I’ve just left Bali after 1 year working remotely. It was life changing, I’m mentally, physically and financially better off than I was before I arrived. I’d never lived abroad before or even been to Bali but decided to take the jump. Best decision I’ve ever made. Get out there and experience it for yourself, worst case you can always return home because nothing ever changes there!

One thing I’ve found as a digital nomad is that the people working next to you often become real friends, not just colleagues: you don’t have office politics to get in the way, who you interact with is by choice and you already have a common interest and most likely more due to location choice.

Digital Nomad type 1 traveling slowing through Latin America. 1.5 years, in Colombia, Mexico and Dominican Republic so far. Loving it. I can't imagine ever working in an office building in my home city again.

I am a digital nomad, I work as a copywriter and video editor, I am moving to Bali in may 2023, I will be back here to tell you how it went, love the content ♥️

I think being a digital nomad is overrated. I work from home full time and I really hate to think how inconvenient it would be to sit in that coffeeshop you showed me all day. Having an actual home with multiple rooms, all your things nearby plus of course your friends and family is just what matters in the long run. Also, its just great to invest in things you know you will be using a long time and dont have to bring with you or leave behind, like some quality furniture, nice electronics and all that. Going on an extended holiday while doing some work sounds like a better option. I was lucky enough to have gap year in which I traveled for 6 months through Asia, using only local transport and staying in budget hostels. That was a " job" in itself and it would have been a nightmare if I had to work during that time, ruining both the job and the travel experience. I very much like to keep my work hours and private time as much seperated as possible to get the most out of both.

Full time remote employee here trying to transition to full time remote freelancer. This video was great and impacted with value and storytelling, thank you!

As someone who has worked with multiple companies to find solutions to digital nomads, I would like to share a few other things that must be taken into consideration before you just "hop on a plane off to your new remote location to work"...With respect to Tom's category one option, not all countries allow for digital nomads and many of those that do still require you to get a special visa. In many cases, you must pay local taxes in the country you are living in, it's not free to work there. If this is not squared away prior to you working, you and/or your company could become liable for taxes and fines. In some extreme cases, you could be arrested and deported. A good example is that Tom's category two example, it's possible he was in fact violating Finish law by working there while entering the country on a tourist visa. I will be the first to say that I would love a world with borderless countries, and everyone could travel, work, and live wherever they wanted but sadly this is not the world we currently live in. If you want to be a digital nomad, go for it but make sure you do your research beyond just watching a 'super positive' video like this. Make sure you are protecting yourself from legal actions and if everything checks out, have an amazing time doing what you can.

This gives me a great idea for a brick and mortar business. "Work-free" cafes or bistros, where you go for the food and the ambiance, to meet friends or to relax on your own, without hordes of laptops, no people hogging all the window seats for 6 hours and no feeling like you should be quiet like in a library because other people are working.

Hey man! I just across your channel. Very inspiring this is what I want to do. Loved how you broke it down, especially the ultimate goal and that is to own your own time and travel freely. That’s true freedom.

So one thing to remember when watching videos like this is that, as he mentioned, some places are becoming very popular for digital nomads, which depending on your tax situation, can become tricky to handle. While places outside of Europe are eager to offer lower taxes for working there, in Europe I believe that will change, because you are using their services but if you are not planning to stay there long term, you are not helping their economy, which is why the concept of a visa exists. There's also one more thing that's happening that is becoming dangerous, and its the housing situation. Same as with what happened with Airbnb, higher income people moving into a lower income area will drive up the prices for everything, for EVERYONE, not just the higher income people, the digital nomads in this case. The issue with Airbnb is that big companies or just people with a large enough wealth will buy up the properties in a city like Lisbon, pricing out the locals in this process, which are still earning the same amount of money. Let me tell you, that's not something that you want to deal with as a local. Tourists coming into your city are staying in designated places like hotels, for a short period of time, they do their thing and they leave. Digital nomads staying 3-24 months need a proper place to stay, and because of their income, they are able to pay for Airbnbs in more desirable locations. I've heard from multiple friends that went to Lisbon in the past 1-2 years that in the city center, the touristy parts, you won't find locals out and about, they are just working in places where tourists/digital nomads spend their time. The same is happening with Bali, where locals are being priced out of formerly desirable locations because big companies are building digital nomad spaces, while using just a small percent of their income there.

