF on 02/09/2024 - 18:07
        +4

        Sounds horrid to me, travelling around with young kids, while working 40 hours a week.

        Or do you have one of those 'jobs' that is 2 hours a week and the rest is just wiggling the mouse around?

        • May4th on 02/09/2024 - 18:28

          ha I hear you, hence trying to stay in one place for a while and not move around too much. work wise aiming to work 20-30hrs a week at most, to cover the gap between mortgage/renting out our house as we want to come back when kids are more school age

          • SlickMick on 03/09/2024 - 09:27
            +4

            @May4th: You might be more disclined than me, but I've tried this 4 times (though working fulltime) and haven't seen much of any of the places I've moved to.
            I very quickly get caught up in day-to-day life and forget about sightseeing etc.

            My preference is to take holidays long enough to totally forget about the day-to-day, and stay in a residential home rather than a hotel. Buy food at the local markets and grocery stores, not restaurants, and basically just live like a local for a few weeks.

  • 87percent on 02/09/2024 - 17:28
    +1

    Indonesia

    • May4th on 02/09/2024 - 17:29

      any area specifically? Bali feels a bit too touristy and overdeveloped

      • donga100 on 02/09/2024 - 18:12
        +2

        Bali is a very big and diverse island. You can find towns/islands very disconnected from the tourist hubs and lots of places in between. Definitely take a holiday there, or anywhere you are considering, before deciding to move permanently.

      • zfind on 04/09/2024 - 16:58

        🤫 Manado 🤫

  • jv on 02/09/2024 - 17:32
    +1

    Tuvalu

    • donga100 on 02/09/2024 - 18:09
      +2

      As of February 2022, the delivered satellite capacity into Tuvalu was a combined capacity of 510 mbps

      When the whole country only has half as much internet capacity as my house it probably isn't a great choice for a "digital nomad".

  • mrdean on 02/09/2024 - 18:10
    +2

    I hear there's a place called Utopia which is supposed to be pretty good….

    • AaronRain on 03/09/2024 - 09:35

      The TV show? Government can't do IT:

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utopia_(Australian_TV_series)

  • batrarobin on 02/09/2024 - 18:22
    +1

    India…..pretty much ticks all 5 of your criterion.

    • May4th on 02/09/2024 - 18:35

      thanks, is there any particular cities or parts of India that is friendly to foreigners/families?

      • batrarobin on 02/09/2024 - 18:43
        +1

        Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Kasauli… these would be my picks.

      • virhlpool on 02/09/2024 - 18:47
        +2

        Tens of tier 1 and tier 2 cities to choose from depending on what you are after. e.g. urban (but a bit chaotic) life with a lot of jobs/business around, semi-urban life in smaller cities, quiet life in nature, hills or plains, type of weather, English literacy in the area, etc. Around 30 states, and 'most' states have 2-3 decent sized cities. Generally speaking, west and south of India is more developed/safer, obviously with several exceptions in the North.

    • AustriaBargain on 02/09/2024 - 18:36
      +17

      Is India an entirely safe place for females?

      • batrarobin on 02/09/2024 - 18:39
        -2

        What country is 'entirly safe' in the world?

        • jv on 02/09/2024 - 18:43
          +9

          Tuvalu

      • BronzingStubble on 03/09/2024 - 10:44
        +3

        No, it's not. Reddit just had a long thread about this. The most negative comments were from Indian local women who were very negative about being female and travelling India.

        • LFO on 03/09/2024 - 20:52
          -5

          Careful there, I read Indian local women are tremendously jealous and absolutely hate competition from attractive, interesting, young, educated foreign females.

  • Goodproduction on 02/09/2024 - 18:34
    +2

    South Korea is a great option for digital nomads, though the cost of rent or living is close to that of Australia. Safety is exceptional; you can walk around at any time of night without concerns. The medical system is robust, allowing you to see specialists locally without needing prior appointments—walk-ins are always welcome.
    The world fastest internet environment is a bonus.

    • May4th on 02/09/2024 - 18:37

      yes korea is high up on our list too but cost of living is a bit prohibitive as you said

    • virhlpool on 02/09/2024 - 18:49

      How's cost of living though? Also, can a lack of English literacy be a challenge for communication?

