1. Tbilisi, Georgia 2. Prague, C.R. 3. Chiang Mai, Thailand 4. Medellin Colombia 5. Lisbon, Portugal What other ones do y'all suggest? Genuinely curious! Ola, Mike! New here :)
I would also suggest Mexico City, Playa Del Carmen and also Taipei, Taiwan as other places to consider. I use this website all the time to do more research on locations: nomadlist.com/
@@Annejali well Mexico is a HUGE country, so this really varies by city and region. I don’t think there are as many concerns for this in places like Tulum/Playa, but always have to be extra precautions with safety anywhere in the world 👍🏻 did you have a particular bad first-hand experience in some part of Mexico?
@@MikeSwigunski 😂 that’s actually the exact area I was referring to, Tulum has dial up type WiFi and my friend was date rapped at a beach bar. Also puerto Vallarta is also more dangerous for women traveling make sure to be in a big group. But I agree Mexico is huge and it can vary.
I liked Bratislava, Slovakia, had a flat there, good internet, T-Mobile worked great and except for the time zone difference to the USA I had a great experience working from there summer of 2019. Two hours to Budapest, 4 to Prague, 45 minutes to Vienna and surrounded by 5 interesting countries. Thanks Mike, Georgia sounds great, looks like Switzerland.
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Ive been a digital nomad for 5 years and i lived in Tbilisi for a year and it was awesome! The Tbilisi Sea Club was my summer hang spot. The wine is to die for. I got fat off of Lobiani lmao! So underrated! Also Lolita- the best food in town! And a cool fashion scene. Best place to get your hair cut and dyed, amazing artists. Whats not to love?
I feel like turkey is an up and coming digital nomad destination which is very underrated. They have very cheap cost of living, good internet speeds and very nice apartments, the weather is nice too.
Thanks for this great info! I loved Chiang Mai and Lisbon as a digital nomad, and I really appreciate your insights on Tbilisi and Prague. Those are going on our list of places to visit!
Ah, and I did want to go to Tbilisi (had researched Georgia extensively and was truly excited), but the travel situation is not the best there right now. Looking forward to it in the future :)!
Ty for the info ! I’m an American recently based in Brazil (i was able to come in with my Brazilian spouse) .. it was a rough move in the midst of the pandemic, but so worth it in order to attain a better quality of life. The American dollar goes a long way here. We are going to set up a more permanent home base here and then travel around when the time is right. My dream is to live in Thailand for a bit :D
Thanks Mike, so glad my country colombia is on the list, you mentioned insecurity, I think that's everywhere these days, I watch a lot of videos on you tube about Medellin, Colombia and everyone seems to be moving to colombia cause is so cheap to live there and is beautiful weather all year round, we love when people come and visit, good luck to all of you, welcome to Medellin, Colombia 🇨🇴 The city of Eternal Spring, there is so much to do there, you can also visit small towns outside the city and the scenery is spectacular, greetings from USA 🇺🇸
Great list! I've spent a couple years in Thailand and a few years in Medellin, both great options. I hear great things about Georgia and loved Portugal and Prague when I visited.
Yo dude. Practice looking at the lens directly when you talk to get more engagement from videos. It feels like you are talking to someone else if you're looking at the flip screen lol
My favorite destination is Yerevan, Armenia. I shall be retiring soon and hope to become a digital nomad. However, I shall not be working. My current plan is to spend summers in Yerevan and winters in Da Nang, Vietnam. My original plan was to retire to Italy as I had an EU passport. However, BREXIT turned my UK passport into a non EU passport throwing a spanner into my plan. I shall also reside in the USA for less than 30 days per year. This will not be a problem as I'm a US/UK dual national.
Sounds like a perfect plan! I haven’t visited Armenia, but very excited to visit Georgia’s neighbors soon! Bummer to hear about Brexit and safe travels.
Went to bali after 2 months working remotly from there. And it's definetly a good place for digital nomad. Canggu especially. My point of view is for 2022. I dont know how it's gona evolve..
Personally I only feel interested in Asia right now. Going to start with SE Asia for the low cost of living, and probably split my time between Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Thailand seems to be the only one of those currently open to foreign tourists, so planning to go there first in August, probably staying mainly in Chiang Mai.
