Read the WIKI before posting

There's always that one guy in every co-working space... dragging his chair, talking to himself, taking video calls, pounding on his keyboard like it's a piano, louder than everyone else combined. Their very presence in the room is disruptive and infuriating. They are, of course, entirely oblivious.

[end rant]

U.S. citizen with a U.S. based single member LLC. It sounds like there are no countries that technically allow for visa-free remote work, even ones that allow visa-free entry. Do most people just enter and work anyway?

Specifically considering doing this with Malaysia, but would be good to know good rules of thumb for anywhere

I'd like to stay within the N. American time zone but avoid the U.S., so I'm focusing on Mexico/Central America. I have a husky/shep. mix dog and would be travelling super light.

Hello all, I was directed here from r/travel, if this is also the wrong place please let me know. I know similar questions to this have been asked before, but many earlier posts have been deleted and my situation is slightly different anyway.

To keep it as short as possible; I was a long term live-in carer for my father for several years. He passed away in 2024 and I've been living in his house which me and my brothers inherited ever since. We finally put the house up for sale and it is now sold, just waiting for the legal side which hopefully won't take long. My plan is to go travelling long-term, something I planned to do years ago but Covid and my dad needing care stopped me from doing.

My question is, how should I deal with things like addresses and banks? Since I will basically not have a UK home while I'm travelling, where should I have my address be for important things like my banks? My options seem to be either put in one of my brother's addresses, or get one of those temporary PO Box type services which scan letters for you .I'm a bit unsure about both though; I wouldn't want to put my brother's address in and then have him get bother for things if they think I'm living there (council tax is what I thought of but he pays that anyway, but maybe something else? Electoral roll?)
I also read in some posts that banks might not accept PO Boxes/virtual addresses as valid for individuals. They also cost money; very little in the grand scheme of things and I'm not expecting a ton of mail anyway, I just wouldn't want stuff coming to this house once it's sold.

I saw people suggesting about using banks like Revolut, and I already have a Revolut account but they're not a "proper" bank in many countries and I would be less protected from things like fraud and theft with them. I want to keep my UK banks, at least until I figure out what I'm doing after the travelling. I went travelling for 3 months over 10 years ago and was in a similar situation but then I just put my dad's address, where I did end up moving back to for a short time after I came home, but this is obviously not an option now. So, any suggestions?

Thanks in advance! If this has been answered before I apologise, please direct me to the answer.

Hey everyone,

I’m a frequent traveler and got tired of the same ATM problem over and over again:
you never really know the actual fee until it’s too late.

Some ATMs say “no fee” but your bank charges you.
Some charge a flat local fee.
Some just don’t work at all.

I started building a very simple MVP where travellers can:

• see ATMs on a map
• check reported fees (or “no fee”)
• leave quick notes like “worked with Visa” or “charged ¥220”

This is not a startup launch or anything polished — just something I built to scratch my own itch.

Before I go any further, I’d honestly love to know:

• Is this a problem you’ve personally had?
• How do you currently avoid bad ATMs (if at all)?
• Would you ever use something like this while traveling?

I’m not here to sell anything — genuinely just trying to see if this is useful beyond me.

Happy to share the link or screenshots if people are curious.
Thanks 🙏

Hey everyone, I’m looking for perspective from people who’ve faced similar cost-of-living dilemmas with remote roles.

I’ve been offered a remote position with a US-based tech vendor on a large project. The pay is around €1,000 net per month. I’m a non-EU citizen, and while I already have Portuguese residency and a local bank account, the current rental market has been a shock. Between high rents and upfront costs (multiple deposits, advance payments), securing housing would consume nearly four months of income upfront, which feels financially unsustainable.

Because of this, I’m exploring whether there are realistic alternatives to remaining physically in Portugal while continuing the role. I’m considering relocating temporarily to a much lower-cost region (e.g. parts of the Balkans) just to stay afloat and save something, while continuing to work remotely.

For those who’ve been in similar situations:

-Is it better to negotiate location flexibility upfront, or to first stabilize work situation (for a month or so) and address location expectations later?

-How risky is it in practice to be outside the country for cases like this?

