Work and nomads
Choosing where to work remotely: the five filters that matter
Cost of living is the filter everyone looks at and the one that decides least. The five that do decide, in the order you apply them.
Claudia Ferrán 6 min Photo by Vanburn Gonsalves on Unsplash Lists of the best cities for remote work are almost always ordered by price, which is why plenty of people end up somewhere cheap where they cannot work. These five filters, in this order, avoid that mistake.
1. The time zone
This is the filter that rules out whole destinations. If your team works in your home hours and you are in Asia, your meetings land in the middle of the night; if you are in the Americas, the overlap does not start until mid-afternoon.
Before you look at anything else, map your actual working day onto the destination's clock. If it does not fit, no cost of living will fix it.
2. The connection
The national average is no use: what counts is the neighbourhood's and the accommodation's. Ask the host for the real speed and request a screenshot of a test, and have your own mobile backup from day one.
How to set that backup up is in working while travelling: setting up your connection.
3. The permit
How long you are allowed to stay and whether the permit allows remote work. Many countries have created specific visas, and where there are none, staying for months on a tourist entry is a grey area worth understanding before you walk into it.
4. Healthcare and safety
What happens if you fall ill, what your insurance covers and what the care is actually like in that specific city. And safety, judged by neighbourhood rather than by country.
5. And now, finally, the cost
With the previous four settled, cost sorts what is left. And beware of working it out from rent alone: transport, eating out, a workspace and insurance all go on top.
A cheap destination where you cannot work turns out very expensive.
Frequently asked questions
What should I look at when choosing a remote work destination?
The time zone first, then the accommodation's real connection, the residence permit, healthcare and safety, and last of all the cost of living.
Why does the time zone come first?
Because it rules out whole destinations: if your meetings land in the middle of the night, no other factor makes up for it.
How do I check the connection before I go?
By asking the host for the real speed and requesting a screenshot of a test, and by taking your own mobile backup.
Can I stay for months on a tourist entry?
It depends on the country, and in many it is a grey area. Several have created specific remote work visas that put you on clear ground.