Those are all great locations and great value. I love SE Asia, but prefer Georgia since it’s actually more value for a greater lifestyle (for me) than anywhere in SE Asia. For example, for the same price of Chiang Mai, you can find great apartments but 3-4x bigger. 🙌🏻 let me know where you end up going?!
That’s exactly why I’d be heading off to if it wasn’t one of the most restrictive areas right now. Thailand is going through the worst wave of infections, Vietnam doesn’t even have open borders.
@@himpoet Yeah. My hope is that by later this year, there will be more options to enter those countries if you're fully vaccinated. They all rely heavily on tourism, and I've heard of multiple countries at least entertaining those possibilities. Seems most likely for specific tourist-y areas to open up more first, like Phuket in Thailand was gonna drop its quarantine in July (not sure if they walked that back), and in the Philippines there was some talk of letting vaccinated people into beach destinations like Boracay, along with Cebu I think.
@@Paul-yk7ds I didn't know about that consideration in the Philippines, but am definitely aware of the Phuket sandbox. I wouldn't want to be the one making these decisions. On the one hand, if you want to reopen for tourism, is it worth it? There won't be that many people coming anyway and you're taking risks. Although to be fair I don't see the danger in allowing vaccinated people to skip the quarantine. I might go to Colombia for a short while and then try Phuket in October (that was my original plan for July, by the way).
How did you network and connect with digital nomads in Chiang Mai? Are there regular meetups with specific digital nomad FB groups or do you network by working at co-working spaces?
Yes, working at co-working places is a great way to meet people. For me personally, I attended a lot of events and conferences. Also, I’m apart of an online entrepreneurial community that has people located all over the world, so it’s very easy to meet up with members.
@@MikeSwigunski what are the largest events and conferences in Chiang Mai? Also, what is the online entrepreneur community you belong too? I’m looking into different ideas and trying to join a network of like minded professions in Chiang Mai.
@@curtisheyamoto9101 the biggest ones are the Chiang Mai SEO and Nomad Summit. Also, the entrepreneur community is called Dynamite Circle. FB groups are “Chiang Mai Digital Nomads”
there are still expensive flats in Prague, even during pandemia. Beer is cheaper in the city center now (2 euros instead of 3), but almost whole last year we had lockdown. And if you like warm weather, dont go to Prague. Now sun in winter and even in summer you will need a jacket 90% of time. No quality fruits and vegetables. Before pandemic i was spending winters in Thailand, but now - when i have to stayed here for winter - i dont want to live here anymore. Thinking about Tenerife for winter, bcs Thailand or Bali are not really avaible now...
Yeah, like I mentioned this is very subjective to my personal opinions and expensive is all relative...when you compare it to any top 10 US city, it's still a great value in Prague!
What is a border run? You mean prior to your visa expiring you just leave the country for 2 or 3 days then come back and you can stay for another year? You don't have to fly all the way back to your home country?
Yes, exactly it doesn’t even have to be a flight…can also be by land and not even a day. Most places you can just go to the nearest country, cross and come back.
Other than Medellin, can you recommend other cities that are located in an ideal time zone if you're working for a US company? I've given Buenos Aires some thought, but have concern over safety.
Hey Danny - I know a lot of my DN friends have the same concerns to be in the US time zone. A lot of people really enjoy Mexico City, Playa Del Carmen, Quito and Rio. You can use this free tool to check out some of the best spots: nomadlist.com/latin-america
Hey this really depends on the country, but yes sometimes countries require you to spend X amount of days to maintain residency, but not in any of my instances have I had to do this. 🙂
How do you get by with English in Tbilisi? I was told in the Philippines English is widely spoke, but the reality seems to be far different from my experience (perhaps my accent doesn’t help being from New Zealand) Also have you seen a large increase in prices with the large Russian immigration?
I mean the majority of people know english here, especially under 30s. I would say it’s better than most of Asia and much more common than in South America tbh. Cost went up quite a bit, but are leveling off now from what I’ve seen.
When you say the visa is for 90 days, or 6 months ... do you mean that a tourist can arrive and work without a work visa? I didn't realize that tourists could work legally. How would they pay taxes?
Yes - there are some countries that have tourist visas for up to 1-year (Like here in Tbilisi). Normally you pay taxes in your home country if you work online, but there are a ton of different scenarios so it really varies.
It depends where you are a citizen of...for a lot of countries it's 6-months and if timed right it can be 1-year on a tourist visa. What is your issue with the visas?
