As more and more people start to work from a laptop, the opportunity to work remotely or travel has greatly increased. A digital nomad is a remote worker who finds co-working spaces in the country they travel to, carrying out their work. The roles open to a remote worker are growing daily, a typical digital nomad may be a writer, website admin, online marketing, remote tutor or a host of other vocations. The primary goals for a digital nomad are financial and location independence and looking for low-cost living areas can help a lot. We have put together a list of a few of the best places worldwide to find office space in exciting places.
Top Asian Locations
The variety of office space available for a digital nomad in Asia is phenomenal. With an excellent work-life balance and low cost of living Chang Mai in northern Thailand has long been a favorite among the nomad community. Punspace is one of our favourites, with three offices throughout Chang Mai with various affordable levels of membership and fabulous Thai food available.
Remote workers looking for an excellent space to work near a beach will not need to look far in Asia. In Bali, Indonesia there is Hubud which has seen significant recognition for their services and level of care. The bamboo interior reminds you where you are, and they have the fastest internet on the island with plenty of packages available including accommodation and bike rental so a nomad can be fully catered to.
The Indian IT sector is one of the most dominant in the world, and this is leading to more shared office spaces popping up across the country. Any remote worker visiting Mumbai for office space will not need to look for long. The city has seen a dramatic rise in office space rentals, and this will only continue in the coming years. Mumbai has a variety of office space to rent from Moroccan themed to standard offices. As Mumbai is a large IT hub and financial capital of the country, the ability to collaborate and network, is that much easier for a remote worker.
Best North American Cities
It would be impossible to have a list of co-working spaces and not include the Big Apple. New York has been the capital of capitalism for decades and is an excellent location for startups and entrepreneurs to apply their trade. One office space which was funded by a kick starter campaign is New York City – located on Broadway in Manhattan it has various seminars and tool kits to help a young entrepreneur get started. Prices for a seat are reasonable at $500 per month.
Any nomad looking to make a career in the technology sector would want to obviously consider San Francisco. Being the birthplace of many of the large tech companies involved with the internet the city has a wealth of tech-savvy spaces to work. Rocket space offices near Montgomery Bart Station has nurtured many start-ups like Uber, Spotify, and Zappos along with thousands of others. The office has super-fast broadband and usually has technology focussed people there to bounce ideas off.
Any remote worker who enjoys the nightlife, good food and fantastic music needs to work in New Orleans. The Big Easy is famed for street parties and round the clock partying making it a great choice. Converted from a 1920’s ice factory the Ice House in the city center offers excellent workspace along with regular events to help add more skills to the remote workers. You can get a desk for about $500 including a private phone line and use of office equipment.
Australia and NZ Hot Locations
For a tourist to travel across Australia and see the whole country can take months so what better way than to work as you go. Sydney is regarded as the country’s second capital and is the entry point for most visitors. The city has many options for a remote worker along with a relaxed attitude making it great to work and live in. Located in the heart of Surrey Hills, The Muse & Co offer great space for any creative thinker to work. As the name may suggest, the office has many artists, designers and creative thinkers who can collaborate and advise each other. A dedicated desk can be expensive for a startup at about AUD$890 per month.
For those looking for cheaper shared workspace heading west to Broome may be the answer. The town is situated on the northwestern shores of Australia and has been a favorite for backpackers for years. Biz space has good workspaces which can be rented for just AUD$275 per month. An additional benefit for those saving money is accommodation is very affordable making it a great place to work for a week or a month.
The largest city on New Zealand’s South Island is Christchurch, a tourist hotspot and great for digital nomads. Co-working space in Christchurch has seen a big boom in recent years which means plenty of choices when looking for your next desk. Argo office space has fantastic areas at very reasonable rates. For less than NZ$500, you can have access to meeting rooms, kitchen facilities, surfboard storage, and concierge service.
The Hotspots of Europe
Vienna is regularly voted the best city in Europe to live and work in, and this makes it an excellent choice for remote workers. Prices can start as low as € 15 per day at L-Office which includes a desk, use of office equipment and the relaxation areas. The city has tremendous cultural events and amazing walks along the Danube river, one of the many reasons it appears in the top ten lists a number of times.
Britain’s capital city of London has been one of the most visited places in the world for decades and has plenty to offer a digital nomad. The Ministry which is near Elephant and Castle offers a very contemporary office space which was renovated from its previous role as a print works. The area was created by The Ministry of Sound and offers permeant seating, private membership social club and a host of amenities to use.
One of the gems of eastern Europe is the Bulgarian capital of Sofia. The city offers fantastic transport links and good work to life balance. A desk can be rented for as little as $150 per month at Cre8 Coworking space and has everything a worker would need. The cost of living is relatively inexpensive making it the perfect location for a startup with little funding to get set up.
If you are in a position where you can take your work with you and enjoy traveling, now is the time to go and become a digital nomad. For those who are a little uncertain about the whole idea, try it for a few months and if you don’t like it you can return home. Being a digital nomad is not just about work; it is also about meeting new friends, work colleagues and networking to help ensure your business runs smoothly. There are some super resources online to help you choose a location or what job role you can perform from your laptop so start reading and go traveling.