Remote working has never been as popular as it is now; with incredibly powerful telecommunications technology at our disposal, we find ourselves in a position where we can work from anywhere in the world that has a decent internet connection.
With more and more small businesses popping up every year, business owners are moving away from the traditional 9-5 office environment, and instead giving their employees the freedom to work from wherever they want – as long as the work gets done!
Bootstrapping in a Foreign Country
If you want to take the concept of remote working to the next level, you can entirely relocate your SME to be based out of a foreign country.
Why would you do this?
Simple – to reduce your cost of living. If you operate in a country where you can easily get by on $1000 a month (such as all the ones mentioned below), you can dedicate all of your time and energy to growing your business without worrying about financial stresses.
This is particularly effective for new businesses and solo entrepreneurs, where the business is just starting to take off, but the revenue isn’t yet high enough to quit your day job.
The following locations are incredibly popular with ‘digital nomads’ – they have relatively low living costs, they have blazingly fast internet, and they provide plenty of networking opportunities for entrepreneurs!
What all these Destinations Offer
Here’s what makes these destinations perfect for the travelling entrepreneur:
- You can get by comfortably if you only speak English
- You can have a relatively high standard of living without breaking the bank
- There is a strong entrepreneurial culture and great working facilities (fast internet and nice places to work from)
- You will see and experience things that you wouldn’t dream of in your home country!
- Getting a visa for these countries is fairly straightforward
Here are the top global hubs for remote working, ranked in order of monthly living costs.
NOTE: All data on living costs are derived from crowdsourced values from https://nomadlist.com/
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam
While Ho Chi Minh City is the official name of Vietnam’s largest city, the locals refer to it as Saigon.
Saigon is quickly becoming one of the most popular destinations for location-independent entrepreneurs, and with good reason!
The internet is fast, living is cheap, and the networking opportunities are abundant!
Cost of Living/Lifestyle
Monthly Living Cost: 410 Euro/470 USD/300 GBP
In Saigon, you won’t be preparing your own meals (unless you really want to). Eating out here is the norm, and why wouldn’t it be? The food is cheap (and delicious!), and with more cafes and restaurants than you can poke a stick at, you’ll never be short on variety!
If you’re eating Vietnamese food, your food costs will be very low. Living in the city centre will set you back around $200-300 a month, and food is, on average, between $1-4 a meal.
As for entertainment, Saigon has no shortage of it. The nightlife is rich and the tourist activities are plentiful – you could take a scuba diving trip every weekend if you wanted to!
Depending on your lifestyle, you can get by very cheaply in Vietnam. If you don’t drink alcohol, eat only local cuisine, and live in a modest apartment, you could easily get by for $300 a month or less.
Work Environment
Saigon has an abundance of fantastic cafes, all of which have incredible internet and delicious Vietnamese iced coffee. Not only that, but they don’t pressure you into buying a lot of drinks if you sit there and work – you can order one coffee and sit for as long as you like!
Additionally, Saigon has a number of ‘co-working spaces’, which are areas geared directly towards entrepreneurs and freelancers living the location-independent lifestyle.
These co-working spaces, which provide a very social workspace with incredibly fast internet, are also frequently the hosts of various networking events, business seminars, and even barbeque parties! If you want to surround yourself with people who share the entrepreneurial dream, Saigon is a fantastic place to do that!
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Chiang Mai is an old city in the Northern region of Thailand, and is easily one of the most popular destinations for digital nomads. It’s incredibly cheap, incredibly culturally rich, and also incredibly safe! Great internet, a great social scene, and an abundance of weekend activities (ancient temples and beautiful mountain trails) make Chiang Mai a very attractive destination.
Cost of Living/Lifestyle
Monthly Living Cost: 450 Euro/540 USD/340 GBP
Chiang Mai, like most of Thailand (the exception being Bangkok), boasts a very relaxed lifestyle.
Despite the fact that it’s a reasonably sized city, the residents of Chiang Mai seem to go about things at a very lazy pace. Restaurants are plentiful, cafes are comfortable, and there are an endless number of side streets to explore where you can find all sorts of hidden gems; in fact, you might eat the best noodle soup of your life in a bamboo shack located in a hidden alleyway!
While Chiang Mai is not a beach town, there is no shortage of weekend activities to help you unwind after a hard week of work. Whether you prefer to hike mountain trails, help feed & clean elephants in a natural conservatory, or even volunteer as an English teacher at a local school, you can always be sure that your life will be rich and varied.
Oh, and the shopping is fantastic! If you’re a passionate shopper, taking a stroll down Nimmanhaemin Road might just feel like heaven!
Work Environment
Due to the high standard of living that can be had for very little cost, Chiang Mai is perhaps the number one global destination for up-and-coming entrepreneurs and freelancers.
Co-working spaces are incredibly abundant, and they all have a very welcoming community! Everyone you meet shares the same passions – a love of entrepreneurship, travel, and living an unconventional lifestyle!
If you want to network with fellow digital nomads and make some life-long friends, look no further than Chiang Mai.
Zagreb, Croatia
Croatia has long been a popular destination in Europe, especially for young travellers – the costs are low, the beer is cheap, and the sites are truly beautiful; what more could you want?