The thing about Prague is the prices are super inflated, even locals are being priced out and they are trying to figure out a way to balance it...but if you stay 2 metro stops away from the Old Town, there are practically zero tourists. :)
They have a visa initiative to work remotely from Georgia, specifically designed for remote workers and Digital Nomads: www.entrepreneur.com/article/356430 Most governments are primarily concerned about tourists taking “Local Jobs” and remote workers are not really a risk (quite the opposite).
@@MikeSwigunski thanks! I heard a lot of people living on tourist visas somewhere and work on their businesses. Which in many countries is not allowed. Good to know that georgia has catered to them :)
@@jhgfghjfuzrtfchchghgf yeah, each country and situation is always a bit different. Governments are most likely going to continue to make big changes to start attracting more remote workers.
Curious on people's opinion here. I believe that the rise of the 'digital nomad visa' like the awesome one Georgia has will become way more popular in the next few years with covid having lasting economic effects and the rise of digital working around the world. Do you guys think this is likely?
Hey Tom - I 100% agree that governments are going to have to make a big shift for attracting a longer/more sustainable traveler. More countries will definitely start catering to remote workers: www.entrepreneur.com/article/356430
They will do, be sure. After tourism crash with covid economic effects many contries are working on this strategy, specially Caribbean islands. And I believe that it is now the ideal time for Digital nomads to hold a large worldwide forum in order to create a wish list within the feasible limits for this category of workers. Finding out how many "Digital Nomads" professionals are around the world today is a big step, to be able to dialogue with governments.
@@aguimars yeah, I have a few friends working on the DN Visa space for Indonesia, it's no easy task...but some governments certainly see the appeal $$$
@@MikeSwigunski Oh yes, you are right, all governments want money, now in this pandemic misfortune, more than ever. That is why I say about the need to organize into a large group, even on an online platform and to discuss the needs of the group and the difficulties faced in each country. Government officials know that many DNs live on a tight budget, but as we know, there are those who earn 6 to 10 K per month. And that makes the class have ample bargaining power with many countries. Thinking about.
That's funny. I live in Prague and I watched the video because I'm sick of it - high rents, lots of tourists, constantly collapsing traffic. And you put Prague in the video as the second best place to live. I guess Prague is fine as a city, but the housing situation is terrible. However, real estate prices are skyrocketing all over the developed world, so complaining is probably pointless. Plus, if you have an average US wage, you'll undoubtedly find it cheap here.
@@MikeSwigunski Sorry, I didn't mean that as a criticism in any sense of the word.I have bad English, so I don't always catch my point in an appropriate way. My original post was intended as an observation of a person who sits in the middle of Prague, puts on a video, and that same Prague immediately jumps out at him. Otherwise, of course, Prague is fine - I just tend not to appreciate what I have.
I was in Bali for 10 days, and just didn’t really LOVE it. This list is based on my own criteria, but hoping to give Bali another shot. Granted this was in like 2017. Here were a few of the things I didn’t enjoy: locals/expats seem to rarely intermingle like most expat hubs, driven scooters all around the world…but felt extremely unsafe in Bali, beaches were nothing amazing and a bit dirty, internet was a bit slow outside of co-working spots.
@@MikeSwigunski I see. Yes, you may wanna give it another chance, given that it has now become one of the most popular digital nomad hubs. Related facilities and events are flourishing, including faster internet, startup camps, digital festivals, etc. Indonesian gov is also planning to relax immigration and tax regulations for digital nomads.
Taxes vary per country, so I’m not familiar with their current tax laws. Please consult a tax professional since there are dozens of variables to consider
It is hard for me to accept your list as "best options". Surely, some of the places are nice, but not mentioning Croatia makes this list seriously flawed. Adriatic sea, 1200 islands, great food, safe, good and cheap internet,... my choice above all of the mentioned here. Also, big digital nomad community (check Total Croatia web page)
I absolutely LOVE Croatia and have spent months living in Dubrovnik and a good chunk of time in Split. What city or town is big for digital nomads? After all of my travels and being connected with thousands of Digital Nomads, I've never run into one single person that was a DN based in Croatia. I think primarily since it gets really quiet outside of the summer months, but curious to hear more about your experience. Also, this list is 100% subjective...based on my own opinions/experience ;)
@@MikeSwigunski There is very big nomad community in Dubrovnik, Split and Zagreb (but nomads are everywhere along the coast). Here is the link of Total Croatia website (Paul Bradbury is founder of that web site): www.total-croatia-news.com/digital-nomads-in-croatia/54525-zagreb-digital-nomad-week and I believe that you will find a lots of good articles, information, latest updates, etc.). Btw, Croatia was third country in Europe that made digital nomad visa system. Link to section for digital nomads: www.total-croatia-news.com/news/digital-nomads-in-croatia
Portugal is not a good idea ! Peoples turned crazy there about corona ! All Europe is not a good idea at this moment, exept if you like get vaccin every 3 month, show your passport vaccin when you want to dring a coffe, go to shop, etc...!