  • [Deactivated] on 02/09/2024 - 18:58
    +3

    I wouldn't nomad around South Australia either, you might end up in a barrel.

    • May4th on 02/09/2024 - 19:09

      haha, I have friends in SA(us) and this made me laugh

    • AustriaBargain on 03/09/2024 - 17:58

      Only if you have a pension for someone else to collect. Imagine killing someone over a few hundred dollars a week…

  • sumyungguy on 02/09/2024 - 19:48

    Spend at least some of your time in the eleven countries with Reciprocal Health Care Agreements.

    • May4th on 02/09/2024 - 20:01

      good thought..a lot of them are countries with reasonably high living costs similar to Aus though, looking at italy/malta, any recommendations/experiences with those?

      • sumyungguy on 02/09/2024 - 22:41
        +1

        Apologies, my comment doesn't help because I now understand most countries that issue digital nomad visas require the applicant to have international travel/health insurance

    • smartProverble on 02/09/2024 - 22:44
      +1

      the eleven countries with Reciprocal Health Care Agreements.

      For the lazy, here is the list of the eleven countries

      Here

  • Tiredman on 02/09/2024 - 20:33
    +2

    Malaysia obviously. Almost every speaks English, cheap, food heaven (chinese, malay, indian), great people, multicultural, safe, great medical. DE Rantau Nomad Pass. Penang, Kuala Lumpur or even Johor Bahru (next to Singapore) is great. If your kids go schooling there, they will probably learn a few more languages as well. Normal for someone to speak 3 and above languages there. Incredible base to explore the rest of Asia.

    • May4th on 02/09/2024 - 21:00
      +1

      malaysia is our top consideration actually for all the things you mentioned. any idea re: schooling, ie. good international schools at a reasonable cost?

      • Tiredman on 02/09/2024 - 21:20
        +1

        Yeah i think they are reasonable. There are plenty of options for international schools in KL, Penang and even Johor Bahru (UK's Marlborough College is here but crazy expensive). Here is a good list. For great quality education, probably stick to tiers 1-3.

        https://www.topschools.asia/post/the-6-price-tiers-of-intern…

        • souljah on 04/09/2024 - 16:48

          Wow tier 1 to 3 schools your looking at $14k - $30k+

  • soan papdi on 02/09/2024 - 20:48
    +1

    Costa Rica and/or Japan

  • p1 ama on 02/09/2024 - 21:18
    +8

    As someone who has travelled a fair bit for work, very few places offer everything that you are looking for, and very few places (on average) offer a better living experience than in Australia. It's no surprise that our cities often punch above their weight in livability studies.

    You don't have to travel far to have a great experience - there's plenty of great things to see here at home that most people never even get around to seeing. Take a caravan around Australia for a year or two. You'll genuinely get to see many world class sights - some of the best cities in the world, some of the best beaches, some of the best hiking trails, some of the best scenery, and obviously really great and generous people in the outback. With Starlink, you can get internet anywhere in Australia now.

    Living in most of the places you've listed - i.e. SEA, Europe…etc., you'll really need to learn the local language, if you want to (as you say) make the whole travelling thing long term work. One of the issues with being a "digital nomad" is that there's a bit of a "white guy syndrome" going on, where people will make up these stories about wanting to see the world, wanting to integrate, wanting to experience something different, just to end up living in an enclave of other expats, sending their kids to international schools, only interacting with communities of other "digital nomads", and never really getting the "local" experience.

    FWIW, I don't blame them, because the "local" experience in some of these developing countries (being from one myself) is actually really tough and not at all an appealing lifestyle. It's just something to be aware of, that if you do decide to go to a developing country to "see the world" what you are really seeing is a pretty curated experience that is not at all representative of the "real world".

    • May4th on 03/09/2024 - 06:57

      thanks for your insights. i'm very aware of the traps of white man syndrome and part of wanting to stay in one place for at least a few months is to have better engagement with locals rather than just be a tourist and to immerse in the culture (which I know is a very 'white man syndrome' thing to say. a caravan trip is something we want to do as well when kids are older.

      • p1 ama on 03/09/2024 - 08:59

        wanting to stay in one place for at least a few months is to have better engagement with locals rather than just be a tourist and to immerse in the culture

        Are you paying to "immerse yourself in the culture"? Or are you intending to actually make friends and build a social circle?