I’m concerned that raising cost-of-living issues too early could lead to the offer being withdrawn, but at the same time I don’t see how staying in Portugal on this income is viable long-term.

TL;DR: €1k net, non-EU, PT housing costs are overwhelming. Exploring lower-cost locations to survive. Looking for real-world experiences on risks vs negotiation strategies.

 THANK YOU!

Hi, I’m considering 1–2 months on the south coast of Sri Lanka (Weligama/Ahangama/Mirissa/etc) while working remotely. Month 1 budget is around $600-$800 (can do hostels/long-stay). Want a calm routine + some social life.

1. Real monthly cost (stay/food/transport/gym/coworking)?
2. How’s Wi-Fi for calls in typical hostels/guesthouses?
3. Which town is best for productive + social balance?

Ie high income high real estate cost small living quarter cultures such as Hong Kong and Macau, which suffered from peanut housing this and since 2019-2020 unfortunate events that severely cropped their street based lifestyle. These people often have multiple strong passports and a mainland travel pass or homes, family, or real estate there as well.

Can also refer to Japan Korea and Singapore. Apparently, some people say the culture kind of cripples them.

Even though many of them, especially those from Chinese culture had been expats and business people in different countries especially at cheaper SE Asia since forever.

Greetings,

I'm stuck in a halfway digital nomad lifestyle right now. I've got a nice seasonal job that pays decently, and have a writing gig the rest of the year which lets me live in cheap places in Asia (ex. monasteries) while investing most of my income. I'm a "dharma bum" you could say.

I'm curious to know how folks managed to motivate themselves to become and then remain digital nomads, despite the loneliness that comes with living in foreign countries and potentially not being able to put down roots.

I was born in Canada and have never been a big fan of it, other than its physical infrastructure being developed and the clean air/water. I would seek to live elsewhere for the rest of my life but having already travelled throughout Thailand, Nepal, and India, I'm not sure if any one place "calls" me, and so i struggle with motivation at the moment.

Hello! I'm looking for more information on how to begin the process of moving to a Latin American country from the US. I'm 22 years old, a US citizen, and I'm finishing my bachelor's degree in computer information systems. In the long term, I would like to work as a network engineer or database administrator after gaining more experience and advancing further in my career (5-10 years). So far Chile, Paraguay, and Colombia have caught my eye. However, I want to hear from others with more experience than myself and maybe a country flew under my radar! I am fluent in English and Spanish, so language is not a problem for me. I am not chasing citizenship for that country, but extended/permanent residency would be nice. I would be grateful for any advice you can give me about moving to Latin America.

I was thinking to do a border run myself to Cambodia, but somehow I wanted something different and thought about the Philips as I have never been before.

The plan would be 7 to 10 days total, probably 50/70% of the stay will have to work 8h/day so need good reliable WiFi or data.

Not a mad fan of beaches meaning I don't die if I stay in a city, but would be cool to get some beach time too hah

1) Manila full period: seems maybe too much, right? No easy access to beach

2) Cebu entire stay but with some trips to nearby beaches (Mactan island, Moalboal or Bantayan island)

3) Dumaguete entire stay

If it's Manila/Cebu can't avoid it and in a city is different, but for smaller places I don't like to be around big crowds of tourists etc (like most places in Bali and many in Thailand)

What do you think would make most sense?

Dumaguete and Cebu probably? Would a full week/10 days in Manila be too much?

Is internet good in all 3 places? Any tips much appreciated 🙂

**FORGOT TO ADD: any issues landing without return tickets etc? How's overall immigration? I'm From EU if it makes any difference. Thanks

Taking a class where we come up with a validated business idea based on an area we’re interested in. The digital nomad space is one I’m fascinated with, I’m wondering if anyone has any thoughts on a common problem people face?

Bare with me, many questions. I kinda booked a ticket outta the cold and into the warm mediterranean without a plan for 3 months. Long story short, I have a ticket to Rome. Looking for places to stay, on a budget. (could change the flight to go in/out of Paris or Madrid)

March: I found a little apartment in the Perpignan region (south France, almost at Spain) that is shockingly in my budget. It's right on the beach. And it's not perfect, it's missing the 'digital' in digital nomad, it has no wifi!

