Best Affordable Destinations for Digital Nomads in 2025

July 15, 2025
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2025 is truly the year of digital nomads, with record numbers travelling and working remotely. If you are also looking to join or searching for your next destination, this is the post for you! Here are the top affordable destinations in 2025 for anyone looking to live abroad without breaking the bank.

Being a digital nomad means working from your laptop in any corner of the world you’d like (visa and Wi-Fi dependent only). Since the pandemic and the rise of remote work, the digital nomad community has exploded and a wave has moved across all countries of the world.

If you are currently considering becoming a digital nomad and want to look for destination options, or you are searching for your next stay, I will list my favourite affordable destinations for digital nomads below. All of these have low living costs, great communities and so many things to do.

I will also answer some general Digital Nomad questions at the end, but feel free to put any other ones in the comments and myself or fellow nomads can help you out!

Table of Contents

Best Budget-Friendly Destinations for Digital Nomads and Remote Workers

Here are destinations with digital nomad visas, budget-friendly living costs and a fantastic expat community:

1. Portugal

One of my top countries to travel has been Portugal. I fell in love with the culture, easy way of living and beautiful landscapes. Porto in the north is easily one of my most loved cities. I spent over a month nearby in a local surf camp, working for accommodation and enjoying the late-summer swell.

Portugal has also become a haven for digital nomads in recent years, thanks to its digital nomad visa, the affordable cost of living as well as thriving expat community. I would recommend looking to base yourself outside of Lisbon, which has been overrun recently resulting in local displacement and heading to smaller towns.

Places like Braga and Coimbra, as well as the small surf towns along the coast are great examples. This protects the local community, is more affordable and offers you a more authentic experience.

Just around 1200€ per month will get you a nice flat outside of Lisbon/Porto as well as food, activities and more.

Some of my favourite activities in Portugal:

2. Vietnam

If you are on budget travel social media, you have definitely seen and heard of Vietnam before. And it is this popular for good reason – apart from the fascinating culture and breath-taking nature, it is one of the most affordable countries to travel in SE Asia. It’s very safe for solo, female travellers and you will meet lots of like-minded people here.

It has also become a hub for digital nomads as well as those teaching English abroad. Da Nang and Hanoi both have big nomad hubs, as well as the country’s business centre Ho Chi Minh City.

I have heard from other travellers that they had a lovely apartment in a block with a pool and amenities for less than $500 per month. Food and activities are also really affordable, making it a great destination for digital nomads.

3. Albania

Albania is also STUNNING! It easily rivals Greece, with pristine beaches, beautiful landscapes and stunning architecture. On top of that, everything is still really affordable as the country is only just entering into mainstream tourism the past two years or so.

I spent a month there last year, working for accommodation in a hostel and met a TON of digital nomads who lived there full time. Many had rented apartments for around 500€ and enjoyed the beautiful summer weather and gorgeous beaches.

The country also has a unique permit that allows remote workers to stay in the country.

Check out my Albania guides here.

4. Indonesia

Bali in Indonesia is what I would call the origin of digital nomadism. It is the place that initially became famous, especially during the pandemic, for the many remote workers moving there. It offers stunning landscapes, cheap prices (though they have risen in recent years) and a great community.

I think while costs have increased recently due to the demand, this is still a great and comparably affordable destination, especially for nomads just beginning their journey. The great networking opportunities and many facilities specifically for remote workers make Bali an easy place to start.

Canggu and Ubud are the standout places where digital nomads settle, though consider other areas too to avoid overrunning the locals.

5. Thailand

Thailand was my first country where I experienced the so-called “culture shock”. Travelling here felt a little different, more vibrant and Bangkok was probably the busiest place I had ever been to.

Once I got over the initial surprise and actually immersed myself in the culture, everything changed. Thailand turned out to be this lively mix of history mixed with modern life, with stunning landscapes, heavenly beaches and bustling cities. And I still dream about the food, it was that good.

More recently, Thailand has become a standout location for digital nomads. This is due to the cheap lifestyle combined with a good infrastructure and strong traveller community.

Popular cities are Bangkok, Chiang Mai and the Islands in the South.

6. South Africa

Whenever I travel, I meet digital nomads who have settled in Cape Town. All of them rave of life there. Especially over the colder months, many remote workers head to the milder climate of South Africa. You will find a huge number of co-working retreats and houses in Cape Town.

The city is probably the most expensive on this list, but still way cheaper than many of the big Western cities (reports say about 50% of London prices). South Africa has also introduced an incredible digital nomad visa that allows a stay up to 36 month!

If you are into surfing and outdoor activities, this is the place for you. Sea Point and Green Point are often mentioned when it comes to safe areas to stay in.

7. Mexico

Mexico is a beautiful and affordable destination especially for those living in the Americas area and an increasingly popular destination for Nomads. Lifestyle costs are comparably low and there are some amazing cities to live in as well as vibrant digital nomad communities.

Popular areas are Playa del Carmen, Puerto Vallart and Mexico City. I would stick to the more popular areas with bigger travel communities for safety reasons and do your research.

8. Bulgaria

Bulgaria is one of the more recent destinations that has entered the digital nomad list. It has the possibility of a freelance visa for Non-EU citizens and offers a very affordable cost of living.

The country itself is stunning, with beautiful landscapes, great beaches and a rich history. The facilities for digital nomads are rapidly growing, including co-working spaces and nomad communities.

Some standout digital nomad hubs are Sofia, Bansko and Plovdiv.

FAQ about Digital Nomadism

What is a digital nomad?

A digital nomad is anyone that works remotely without being tied to one place. They usually travel around or settle abroad for months/years at a time. Jobs could be anything from working full-time remotely for a company in your home country, working freelance, influencer work, writing, running tours, etc. I have met so many different nomads with different jobs, it’s always fascinating to hear about.

How do you become a digital nomad?

I would now consider myself a digital nomad, but it isn’t really something I planned. I personally do freelance work, write and spend my winters working as a snowboard instructor (most recently in Japan).

If you are trying to actively get into digital nomadism, you could start by applying to remote jobs or even asking your current job if you can work from abroad for a month (or more!). You could also transition to freelance work should your job allow.

Getting a TEFL certification and teaching English is also a common jobs I see while travelling. A ton of the remote workers in full-time jobs I meet are in the tech industry.

If you can, try and build a network with fellow digital nomads. They will have advice, tips and even potentially clients. We are all in the same boat and happy to help!

Drop any more questions in the comments below and I am happy to answer!