        FWIW, the reason why true immersion is difficult is because most digital nomads don't have the social circles to build relationships with locals - e.g. no local job, do not speak the local language, do not frequent places where locals go, are more interested in exoticness than in "real" culture.

        If you're paying for cultural immersion, then understand that it's staged and not actually how real people live.

        • May4th on 03/09/2024 - 09:44

          good points, we are realistic that true "cultural immersion" isn't possible unless you live like a local, which is a bit against the whole point of us moving to a different country with lower cost of living. however just being able to observe and see how people/other cultures live and be able to spend more time to really explore the country rather than doing the obligatory whirlwind of tourist destinations on a short holiday is something we want to try

  • smartProverble on 02/09/2024 - 22:42
    +3

    Taiwan.

    Relatively cheap, safe, good weather, and friendly people as long as you are white, or Asian with a command of Cantonese so can blend in without the hassle of language barrier.

    Bonus: Similar liberal democratic values too (along with neighbouring South Korea and Japan)

  • smartProverble on 02/09/2024 - 22:55
    +3

    Since we are recommending Vietnam and Indonesia… can't count out the Philippines.

    Personally loved it there. Basically everyone speaks English unlike the other places, everything is cheap so no worries about money, and I felt that everyone was friendly and attentive by default in hospitality / shops (as opposed to apathy or even being ignored which I often experience here in Australia). Our currency goes a long way in these countries so we are definitely 'blessed' by default / first world privilege.

  • Russ on 03/09/2024 - 01:28
    +1

    I saw a doco on TV about the QE2 (ship), and there was an elderly woman who rented out her inner-city London home. The rent paid for a semi-permanent room on the QE2, she spent the remainder of her life cruising and meeting new people. Not sure if she was still alive when the QE2 was decomissioned.

    Although you might not like the price of internet access on a cruise ship, I believe they charge rather heavily.

    • LFO on 03/09/2024 - 20:57
      +1

      I saw a doco on TV about the QE2 (ship),

      I head a joke/story about a similar situation and the elderly woman was even planning a burial at sea when dead (at QE2).
      Maybe was factual after all.

  • gyrex on 03/09/2024 - 08:01
    -1

    Access to quality healthcare

    This really is the key here. It's all very well moving to SE Asia because it offers a cheaper lifestyle but if/when something goes wrong, you're really in the crapper both health-wise and financially when you need to be medevaced back to Australia for treatment. The reason why we pay higher taxes and have a higher cost of living is to maintain first world infrastructure, including healthcare.

    • May4th on 03/09/2024 - 09:40

      thanks, yes very conscious of this with kids especially hence thinking more malaysia / taiwan and countries with reasonable health infrastructure

      • Tiredman on 03/09/2024 - 10:05
        +2

        TBF Malaysia's healthcare system puts Australia to shame. Private hospitals are world class, cheap AF and no appointments needed usually. Just walk in. I travel to Malaysia often and always shocked by it's healthcare. Had to bring my child to Gleneagles for a sprained ankle and an xray. Was taken care of by a great doctor, seen within minutes and the bill? 150 ringgit.

        If too fussy, drive next door to Singapore.

    • smartProverble on 03/09/2024 - 17:37

      The reason why we pay higher taxes and have a higher cost of living is to maintain first world infrastructure, including healthcare.

      Errr…

      We are blessed to have an abundance of the world's sought out natural resources. This SHOULD be more than enough to cover "first world" infrastructure… But nope, can't go down the Saudi Arabia / Arab countries route where there are no taxes and ACTUAL first world infrastructure.

  • shaybisc on 03/09/2024 - 08:24
    +2

    Depends on your appetite for heat and humidity.

  • Chewy2221 on 03/09/2024 - 08:27
    +2

    I have heard that it is relatively easy to get a Belgium passport. Once granted, then you could live in any of the EU countries. Might be worth a look. Good luck.

    • May4th on 03/09/2024 - 09:41

      thanks Belgium wasn't on our radar will look into it

    • sumyungguy on 03/09/2024 - 09:45

      Not sure OP is a Belgian citizen… or are you hinting there's a backdoor entry?