So strange how he's worked out these places. Georgia (the country, not the US state) has a very poor democracy index score (en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index), little press or academic freedom, and constitutionally bans same sex marriage, for example. So yes might be beautiful but is also an authoritarian mess of a state.
This video is subjective. Georgia is one of the safest and places in the world and definitely isn’t perfect…but checks a lot of the boxes I look for in an ideal hub!
@@eastcoast4233 it’s statistically safer here for all humans than almost every other country in the world. Period. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate
@@MikeSwigunski low murder rate is not "safer" when there are also concerns of police corruption, at times torture, and political abuses. Surely a good society has to be more than 'you aren't going to get killed'?
![8 Reasons Why Americans LEAVE Costa Rica [Why I Left]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cbGMngGx2xk/mqdefault.jpg)
1. Tbilisi, Georgia
2. Prague, C.R.
3. Chiang Mai, Thailand
4. Medellin Colombia
5. Lisbon, Portugal
What other ones do y'all suggest? Genuinely curious!
Ola, Mike! New here :)
I would also suggest Mexico City, Playa Del Carmen and also Taipei, Taiwan as other places to consider. I use this website all the time to do more research on locations: nomadlist.com/
@@MikeSwigunski keep in mind, Mexico has horrible WiFi and that area is dangerous for women
@@Annejali well Mexico is a HUGE country, so this really varies by city and region. I don’t think there are as many concerns for this in places like Tulum/Playa, but always have to be extra precautions with safety anywhere in the world 👍🏻 did you have a particular bad first-hand experience in some part of Mexico?
@@MikeSwigunski 😂 that’s actually the exact area I was referring to, Tulum has dial up type WiFi and my friend was date rapped at a beach bar. Also puerto Vallarta is also more dangerous for women traveling make sure to be in a big group. But I agree Mexico is huge and it can vary.
@@MikeSwigunski How's about Ubud Bali, Indonesia mike ?
I liked Bratislava, Slovakia, had a flat there, good internet, T-Mobile worked great and except for the time zone difference to the USA I had a great experience working from there summer of 2019. Two hours to Budapest, 4 to Prague, 45 minutes to Vienna and surrounded by 5 interesting countries. Thanks Mike, Georgia sounds great, looks like Switzerland.
You definitely have to come over to Georgia at some point, you’ll love it!
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Ive been a digital nomad for 5 years and i lived in Tbilisi for a year and it was awesome! The Tbilisi Sea Club was my summer hang spot. The wine is to die for. I got fat off of Lobiani lmao! So underrated! Also Lolita- the best food in town! And a cool fashion scene. Best place to get your hair cut and dyed, amazing artists. Whats not to love?
So the real question, why did you leave?! 😉
I feel like turkey is an up and coming digital nomad destination which is very underrated. They have very cheap cost of living, good internet speeds and very nice apartments, the weather is nice too.
I thought internet was just okay
Svages. No.
Thank you! I would love a list of "lockdown free" countries, or those that would have the smallest possibilidty of being blocked for travel
That's a great idea Andre - I've added this to my list of video ideas!
It changes so frequently unfortunately that it’s difficult to keep up
@@neilmarshall3071 yeah and it’s different for every type of resident!
Thanks for this great info! I loved Chiang Mai and Lisbon as a digital nomad, and I really appreciate your insights on Tbilisi and Prague. Those are going on our list of places to visit!
Glad to hear it was helpful! I am excited to visit Lisbon next month for the first time. I have only been to Porto before.
Ah, and I did want to go to Tbilisi (had researched Georgia extensively and was truly excited), but the travel situation is not the best there right now. Looking forward to it in the future :)!
