So, you’ve decided it’s time to swap the office desk for your laptop and a change of scenery. Maybe a beach, a cobbled alley café, or a co-working hub with mountain views. But where do you go?
If you’re new to this lifestyle, you’ll want to start somewhere that welcomes you, with great infrastructure, fair costs, and a community that makes you feel at home. Here are five countries that tick all the boxes for beginners ready to earn globally and live locally.
What “easy” actually means: the remote-work sweet spot
Before we deep dive into countries, let’s define the ingredients that turn a foreign country into a remote-work playground:
Remote-work visa or legal clarity: A place that welcomes you to live and work for clients overseas, without needing a local job contract. For example, over 60 countries now offer digital nomad visas.
Affordable cost of living: Lower rent, reasonable bills, and decent lifestyle so your foreign salary stretches further. “Affordability” featured in top-10 lists for digital nomad destinations.
Good connectivity & infrastructure: Strong internet, co-working spaces, cafes with power outlets — so you can work without frustration.
Why it’s a top pick: Great climate, strong infrastructure, and clear remote-work visa options.
Portugal offers a digital nomad-friendly visa (D8), simpler residency and remote work-friendly rules.
It ranks highly for coworking culture, cost of living (by Western standards) and English-friendly environment.
Example estimate: A digital nomad visa in Portugal requires proof of monthly income (~€3,480 according to some sources).
Estimated monthly living cost (solo): ~ $1,200-2,000 depending on city & lifestyle. E.g., digital nomads report approx €1,200-€1,800 per month in many places.
Key practical notes:
Lisbon and Porto are more expensive, particularly rent. For example, a one-bed in Lisbon centre can be ~€1,000+ per month.
Remote-work visa applicants will typically need to show proof of income (~€3,000+ monthly) and health insurance.
High connectivity, good infrastructure, great for remote work.
Beginner tip: Choose Lisbon or Porto for social energy and remote-work cafés, or find quieter towns in the Algarve for cost savings.
Make your life easier from day one, manage multiple currencies, receive global payments, and spend anywhere.
Why it works: Sunny weather, robust remote-work rules, and huge expat community.
According to a 2025 report by Global Citizen Solutions, Spain tops the list for digital nomad visas thanks to infrastructure, visa clarity and quality of life.
Average monthly expenses in some Spanish cities for remote workers: ~€1,000–€1,400 for living.
Estimated monthly living cost (solo): ~ $1,400-2,000+, depending on city (Madrid/Barcelona being toward the upper end).
Key practical notes:
Good food, café culture, strong English + local language balance.
Excellent for remote workers who want European lifestyle but intend to maintain foreign income.
Need to check regional visa and tax rules (Spain has “autónomo” rules, etc).
Tip: Even if you’re beginner-remote, stay at an Airbnb or shared flat for a month to test co-working rhythm before committing to a long stay.
Why it’s easier than you might think: Ultra-modern infrastructure + remote-work visa support.
The UAE ranked 2nd in the 2025 VisaGuide Digital Nomad Index for ease of remote work.
If you can handle higher living costs, you get world-class connectivity, coworking hubs and no personal income tax (in many cases) for remote earnings.
Estimated monthly living cost (solo): ~ $2,000+ in Dubai for a comfortable lifestyle. In less central emirates (Sharjah, etc) closer to $1,100-1,500.
Key practical notes:
If you’re earning foreign income and pay tax elsewhere, it can be very tax-friendly.
Lifestyle is high-end: malls, gyms, cafés, and high connectivity.
But cost of rent and living is significantly higher than in many emerging markets.
Heat and climate may affect comfort; outdoors may be stressful in summer.
Tip: Dubai or Abu Dhabi have nomad-friendly areas, plenty of networking events and a strong international community.
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Why it’s friendly for beginners: Low cost of living, strong remote-work culture, lots of cafes.
Although not always topping visa-lists, Vietnam (including hubs like Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang) shows up in fast-growing remote-work destination lists.
The key: You might stay on tourist visa extensions initially and rely on local coworking spots, but the lifestyle is affordable and rich.
Estimated monthly living cost (solo): ~ $800-1,450 depending on city and style of living. E.g., low end ~$800; mid-range ~$1,000+.
Key practical notes:
Rent is very cheap compared to Western cities (e.g., one-bed in city centre ~$500-800 in HCMC).
Excellent value for money: food, transport, living costs are low.
Visa rules may be less straightforward than Western/European countries.
If you’re earning in USD/EUR/GBP, your money can stretch a lot.
Tip: Aim for budget that allows you to live well (rent + coworking + meals) under US$1,500/month while you ramp up your remote earnings.
Why it’s appealing: Simple visa rules, lower living costs, and a remote-work friendly mindset.
Georgia has a “Remotely from Georgia” programme allowing remote workers from many countries to live and work there for up to one year.
It features among fastest-growing remote-work hubs in 2025.
Estimated monthly living cost (solo): ~ $700-1,500 depending on city, type of accommodation, lifestyle. Example: Tbilisi estimate ~US$1,000/month including rent.
Key practical notes:
One-bed apartments in Tbilisi can range ~$400-700/month depending on area.
The environment is more “off the beaten path” — less infrastructure than Western Europe but a lot of upside.
Good for remote workers who want to save aggressively, live in a beautiful place, and build remote income.
Tip: Tbilisi offers cozy apartments, great cafés, a relaxed expat scene, and your foreign-income dollar stretches further.
How to choose the right country for you
Here’s a quick self-check list before you pack your laptop:
Next steps if you’re just starting remote work abroad
Choose one country from above and spend 30 days researching visa terms, cost of living, and co-working/housing.
Run your budget with a “safe” scenario (income you have now) and an “optimistic” scenario (what you’ll aim for).
Set up your remote-work tools: reliable internet backup, co-working subscription, banking/payment methods.
Plan your launch: Choose your first clients, set up your profile, and commit to a timeline (e.g., three months abroad while working remotely).
Track your results: After month three, ask: Am I meeting my income goal? Is lifestyle matching expectations? Adjust accordingly.
If you’re just starting your remote-work journey, Vietnam and Georgia stand out as amazing value plays: low cost of living, fewer upfront risks, and strong potential to stretch your earnings. If you’re earning a bit more or want premium infrastructure, Portugal and Spain are fantastic European options. And if you’re comfortable spending more and want a luxurious base with easy global connectivity, the UAE could be your playground.
Once you pick your destination, focus on:
locking in clients and income in a strong currency (USD/EUR/GBP),
setting up global-friendly banking/payment methods,
researching local visa & tax rules carefully.
Wherever you go, your money should follow
From sunny Portugal to the buzzing streets of Ho Chi Minh City, remote work opens the world to you. Grey makes it simple to get paid across borders, manage multiple currencies, and access your money anywhere you land.
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