The digital nomad lifestyle has been a growing trend over the past decade, with advancements in technology and digital connectivity making it possible for more and more people to work from anywhere.
Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of remote workers were added to the global workforce in 2020 and 2021, rapidly accelerating this trend.
While several forward-thinking cities and countries have recently introduced digital nomad visas to attract this high-earning demographic, most destinations have yet to make the leap. However, many places that lack such visas still have a lot to offer remote workers.
To help digital nomads separate the wheat from the chaff when choosing a home base, Nestpick created “The Work-from-Anywhere Index,” a list ranking the world’s 75 best cities for remote workers.
The on-demand housing website ranked the cities based on their living costs, infrastructure, legislation, freedoms and livability. Here are their top 10 selections:
1. Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne nabbed the top spot by having a digital nomad visa, low cost of living, great digital nomad infrastructure, fast internet, excellent diversity scores and top-notch healthcare. However, beware of its low COVID-19 vaccination rate.
2. Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Dubai’s digital nomad visa, zero income tax scheme, low cost of living, speedy Wi-Fi, solid safety record and strong COVID-19 vaccination rate were good enough for second place. However, it has the worst gender and LGBTQ+ equality scores of all 75 cities on the list.
3. Sydney, Australia
Like Melbourne, Sydney offers a digital nomad visa, next-level digital nomad infrastructure, fast internet, excellent diversity scores and great healthcare, but its higher cost of living pushed it down to third place.
4. Tallinn, Estonia
Estonia was one of the first European countries to launch a digital nomad visa in response to the pandemic. That program, combined with cheap cost of living, excellent internet speeds and high diversity scores, handed Tallinn the fourth spot on the list.
5. London, United Kingdom
London isn’t cheap, and it doesn’t offer a digital nomad visa. However, it has one of the highest digital nomad infrastructure scores in the top 10, sky-high diversity scores, world-class healthcare and a high COVID-19 vaccination rate, which was good enough for fifth place.
6. Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo enjoys solid digital nomad infrastructure, internet, diversity and healthcare scores, but its high cost of living and abysmal COVID-19 vaccination rate pushed it down to the sixth spot.
7. Singapore
Singapore’s home office costs are the highest in the top 10, but it has a relatively low income tax rate, excellent digital nomad infrastructure, good diversity scores and great healthcare.
8. Glasgow, United Kingdom
Glasgow shares most of London’s high scores on digital nomad infrastructure, diversity, healthcare and COVID-19 vaccinations, but it has a higher income tax rate.
9. Montreal, Canada
The lone North American city in the top 10, Montreal offers affordable home office costs, great digital nomad infrastructure, top-tier diversity scores and excellent healthcare.
10. Berlin, Germany
Germany has a freelancer visa program, fast internet, enviable digital nomad infrastructure and diversity scores and solid healthcare, but its high income tax rate pushed it down to 10th place.