Think Outside the Box we’ve been traveling around Georgia a lot lately, but yes all travel is a bit difficult these days!
Amazing Video!
thanks so much!! :)
Ty for the info ! I’m an American recently based in Brazil (i was able to come in with my Brazilian spouse) .. it was a rough move in the midst of the pandemic, but so worth it in order to attain a better quality of life. The American dollar goes a long way here. We are going to set up a more permanent home base here and then travel around when the time is right. My dream is to live in Thailand for a bit :D
Wow, that sounds like a really great transition to Brazil! How are you enjoying it so far? You definitely have to visit Thailand at some point!
I lived in Prague for a year and
Think Outside the Box yeah, it’s such a great city!!
Thanks Mike, so glad my country colombia is on the list, you mentioned insecurity, I think that's everywhere these days, I watch a lot of videos on you tube about Medellin, Colombia and everyone seems to be moving to colombia cause is so cheap to live there and is beautiful weather all year round, we love when people come and visit, good luck to all of you, welcome to Medellin, Colombia 🇨🇴
The city of Eternal Spring, there is so much to do there, you can also visit small towns outside the city and the scenery is spectacular, greetings from USA 🇺🇸
I lived in Medellin for three years. You're right, it's the best weather in the world!
Great video, Mike! I'm very biased speaking on Tbilisi, as I'm also based here for now. Great bang for buck, indeed. Also love Medellin!
Yeah, the value here in unbelievable! We will have to grab a coffee one of these days when things open back up. I’m based in Vera. How about yourself?
@@MikeSwigunski same! Although I’m in Borjomi until February! U have instagram? Find me @gringo.nation
@@GringoNation cool, I just followed you on there!!
@@GringoNation sounds good, I just added you on there (@SwigMeetsWorld)!
I've also hear of Canggu in Indonesia, what do you think about that option?
I honestly didn’t love Canggu or Bali, but want to give it a second chance! Lots of other people rave about it though 😊
@@MikeSwigunski Are you still in Georgia? If not, where are you now?
@@MikeSwigunskijelas banyak yang memuji Bali...karena Bali aman tidak pernah ada bentrok dan juga perampokan....😂😂
Great list! I've spent a couple years in Thailand and a few years in Medellin, both great options. I hear great things about Georgia and loved Portugal and Prague when I visited.
Glad to hear you enjoyed it. Where are you based now?! So many amazing options out there!
Awesome video Mike, thanks for the info, Tblisi sounds amazing. Subscribed 👍👍
Thanks so much for the support Sean! 🙏🏻
Yo dude. Practice looking at the lens directly when you talk to get more engagement from videos. It feels like you are talking to someone else if you're looking at the flip screen lol
Thanks for the feedback, this is something I’ll definitely try to continue improving in future videos!
My favorite destination is Yerevan, Armenia. I shall be retiring soon and hope to become a digital nomad. However, I shall not be working. My current plan is to spend summers in Yerevan and winters in Da Nang, Vietnam. My original plan was to retire to Italy as I had an EU passport. However, BREXIT turned my UK passport into a non EU passport throwing a spanner into my plan. I shall also reside in the USA for less than 30 days per year. This will not be a problem as I'm a US/UK dual national.
Sounds like a perfect plan! I haven’t visited Armenia, but very excited to visit Georgia’s neighbors soon! Bummer to hear about Brexit and safe travels.
Great list Mike, I've always wanted to travel to Prague!
Thanks for your support Apurbo! :)
Went to bali after 2 months working remotly from there. And it's definetly a good place for digital nomad. Canggu especially. My point of view is for 2022. I dont know how it's gona evolve..
Personally I only feel interested in Asia right now. Going to start with SE Asia for the low cost of living, and probably split my time between Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Thailand seems to be the only one of those currently open to foreign tourists, so planning to go there first in August, probably staying mainly in Chiang Mai.
Those are all great locations and great value. I love SE Asia, but prefer Georgia since it’s actually more value for a greater lifestyle (for me) than anywhere in SE Asia. For example, for the same price of Chiang Mai, you can find great apartments but 3-4x bigger. 🙌🏻 let me know where you end up going?!
That’s exactly why I’d be heading off to if it wasn’t one of the most restrictive areas right now. Thailand is going through the worst wave of infections, Vietnam doesn’t even have open borders.