      • greenslade on 03/09/2024 - 10:05

        Nice country, good cultural mix, but very high cost of living especially with three exchange rate to AUD if that's relevant. Interested in how you suggest one get a visa without a job offer.

        • donga100 on 03/09/2024 - 10:14

          No idea how to get an easy Belgian passport but if you did it could be used to live anywhere in EU. Places like Greece and Italy are pretty cheap compared to Australia.

  • Darayus on 03/09/2024 - 11:02
    +2

    Scandinavian country, its expensive but safe and balance work life culture

    • smartProverble on 04/09/2024 - 18:25

      its expensive

      That's the problem. If this wasn't everyone would move there (legally).

  • tabitha731 on 03/09/2024 - 12:07
    -2

    Do U really want to disrupt your children's development by travelling to a country where English isn't fluent and healthcare isn't readily available or affordable? Living the nomadic life is past U now . U have kids…that is your primary responsibility .. U needed to have done this before U decided to have kids or wait until they have left home. Poor planning and procrastination is ur mistake

    • May4th on 03/09/2024 - 12:21
      +1

      curious why people think travelling is disrupting a child's development? staying in the same town all their life would be more likely to stunt their development IMO. idea is to do this before school age but for older kids there are plenty of quality international schools in other countries. I mentioned healthcare as one of the considerations - by no means are we backpacking through sub-Saharn Africa. It's not as if your life is over once you have kids (although it feels like it at times!)

      • Gdsamp on 03/09/2024 - 13:09
        1. Routine and Stability: Frequent changes in location disrupt children’s routines, causing stress due to the lack of a stable environment, which is crucial for their development and security.
        2. Social and Educational Challenges: Regular moves can hinder the ability to form lasting friendships and disrupt educational continuity, affecting social skills and academic performance.
        3. Cultural Adaptation: Exposure to new cultural norms and languages can lead to feelings of alienation, affecting children’s confidence and ability to integrate socially. e.g. white man syndrome detailed in other comments.
        4. Healthcare Accessibility: Variable healthcare standards and access across different regions can complicate the management of health issues, particularly in emergencies.
        5. Family Dynamics: The stress of adapting to new environments and managing logistics can strain family relationships, impacting the emotional well-being of children.
        • May4th on 03/09/2024 - 15:29

          Thanks for your thoughts, those are quite valid concerns - my thoughts on our circumstances would be:
          1. We don't plan to move around too often, maybe 3-6monthly until we find the "right place"
          2. Probably less relevant in pre-school aged children, we plan to settle down before primary school
          3. Not sure I agree with this one, exposure to different cultures broadens perspective and builds social skills and fosters open mindedness/creativity
          4. Agree, will only consider countries with a good healthcare system
          5. I'd say this is family specific and not travel specific. but who knows we might find it too hard and give up within the first few weeks that's always possible

        • fenric on 04/09/2024 - 18:13
          +2

          This is honestly ridiculous scaremongering.
          Is life going to be as easy and convenient as just staying at home? No.
          But as someone who has travelled extensively both with and without children, I can say with certainty that you are not going to “break” your children by travelling to new places.
          According to this list the perfect place to raise children is a prison with people of only your cultural background. Lots of regularity, healthcare on premises and no need to stress about where you are going next /s

        • Grunntt on 05/09/2024 - 19:06
          +2

          @Gdsamp
          As long as you are going the lazy route and just regurgitating ChatGPT responses why not add the positives from there as well?

          Positive Effects:
          Cultural Exposure and Global Perspective:
          Traveling exposes children to diverse cultures, traditions, and languages, fostering open-mindedness, empathy, and a broader understanding of the world.
          They often become more adaptable and tolerant, gaining a sense of curiosity and appreciation for differences.
          Language Skills:
          If they encounter multiple languages, children may pick up new languages or become more adept at language learning in general.
          Education Outside the Classroom:
          Traveling offers hands-on learning experiences, particularly in subjects like history, geography, art, and science. Visiting museums, historical sites, and nature can provide real-world context to classroom lessons.
          Resilience and Adaptability:
          Regularly navigating new environments and situations can enhance problem-solving skills, resilience, and adaptability.
          Closer Family Bonds:
          Shared experiences in different places often create unique family memories and strengthen relationships, as the family navigates challenges and adventures together.