In recent years, however, more and more nomadic entrepreneurs have been discovering the appeal of this beautiful city. Zagreb checks off all the necessities – fast internet, low living costs, lots of great local places with free WiFi, and plenty of unique experiences and adventures to be had.
Cost of Living/Lifestyle
Monthly Living Cost: 560 Euro/650 USD/412 GBP
Compared to the other locations mentioned, Zagreb’s technological and entrepreneurial scenes are still very much in their adolescence.
However, the city boasts a significant advantage: it has a very low cost of living, while being located in Europe. If the majority of your clients are located in Europe, this will make communication that much easier due to being in similar time-zones.
With Zagreb, you have the low living costs that you would find in Asia, with all of the locational and developmental advantages you have in Europe.
Work Environment
As we mentioned, Zagreb isn’t quite as developed as the other cities in its startup and entrepreneurship scenes. However, the scene is most definitely growing, and you will always have your pick of conferences and networking events to attend.
Ko Phangan, Thailand
Sometimes you don’t want to live a hectic, city-based lifestyle.
Sometimes, you just want to lie on some of the most beautiful beaches in the world with a coconut in one hand and a good book in the other.
Ko Phangan, a tropical island located in the southeast Gulf of Thailand, has absolutely no shortage of natural beauty. Thick, tropical jungles grow right next to white, sandy beaches with sparkling blue water.
Unfortunately, this does come with a huge drawback – it can be hard to sit down and do a full day’s work when the Sun is shining and the waves are calling you!
Cost of Living/Lifestyle
Monthly Living Cost: 570 Euro/660 USD/420 GBP
Ko Phangan is incredibly laid back – it’s so easy to spend your day in a beachside café doing little more than soaking in the view!
As far as accommodation goes, options can be found for very cheap. A one bedroom house (with WiFi) can be found for $200-300 a month without too much trouble.
However, as the island can be quite spaced out, you will most likely want to rent a scooter to get around.
In Ko Phangan, you will spend your days enjoying fantastic Thai cuisine, working from beachside cafes, and having some very unique adventures (scuba diving and elephant trekking are both very popular).
Oh, and if you’re a fan of the fighting arts, you can get some very authentic instruction in Muay Thai! In fact, many gyms offer accommodation, where you sleep in a room above the gym (with WiFi of course), train twice a day, and eat with the fighters every evening! Not for the faint of heart!
Work Environment
Ko Phangan has quite recently become home to its very own co-working space, KohSpace. They provide a well-equipped shared office space with great internet, a conference room, and an outdoor garden next to the beach where you can relax and catch some rays!
Prague, Czech Republic
Prague is a city that is very old, very beautiful, and overflowing with history and culture.
Due to its low living cost and thriving tech startup scene, Prague is quickly becoming one of the most popular digital nomad destinations in Europe.
Cost of Living/Lifestyle
Monthly Living Cost: 780 Euro/900 USD/570 GBP
While Prague is most definitely in the midst of an economic boom, the real-estate costs across the Czech Republic are still quite low compared to the rest of Europe.
Due to its popularity as a travel destination, Prague has an incredibly diverse social scene.
The nightlife is fantastic in Prague, and the city is bordered by pristine forests and mountains. No matter how you like to spend your recreational hours, you can be sure that you’ll have a good time in Prague!
If you’re a fan of art, history, and architecture, living in Prague will be nothing short of a dream. Every street is a museum unto itself, showcasing a slice of the city’s rich history and heritage.
Work Environment
As we mentioned above, Prague has a thriving tech startup scene. The city will never fall short when it comes to technological needs – you’ll have access to lightning-fast and reliable internet, as well as an abundance of local startups that can help you with your business needs.
Co-working is popular in Prague, and the city provides some truly beautiful shared office spaces; these not only provide top-notch workspaces, but are also rife with regular networking events, and some even have visa services that can help you out with getting a longer-term visa for the Czech Republic!
Buenos Aires, Argentina
First things first, let’s talk about safety. It’s true that South America has some notoriously dangerous destinations, there’s no denying that. However, Buenos Aires has for a very long time been a popular travel destination, and many travellers have said that they feel safe there. As with any big city, a good dose of common sense will go a long way!
Cost of Living/Lifestyle
Monthly Living Cost: 820 Euro/950 USD/600 GBP
South America is famous for its coffee, and you’ll certainly find no shortage of amazing cafes in Buenos Aires!
With an abundance of cafes, amazing Latin restaurants, and rooftop bars galore, you will be spoiled for choice when it comes to finding places to set up and get some work done.
As for recreation, this is a perfect time to take some tango lessons!
With a city as culturally rich as Buenos Aires, you will never have to worry about a dull and monotonous work life!
Work Environment
Buenos Aires has a well-established entrepreneurial scene, so you’ll have your pick of co-working spaces.
Additionally, there are loads of networking events for marketers, entrepreneurs, and small businesses! You’re only a quick google search away from attending a huge business conference with thousands of attendees.
So what are you waiting for?
If you are a freelancer, solopreneur, or work for a startup, and you’re finding that all your work can be done remotely… what’s stopping you from buying those plane tickets?
Even if it’s only for a few months, hitting the road, exploring the world, and living out of your backpack (all while building a business!) is sure to be an amazing, life-changing, and unforgettable experience!