@@MikeSwigunski, Thailand and Vietnam are cheaper than Georgia, though. Even if not by far.
@@himpoet Yeah. My hope is that by later this year, there will be more options to enter those countries if you're fully vaccinated. They all rely heavily on tourism, and I've heard of multiple countries at least entertaining those possibilities. Seems most likely for specific tourist-y areas to open up more first, like Phuket in Thailand was gonna drop its quarantine in July (not sure if they walked that back), and in the Philippines there was some talk of letting vaccinated people into beach destinations like Boracay, along with Cebu I think.
@@Paul-yk7ds I didn't know about that consideration in the Philippines, but am definitely aware of the Phuket sandbox. I wouldn't want to be the one making these decisions. On the one hand, if you want to reopen for tourism, is it worth it? There won't be that many people coming anyway and you're taking risks. Although to be fair I don't see the danger in allowing vaccinated people to skip the quarantine. I might go to Colombia for a short while and then try Phuket in October (that was my original plan for July, by the way).
First time good to see you virtually!
Thanks!
Where would you recommend for a fine artist?
Hmm I would say somewhere in Europe, maybe like Prague or Vienna.
How did you network and connect with digital nomads in Chiang Mai? Are there regular meetups with specific digital nomad FB groups or do you network by working at co-working spaces?
Yes, working at co-working places is a great way to meet people. For me personally, I attended a lot of events and conferences. Also, I’m apart of an online entrepreneurial community that has people located all over the world, so it’s very easy to meet up with members.
@@MikeSwigunski what are the largest events and conferences in Chiang Mai? Also, what is the online entrepreneur community you belong too? I’m looking into different ideas and trying to join a network of like minded professions in Chiang Mai.
@@curtisheyamoto9101 the biggest ones are the Chiang Mai SEO and Nomad Summit. Also, the entrepreneur community is called Dynamite Circle. FB groups are “Chiang Mai Digital Nomads”
there are still expensive flats in Prague, even during pandemia. Beer is cheaper in the city center now (2 euros instead of 3), but almost whole last year we had lockdown. And if you like warm weather, dont go to Prague. Now sun in winter and even in summer you will need a jacket 90% of time. No quality fruits and vegetables. Before pandemic i was spending winters in Thailand, but now - when i have to stayed here for winter - i dont want to live here anymore. Thinking about Tenerife for winter, bcs Thailand or Bali are not really avaible now...
Yeah, like I mentioned this is very subjective to my personal opinions and expensive is all relative...when you compare it to any top 10 US city, it's still a great value in Prague!
What is a border run? You mean prior to your visa expiring you just leave the country for 2 or 3 days then come back and you can stay for another year? You don't have to fly all the way back to your home country?
Yes, exactly it doesn’t even have to be a flight…can also be by land and not even a day. Most places you can just go to the nearest country, cross and come back.
I love Prague too! Portugal is on my radar! What about the language? English is ok to communicate and live?
I-Wen Ava Huang yeah, it’s not too hard to navigate with English, but long term it’s best to get to learn the language!
Portugal is terrible about english, especially outside of Lisbon
You should also include tax. Im a stock trader so which is best one for me where i dont have to pay tax on foreign income.
This might be helpful for you: czcams.com/video/0ibw1cEOQ8M/video.html
Any information about the new Colombian DN Visa?
Unfortunately I don’t have any insights there
Prague sounds like a dream right now. :-)
It's beautiful with all of the Xmas decorations and winter markets!
Other than Medellin, can you recommend other cities that are located in an ideal time zone if you're working for a US company? I've given Buenos Aires some thought, but have concern over safety.
Hey Danny - I know a lot of my DN friends have the same concerns to be in the US time zone. A lot of people really enjoy Mexico City, Playa Del Carmen, Quito and Rio. You can use this free tool to check out some of the best spots: nomadlist.com/latin-america
@Edu Lopez VK sounds very interesting!
I 2nd Quito, been here for a few months
do you have to come back to usa a certain amount of time per year to make sure you don't have visa problems?
Hey this really depends on the country, but yes sometimes countries require you to spend X amount of days to maintain residency, but not in any of my instances have I had to do this. 🙂
What do you think about Sri Lanka? In my opinion, t's an underrated destination
I loved Sri Lanka, but didn't check a lot of the boxes I look for in a hub.
