The pandemic has clearly had a lasting impact on the way we work and travel, most obviously in the extent to which we now work remotely and the ability to do so from abroad has become a lifestyle in itself.
Life as a digital nomad varies enormously – the industry you work in, your income and the flexibility of your role all determine where and if you can travel for work.
The list of countries offering digital nomad visas is growing, but each one has different requirements, so if you’re considering up sticks and working overseas, the choice can be pretty overwhelming.
Norton Finance may have just made things a little easier, however, as the loan company has conducted some research into the cheapest European capitals for digital nomads – and the results are in.
The company’s travel experts evaluated 184 countries and ranked them based on average rent, utilities, transport, food, gym and internet costs, as well as the cost of return flights from the UK.
While this will obviously vary depending on where in the world you’re travelling from, the other factors give a pretty comprehensive breakdown of a place’s affordability, and Skopje in northern Macedonia came out on top.
The city is a notoriously cheap tourist destination, popular for its archaeological sites and street food. You can read more about how to eat in northern Macedonia here. The value of public transport is one reason why Skopje scores so well, with a monthly public transport pass being a staggering eight times cheaper than the equivalent in London.
In second place is Sarajevo, the charming capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. A one-bed flat in the city centre costs an average of €275 (£238, $289) a month. Third on Norton Finance’s list is Chisinau in Moldova, where a pint costs a measly €1.30 (£1.12, $1.37).
At the other end of the spectrum are cities such as Copenhagen and Dublin, which are arguably some of the most expensive places to live in Europe. Rents here are on average around five times higher than in the cities in the top 10 list. Here are the top 10 cheapest European capitals for digital nomads:
1.Skopje, Northern Macedonia
2.Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
3.Chisinau, Moldova
4.Sofia, Bulgaria
5.Bucharest, Romania
6.Belgrade, Serbia
7.Budapest, Hungary
8.Warsaw, Poland
9.Vilnius, Lithuania
10.Riga, Latvia
What’s it like to be a digital nomad?The benefit of being able to move to a more affordable new city, while maintaining your salary and still being able to explore a new place, is an incredibly exciting opportunity. It’s no surprise that the number of people becoming digital nomads is only going to grow.
At Time Out, we’ve been reporting on the growing popularity of digital nomad visas over the past few years. Check out our guide to the best digital nomad visas and find out what it’s really like to work from anywhere.