Giving the cubicle life up for azure seas and sand-swept beaches isn’t an unachievable dream. Flexible company policies and cheaper international expenses encourage more people to embrace the lifestyle. While preferable in many ways to a conventional office job, the life of a digital nomad is neither idyllic nor lazy.
This article offers a realistic look at what you ought to consider before becoming a digital nomad.
Before Setting Out
The switch to a digital nomad lifestyle should never happen overnight! You’ll want to diligently research your opportunities, options, and obligations before committing to such a life-altering change. Here’s what to consider before setting foot inside a plane.
Professional skills
Many jobs in the digital and tech space don’t require you to sit in a stuffy office nowadays. The question is, do you qualify? Digital nomads primarily work as software developers, marketers, designers, writers, or customer support specialists. Assess your prowess in such fields and secure a steady remote income first.
Visa and Tax Considerations
While local culture, climate, and prices are important, visa and tax requirements should top your priorities when choosing destinations. A growing number of countries welcome people like yourself with a digital nomad visa that lets you reside and work there for a fixed period legally. You’ll have to plan for the visa’s eventual expiration and make corresponding arrangements on time.
Becoming a globetrotter doesn’t exempt you from paying taxes. It’s only a matter of where you’ll be paying them. Researching tax laws beforehand is crucial since you’ll want to avoid double taxation while correctly settling your tax obligations.
Travelers insurance
There’s always a chance that you’ll experience a major obstacle during your travels. You might get injured, lose an expensive device, or miss a flight that can put all your other plans on hold. Travel insurance helps smooth over and compensate for such incidents and more. It’s indispensable for covering medical emergencies and a prerequisite to getting a visa in many countries. Spend some time looking for the right blend of coverage and cost for long-term peace of mind.
Work & Lifestyle Considerations
Once you’ve got a solid foundation, it’s time to examine the various aspects of the digital nomad lifestyle. The freedom and unique experiences can be life-altering. Still, it’s crucial not to rush into anything wearing rose-tinted glasses. Here’s how to ensure your time as a digital nomad lives up to your expectations.
Finances
Making the lifestyle change without securing employment or steady freelance work first wouldn’t be wise. Research the cost of living in your target destination(s) and set aside enough money to cover several months’ worth of expenses, just in case.
Once there, you’ll get a better sense of your financial needs, which is when you should create a detailed budget that covers expenses and fun with hopefully some money left over for savings. Consider picking up a travel credit card for easier transfers and low or no ATM fees. You’ll also want to carry some cash on you for emergencies.
Accommodations
Accommodation options can vary drastically, especially in large cities. It can be challenging to balance costs and amenities. Longer stays are typically more affordable, and you get to experience your location more thoroughly than you would when hopping from one place to another.
Consider your lodgings’ location in terms of safety and accessibility. Ensure there’s an adequate working area or easy access to a café or coworking space. Long-term accommodations should have a kitchen and a place to do laundry while providing heating and AC to deal with seasonal changes.
Working environment
Contrary to the common, idealized view people get from checking out blog posts and Instagram reels, being a digital nomad involves a lot of effort. Expect to put in more work than you would for a regular 9-5. Couple that with constant travel, and it’s clear you’ll need a location-independent approach to your routine and workspace.
The good news is that a reliable internet connection is practically the only non-negotiable requirement. Even then, you’ll want to ensure the connection is secure. Public Wi-Fi is convenient yet easy to exploit, especially in touristy places. Never connect to it unless doing so through a trustworthy VPN’s encrypted tunnel. A VPN can significantly enhance your online security, making it a crucial tool for any digital nomad.
Travelers insurance can cover the theft of your electronics, but that still makes your files and accounts vulnerable. Always keep online backups and encrypt your most important files. Secure your accounts with unique and complex passwords, preferably by automating and simplifying generation and storage with a password manager. They offer 2FA, too, which makes account theft even less likely to succeed.
Social Connections & Networking
A digital nomad’s existence can quickly become lonely. Short-term stays result in fleeting relationships, and saying goodbye to friends you’ve made during the past year is never easy. As challenging as establishing and maintaining connections as a digital nomad can be, it’s still well worth pursuing!
Cities like Budapest, Bangkok, or Medellin have established and vibrant digital nomad communities that are happy to help newbies get on their feet and offer excellent networking opportunities for professional growth.
Conclusion
Becoming a digital nomad is all about stepping outside of your comfort zone and exchanging predictability for self-enrichment and unique experiences that can fundamentally reshape your worldview. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, though. Now that you’ve seen a glimpse of what it takes to set yourself up for digital nomad success, you can do so with greater confidence and measured expectations.