How do you get by with English in Tbilisi? I was told in the Philippines English is widely spoke, but the reality seems to be far different from my experience (perhaps my accent doesn’t help being from New Zealand) Also have you seen a large increase in prices with the large Russian immigration?
I mean the majority of people know english here, especially under 30s. I would say it’s better than most of Asia and much more common than in South America tbh.
Cost went up quite a bit, but are leveling off now from what I’ve seen.
When you say the visa is for 90 days, or 6 months ... do you mean that a tourist can arrive and work without a work visa? I didn't realize that tourists could work legally. How would they pay taxes?
Yes - there are some countries that have tourist visas for up to 1-year (Like here in Tbilisi). Normally you pay taxes in your home country if you work online, but there are a ton of different scenarios so it really varies.
Correction Portugal is southern Europe not Western, I think Thailand beats all!
Tbilisi? Wow! 1 year tourist visa? Wow!
Yeah, it’s epic and one of the only countries that offers something like this!
Forget any place with security issues
Medellin Colombia. mehhh. the visa sucks, but it's a fucking great place
It depends where you are a citizen of...for a lot of countries it's 6-months and if timed right it can be 1-year on a tourist visa. What is your issue with the visas?
@@MikeSwigunski I tried to get a school visa and my dumbass told immigration I was working remotely. I should have just hired a lawyer. Meh.
how bout cape town in south africa?
Haven't been there myself, but heard a lot of mixed reviews for people that have. Still want to go and see for myself though! :)
Praha is a tourist overcrowded, I dont know what goes on after pandemy.
The thing about Prague is the prices are super inflated, even locals are being priced out and they are trying to figure out a way to balance it...but if you stay 2 metro stops away from the Old Town, there are practically zero tourists. :)
How do you work if you are on a tourist visa in Georgia? Isn't that illegal?
They have a visa initiative to work remotely from Georgia, specifically designed for remote workers and Digital Nomads: www.entrepreneur.com/article/356430
Most governments are primarily concerned about tourists taking “Local Jobs” and remote workers are not really a risk (quite the opposite).
@@MikeSwigunski thanks! I heard a lot of people living on tourist visas somewhere and work on their businesses. Which in many countries is not allowed. Good to know that georgia has catered to them :)
@@jhgfghjfuzrtfchchghgf yeah, each country and situation is always a bit different. Governments are most likely going to continue to make big changes to start attracting more remote workers.
Curious on people's opinion here. I believe that the rise of the 'digital nomad visa' like the awesome one Georgia has will become way more popular in the next few years with covid having lasting economic effects and the rise of digital working around the world. Do you guys think this is likely?
Hey Tom - I 100% agree that governments are going to have to make a big shift for attracting a longer/more sustainable traveler. More countries will definitely start catering to remote workers: www.entrepreneur.com/article/356430
They will do, be sure. After tourism crash with covid economic effects many contries are working on this strategy, specially Caribbean islands. And I believe that it is now the ideal time for Digital nomads to hold a large worldwide forum in order to create a wish list within the feasible limits for this category of workers. Finding out how many "Digital Nomads" professionals are around the world today is a big step, to be able to dialogue with governments.
@@aguimars yeah, I have a few friends working on the DN Visa space for Indonesia, it's no easy task...but some governments certainly see the appeal $$$
@@MikeSwigunski Oh yes, you are right, all governments want money, now in this pandemic misfortune, more than ever. That is why I say about the need to organize into a large group, even on an online platform and to discuss the needs of the group and the difficulties faced in each country. Government officials know that many DNs live on a tight budget, but as we know, there are those who earn 6 to 10 K per month. And that makes the class have ample bargaining power with many countries. Thinking about.
Portugal
Prague
Tbilisi
That's funny. I live in Prague and I watched the video because I'm sick of it - high rents, lots of tourists, constantly collapsing traffic. And you put Prague in the video as the second best place to live. I guess Prague is fine as a city, but the housing situation is terrible.
However, real estate prices are skyrocketing all over the developed world, so complaining is probably pointless. Plus, if you have an average US wage, you'll undoubtedly find it cheap here.
Hey this was a very subjective list and not necessarily just the "cheapest destinations" and more about good value with other important elements IMO.