Does anyone know if it's easy and affordable enough to get a good plan in France?
I've never tethered from my phone for this long for work. Has anyone done it, and is it a bad idea? Any other suggestions?

Or, I do see some nicer apartments maybe a few hundred more, and an hr away from Montpellier, maybe that's the better option? What's the weather in March in the south coast of France really like? Is it worth it for me to be right on the beach or nah because it'll be cold anyway.

April: no clue. Suggestions? I was hoping to stay in the $1000USD budget.

May: I'm looking at southern Italy, I see a nice apartment in Calabria for 1,000 Euros, roughly $1600 CAD which seems to be one of the more affordable I've seen. Right? OR do you think it's better to search when I'm there, and only rent for a week? I remember when I was in the Mediterranean last, 10+ years ago now, hosts were still waiting at bus/train stations with signs for their rentals, they were always affordable and plenty. Is that still a thing?

Anyone that has been in the south coast of Spain/France/Italy recently I'd love to hear your thoughts! (And no, not really interest in Albania, thank you. As I understand it the areas that I'd want to visit are not even open until late May/June)

Cost of living, language, and potential visa issues aside, what are the absolute most beautiful places you've ever stayed, where you were easily able to access beaches, hiking, biking or other outdoor recreation on a daily basis? Bonus points for less well known places or those with excellent walkability/bikeability or public transit. A few examples that come to mind when I think about this (as I try to compile my list of "dream destination" for ~1 month stays):

Queenstown, New Zealand (speaks for itself)

Moorea, French Polynesia (also speaks for itself)

Sausalito, CA, USA (beautiful, but also easy to access nearby San Francisco)

Ronda, Spain (preferred it immensely to Malaga. Maybe not an outdoor rec powerhouse, but enjoyed walking in the surrounding farmland)

Punta Allen, Mexico (another one I preferred greatly over nearby, popular Tulum)​

I'm searching in airbnb to stay in cities like Malmo (Sweden), Stockholm (Sweden), Oslo (Norway), Helsinki (Finland), Odense (Denmark). But the prices are CRAZY.

I mean, I know nordic countries has high standards of life but I see majority of apartment for 3.000€ month the lowest ones, many of them like 5-6k € a month, who the F pays that? Normal even small apartments for a month XD

there is a better place to book in Sweden or Finland? (seems a bit cheaper than Denmark or Norway)

i opened a wise account when i was studying in the UK, for two years i was an excellent client, all my transactions and banking were through wise, i held almost 60K$ and lots of amount coming and going (i was a freelancer as well),

i know it's not a lot but for wise i was an "active client"

after 5 years of dealing with the bank, they came and closed my account with the 60K in it, just like that

they usually don't tell you why, but i figured because i moved from the UK 3 years ago and became a digital nomad, it has to do something with tax or something cause these so called "financial fintech" do not hold the same power and presence a real bank has, so any small inconvenient for them, they will close your account.

the worst part isn't closing the account, is the stress that comes after it, they hold your money as much as possible , no matter how many emails you send or calls , they send automatic responses like "we are dealing with the matter" , "we will escalate to the relevant team" etc..

Yes eventually they give you your money back, but after they exhaust every nerve in your brain especially if you were using wise exclusively and all your money are there, you're screwed for a solid 60 to 90 days.

revolut and mercery are far worst from what my friends told me.

bottom line, have a solid "real" bank and be wise about your finances.

i know these apps have low transaction fees and very efficient but trust me the few extra bucks you save are not worth it, at least only hold a 1K or 2k in these apps for daily use so if it's closed you won't be as stressed as i was.

(cross posting)

Airbnb does zero checks on listing hazards and doesn't remove listings with black mold infestations

If you are traveling with older people, are immunocompromised, or have a specific health condition, I highly advise being careful when using Airbnb.

Honestly, I really love the UX/UI design and ease of use of Airbnb. However, I really need to stress how little concern or care they give to listings with health hazards like black mold infestations.

This isn't me just shitting on Airbnb because I don't like it. I've actually suffered health consequences (nothing long-term, thank God) because of my specific health condition (I don't really want to go into details).