      • smartProverble on 04/09/2024 - 13:37

        curious why people think travelling is disrupting a child's development?

        Personal experience: your marriage may hit a snag due to the travel or unfamiliarity, and that impacts child development.

        staying in the same town all their life would be more likely to stunt their development IMO.

        Personally disagree as long as the community is there. No community is bad for development.

        When the kids grow up then they can confidently make the decision to explore elsewhere, without the anxiety that is likely to come from a broken development background.

        • Grunntt on 05/09/2024 - 19:19
          +2

          Personal experience: your marriage may hit a snag due to the travel or unfamiliarity, and that impacts child development.

          So much worse than a marriage 'hitting a snag' locally? Is there some sort of child development impact internationally that is more damaging than locally?
          Let's not do anything different in case it highlights the weaknesses in our partnership?
          If that's from personal experience then maybe this "marriage snag" was likely to happen wherever in the world you were.

  • LucyLoo3 on 03/09/2024 - 14:31
    +2

    I love this! Just do it. We started to do this 6 years ago with our 2 young kids. We planned to go to Cuenca, Ecuador to live for 7 months. We started in Colombia with the intention of only doing 2 weeks but that turned into 2 months as we loved it so much. Then we did one month in Ecuador. Then unfortunately my partners Dad passed away at we returned. He was from NZ so we finished with 4 months in NZ. We were renting our house out and I was working remotely.

    I would check out Danang Vietnam, Chiang Mai Thailand, Puerto Escondido Mexico & KL Malaysia.

    Also start looking at world school groups for ideas!

    Have fun!

    • May4th on 03/09/2024 - 15:33

      Thanks for sharing, we are just in the contemplation stage at the moment but great to hear from someone who's taken the plunge and made it work!

      • LucyLoo3 on 03/09/2024 - 16:05
        +2

        They would just make friends with the hotel workers kids or other kids at the hotel. We did a mix of hotels and apartments. The 3yo still enjoyed playing even with the language barrier.

    • Grunntt on 05/09/2024 - 19:14

      @LucyLoo3
      Good to hear from people with lived experience rather than, whats becoming more common, "let's ask ChatGPT to confirm what my opinion should be".

  • jonkvh on 03/09/2024 - 16:12
    +1

    Estonia. Best IT infrastructure in the world.

  • Ghost47 on 03/09/2024 - 20:53
    +1

    I reckon Argentina.

  • elanda on 03/09/2024 - 21:09
    +1

    You might find lots of interesting stories and info on Reddit in r/digitalnomad. Some visa situations won’t apply given obviously posters are originally from all different countries, but lots of insight into people’s lives as digital nomads in various places.

  • RefusdClassification on 04/09/2024 - 16:58
    +1

    An larger town in an inland State is the US could be a consideration. No language barriers, cheaper housing and food than Oz (especially if able to access a Walmart Superstore), less dangerous than people make out, relatively few homeless compared to Blue dot cities. Generic drugs can be very cheap (buy from Mark Cuban's Online); but hospital treatment could be very expensive. A lot of American artists and writers seem to settle down in rural areas.

    A possible disadvantage with SE Asia would be difficulty accessing Western style food easily and cheaply; but since you want a different cultural experience this shouldn't be much of a drawback to you.

    Poland and the Czech Republic could be some other low cost European options.

  • aimon on 04/09/2024 - 17:15
    +2

    https://nomadlist.com/

  • fenric on 04/09/2024 - 18:24
    +1

    Having traveled quite alot with small children the most important things to have around is somewere to go with them each day to burn off energy. Beach, parks or pools. A lot of less developed countries have no parks suitable for kids. If there is play equipment, it is usually very run down or just plain broken. You can use google street view and google maps pictures to get an idea in a lot of places.
    They are also going to want to order familiar food alot of the time, so you will either need access to a well stocked supermarket, or touristy restaurants that have western dishes. Luckily, everywhere does chips.
    I think you will have a great time. Worst case you come home after 4 months and it was just an OK experience. The kids will still have plenty of stories to tell their school mates.

    • May4th on 05/09/2024 - 22:21
      +1

      thanks that's what I figured, worst case scenario we'll figure out it's a terrible idea, hate it and come back to Australia, but don't want to spend the rest of our lives wishing we'd given it a go

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join