The number of countries with actual digital nomad visas has grown from a handful to over 50 since 2020. Most of them are fine. A few are genuinely excellent. Here's an honest take on the ones worth considering.
Portugal
Lisbon and Porto remain the European nomad hubs for good reason. Fast fibre internet is standard in apartments. Coworking spaces are plentiful and reasonably priced. English is widely spoken. The D8 Digital Nomad Visa lets you stay long-term if you can demonstrate remote income. Cost of living has risen significantly but remains below London or Amsterdam. Downside: Lisbon specifically has gotten crowded with nomads, which has driven up rents in the best neighbourhoods (Principe Real, Santos). Porto is more affordable and honestly a nicer city to live in.
Thailand
Chiang Mai remains the Southeast Asia benchmark. Rent for a nice furnished studio is around $350-550/month. Co-working spaces like CAMP (in Nimman area) are still popular. 4G is reliable across the city. The food is excellent and cheap.
The visa situation has improved - Thailand's Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa covers remote workers earning above a certain threshold. Otherwise, the 60-day tourist visa plus extensions is what most people do. Not ideal legally, but the reality is most nomads in Thailand have been doing this for years. Check current visa requirements as they change.
Good eSIM coverage across Thailand. See Thailand plans.
Mexico
Mexico City - specifically the Roma Norte and Condesa neighbourhoods - has become a serious nomad hub. Fast internet (fibre is widely available), excellent coworking options, and a very liveable cost of living. Mexico doesn't have a formal nomad visa; most people come on a tourist visa (180 days on arrival for most nationalities). Mexico eSIM options are solid.
Georgia (the country)
Tbilisi is a really underrated nomad city. It's cheap - you can eat well and live well on $1,100/month. Internet is surprisingly fast (fibre is widespread in Tbilisi). The Remotely from Georgia programme allows 365-day stays visa-free for many nationalities. Crypto-friendly. Warm and welcoming. The main downside is the time zone - UTC+4 suits people working with Asian or Middle Eastern clients better than Western Europeans.
Estonia
Estonia has the original digital nomad visa and a genuinely digital-first government. The internet is fast and reliable everywhere. Tallinn is a beautiful city. It's cold for much of the year. E-residency lets you run a EU company remotely. The visa requires a minimum income threshold but the application process is efficient and the approval rates are high.
Indonesia (Bali)
Bali is polarising. The internet in Canggu and Seminyak ranges from excellent to catastrophic depending on the specific building. Coworking spaces are great. The digital nomad visa (Second Home Visa, introduced in 2022) requires minimum funds rather than income proof. It's expensive to set up. Many people still come on tourist visas, which creates legal ambiguity. But Bali's appeal - the culture, the weather, the surf, the community - keeps it on almost every nomad's list regardless. See Bali connectivity info.
Newer destinations worth watching
Albania (Tirana): Tirana is an emerging nomad spot that most people haven't caught onto yet. Cost of living is very low - a decent apartment in Blloku (the trendy neighborhood) runs $400-600/month. Cafe culture is strong, and several good coworking spaces have opened recently. Fibre internet is available in most of the city. Albania offers a one-year digital nomad permit, and the Adriatic coast is a short drive away for weekend trips. The downside: limited direct flight connections to major hubs.
Montenegro: Budva, Kotor, and Podgorica offer stunning scenery at Balkan prices. Montenegro launched a digital nomad visa in 2024, and the infrastructure for remote workers is catching up fast. Internet speeds in Podgorica are solid. Kotor's old town is gorgeous but connectivity can be spotty in the medieval buildings. Great for a few months, especially spring through autumn.
Colombia (Medellin): The "city of eternal spring" has earned its nomad reputation. Year-round 22C weather, fast internet in El Poblado and Laureles, and a monthly cost of living around $1,200-1,800 for a comfortable lifestyle. Colombia's digital nomad visa is straightforward to obtain. The cafe and coworking scene is established. Pick up a travel eSIM for reliable backup data around the city.
Croatia (Split and Dubrovnik): Croatia launched a digital nomad visa early and the program is well-established. Split has better value than Dubrovnik and a genuine local scene beyond tourism. Both cities have reliable internet infrastructure. The Adriatic lifestyle - swimming before work, seafood lunches - is hard to beat during summer months. Winter is quieter and significantly cheaper.
Visa costs and requirements comparison
Quick reference for popular nomad visa costs and minimum income requirements:
Portugal D8: Application fee around 90 euros, requires proof of 4x Portuguese minimum wage (roughly 3,500 euros/month). Processing takes 2-3 months.
Estonia: 100 euros application fee, minimum income of 4,500 euros/month over the last 6 months. Valid for up to 12 months.
Thailand LTR: No application fee, but requires $80,000+ annual income or significant savings. Valid for up to 10 years with annual check-ins.
Georgia: Free. Just prove you earn $2,000+/month. Valid for 365 days. This is probably the easiest nomad program to enter.
Indonesia Second Home Visa: Around $300 in fees plus proof of $130,000 in savings or assets. Valid for 5 years. The high asset requirement puts it out of reach for many.
What actually matters
Pick based on your work requirements first. Time zone compatibility with clients, internet reliability for the calls you take, and visa certainty for how long you plan to stay. The lifestyle stuff - food, weather, social scene - matters, but it's secondary to being able to actually work.