@@MikeSwigunski Sorry, I didn't mean that as a criticism in any sense of the word.I have bad English, so I don't always catch my point in an appropriate way. My original post was intended as an observation of a person who sits in the middle of Prague, puts on a video, and that same Prague immediately jumps out at him. Otherwise, of course, Prague is fine - I just tend not to appreciate what I have.
Any reasons why Canggu is not in your list? :)
I was in Bali for 10 days, and just didn’t really LOVE it. This list is based on my own criteria, but hoping to give Bali another shot. Granted this was in like 2017. Here were a few of the things I didn’t enjoy:
locals/expats seem to rarely intermingle like most expat hubs, driven scooters all around the world…but felt extremely unsafe in Bali, beaches were nothing amazing and a bit dirty, internet was a bit slow outside of co-working spots.
@@MikeSwigunski I see. Yes, you may wanna give it another chance, given that it has now become one of the most popular digital nomad hubs. Related facilities and events are flourishing, including faster internet, startup camps, digital festivals, etc. Indonesian gov is also planning to relax immigration and tax regulations for digital nomads.
Mike Wazaoski
Haha love it! 😂
Там у него Жюль Верн на полке стоит?
Why isn't the UK on your world map?
1776 ;)
What about Bali? I was sure it will be in your list.
I personally didn’t enjoy Bali as a nomad destination...but lots of people love it there!
And what about taxes in czech republic brother?
Taxes vary per country, so I’m not familiar with their current tax laws. Please consult a tax professional since there are dozens of variables to consider
It is hard for me to accept your list as "best options". Surely, some of the places are nice, but not mentioning Croatia makes this list seriously flawed. Adriatic sea, 1200 islands, great food, safe, good and cheap internet,... my choice above all of the mentioned here. Also, big digital nomad community (check Total Croatia web page)
I absolutely LOVE Croatia and have spent months living in Dubrovnik and a good chunk of time in Split. What city or town is big for digital nomads? After all of my travels and being connected with thousands of Digital Nomads, I've never run into one single person that was a DN based in Croatia. I think primarily since it gets really quiet outside of the summer months, but curious to hear more about your experience. Also, this list is 100% subjective...based on my own opinions/experience ;)
@@MikeSwigunski There is very big nomad community in Dubrovnik, Split and Zagreb (but nomads are everywhere along the coast). Here is the link of Total Croatia website (Paul Bradbury is founder of that web site): www.total-croatia-news.com/digital-nomads-in-croatia/54525-zagreb-digital-nomad-week
and I believe that you will find a lots of good articles, information, latest updates, etc.). Btw, Croatia was third country in Europe that made digital nomad visa system.
Link to section for digital nomads: www.total-croatia-news.com/news/digital-nomads-in-croatia
how about racial tolerance in Georgia?
I can only speak from my personal experience and statistics, but Georgia is statistically one of the safest countries in Europe and the world.
The map in the background gave me a bad trip
Why’s that? 🗺️
Sign me up for Chiang Mai!
Done! haha
@@MikeSwigunski Thanks! :) Let's see if 2021 brings my dreams true!
@@gavinlarsen4027 we can help you fulfill your travel dreams with our Remote Life Program: globalcareerbook.com/remote ✈️
Tblisi 🤣
Portugal is not a good idea !
Peoples turned crazy there about corona !
All Europe is not a good idea at this moment, exept if you like get vaccin every 3 month, show your passport vaccin when you want to dring a coffe, go to shop, etc...!
Well it seems the entire world is crazy with COVID...and changing rules/regulations every 2-3 months
I'm in Rawai, southern Phuket.
Oh nice, I just spend a few months there. Very beautiful!
So strange how he's worked out these places. Georgia (the country, not the US state) has a very poor democracy index score (en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index), little press or academic freedom, and constitutionally bans same sex marriage, for example. So yes might be beautiful but is also an authoritarian mess of a state.
This video is subjective. Georgia is one of the safest and places in the world and definitely isn’t perfect…but checks a lot of the boxes I look for in an ideal hub!
@@MikeSwigunski not safe if you are the press, black, gay, or a political opponent/protestor...
@@eastcoast4233 it’s statistically safer here for all humans than almost every other country in the world. Period. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate
@@MikeSwigunski low murder rate is not "safer" when there are also concerns of police corruption, at times torture, and political abuses. Surely a good society has to be more than 'you aren't going to get killed'?