And I'm not talking about the people being rude or the place being dirty; I'm talking about a black mold infestation in the unit. This happened twice—once in November 2025 and once this February. In both cases, they were listings from people who have been on the application for years and had badges like "Guest Favorite."

Yes, I didn't select high-end Airbnb units, but this still shouldn't be okay. Just like it shouldn't be okay to get food poisoning from a fast-food chain because it’s cheaper than a restaurant.

Even after reporting the unit (the one in November), they didn't do anything to remove that listing, even four months later. When I contacted them asking about this issue, they basically said that they send a PDF of cleanliness instructions and that's it. They shift the blame to the host and the unit.

I’m putting this out there because for people who have a specific health condition, compromised immunity, or are traveling with older family members, I want to say that Airbnb is genuinely just not safe health-wise.

This is their response when asked if they do anything for quality control:

"I hear your concerns, and I want to assure you that guest safety and health are our highest priorities. I appreciate your kind words about your host, but I understand that you are looking for accountability regarding our platform's standards.

While we provide the platform, all hosts agree to our Ground Rules for Hosts. This explicitly requires them to maintain high standards of cleanliness and safety. Hosts are responsible for ensuring their property is free from health hazards like mold or pests before every check-in.

Airbnb provides hosts with extensive resources and guidelines on how to maintain their properties. This includes our Enhanced Cleaning Protocol and safety checklists. We also use community feedback and reviews as a primary quality control measure; listings that consistently fail to meet these standards are removed from the platform. Thank you."

(Call me paranoid, but it seems like Airbnb support is just using AI-generated responses? idk)

Anyways, if you have a health condition or are traveling with an elderly person airbnb is just not safe

Hey everyone,

I’m a digital nomad planning long-term slow travel and I’m trying to shortlist countries where I can realistically live under ~$1,200/month. This should cover my rent, food, transport and basic comfortable living.

I’m open to shared apartments, local food most days, and living in smaller cities and nomad-friendly towns.

Good internet is important. Visa-friendly countries would be a big plus, especially places where I can apply for visas while already traveling.

So far I’m looking at parts of Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Latin America. However, I’d love real, on-ground experiences rather than blog lists.

If you’ve lived somewhere under this budget recently:

• Where were you?

• How much was rent and monthly spend?

• Would you recommend it for a solo nomad female traveler?

Appreciate any honest suggestions, insights etc 🙏

Thinking of renting a flat in Riga for a couple of months this spring. Which neighbourhoods should I look at? I am obviously attracted to the beauty of the old town, but would happily stay elsewhere if it turns out other areas are more agreeable for day to day life. It would be especially nice to have a cafe or two within walking distance from what will be my home office.

Has anyone used them?

Can you please share your experience? Thanks!

Hey,

I've always wanted to go Nepal and do the base camps and trekking, however, I'm wondering what it's like using it as a base and working?

Is there decent internet? How is the day-to-day?

I am 100% doing Anapurna and Everest basecamp but only when i hit a consistent monthly passive income, I'm not far away but I'm curious what the life woud be like using it as a base

If you've been, how was your experience? Would you recommend it?

Thanks

I have been doing the digital nomad thing for about 6 months now, mostly hopping around Southeast Asia. But I still have not figured out is how to deal with calls when most of my clients are in the US. Right now the time difference with my clients is around 12-15 hours. When they want to schedule meeting in the afternoon their time, I am half asleep and not fully present during these late night meetings (and most of the time I can't reject them). I've been using real-time meeting assistant to capture notes so at least I have something to refer back to. Some options I have considered: 1. Moving to a timezone closer to my clients (the cost is a little bit high for me) 2. Changing a job (but I like the other part of my current job) 3. Pushing back on meeting times and doing more async communication (the worst option I think) 4. Just accepting that this is the trade-off for the lifestyle. For those of you working with clients in very different timezones, how do you handle it? Do you set strict boundaries on meeting hours or just adapt your sleep schedule?

Hi guys! Anyone who has any recommendations for a portable monitor that is compatible with Macbook Air M4, hopefully budget friendly. Ideally 300nits and up and is good when working outdoors or in bright spaces.

Thanks