This is a short and yet very valuable video. Keep on working on this format!

Great video 👍 this year I am trying to go from stage 2 to 3 with my open source project. Btw I am writing you this comment from the beach in Thailand 😂

Great video man I would love to see more video helping us and explain us how to be a digital nomad

thanks for ur insight bro really helpful!!

Great video! We have done 2 of the three and they’re great but no version is easy but for us the freedom to be in different places in our downtime is completely worth it.

Ok ok I had to subscribe - full time remote worker here, started my business recently and aiming to slowly grow it 😊 also taking on freelancing clients as we speak for various small projects. All with the aim of being freeeeeeeee to do what I want any old time (soup dragons) - great video

Going on 8 years living this lifestyle, jumped into group 2 then 2/3, then just group 3. Great lifestyle benefits, but it also creates some new problems. Overall, if you are flexible and willing to adapt, it can be a great way to live. Some perspective on the world is useful for creating solutions and value. As an entrepreneur, it's a very inspiring lifestyle.

I've never quite understood the concept of escaping "Office Work" by going to a another country and then spending a lot of your time in a "Digital Nomad Cafe." Isnt that exactjy the same as fronting up to an office? "Different name. Same Game"

Cheers for the video, Tom....Have nice day.

I have been a digital nomad or digital entrepreneur or worked from home since the 90's (and I was a single mom as well). Sometimes I worked a regular job too. I travelled throughout North America. The plan was to work from my laptop in coffee shops and fast food places. I spent money there. However there was lately a trend that has been very unfriendly towards digital nomads including 30 minute limits. Coffee shops used to be a place to meet clients, dates and social gatherings. However, it has become overpriced and toxic with super loud music and uncomfortable chairs so they could improve the turnover. Well done! I have an rv now, I added solar panels, batteries, power stations and a wifi hub with the money I would have spent in these places. Then I bought a French press, and coffee and groceries since I stopped eating out daily. Meanwhile these coffee shops and restaurants are shutting down anf going out of business. Closing hundreds of food and coffee franchises. KZfaq has coffeeshop music to keep me company And since I don't spend hours at these places, I got a dog. Point is, there's several ways of travelling. I like the rv lifestyle because, like a turtle, I take my house with me when I travel.

Traditionally employed person thinking about becoming a digital nomad. This was a very useful video, thank you.

Been digital nomad for 8 years now, and I'd add to read airbnb reviews too - sometimes an advertised internet speed is not as good as you'd expect, so best to read (and leave!) reviews regarding that. Save the best part of the day by working in a timezone some hours ahead - say Europe if with US based job, or SEA with Europe based job. Move slowly and stay longer to get to know the place, work week should be no diff than when you were an office working, stay longer so you have more weekends to explore. You can have an amazing life with full time job too, it just needs some planning. Still milion times better thhan office job, so let's not invent new first world problems.

Great value in this video. Thanks for sharing.

I now consider myself a digital expat living and working remotely from Thailand for over 3 years.

Great video Tom! I'm thinking about this... Very interested to know if this may work long-term (5-10 years). Hope all is going well.

Your video is very informative. I would love to be a digital nomad. After more than 30 years as an heavy equipment operator. And having serious burnout. I would love to be able to try something new.

I try to keep work and play separate. I find that if you try to combine them the play is less fun because work intrudes and the work is less productive because even thinking about the play intrudes. If you want to enjoy life more, just work less. There are plenty of ways to enjoy life without spending as much money as is expected. I only work half time and I have for many years. I have to make sacrifices of course but freedom to me is worth more than luxury. I own my own land and I built my own tiny house. To others that's no way to live but to me, it's a castle. It's not that I don't enjoy work either. I like my work. Doing it less keeps it fresh and I have more energy to give it. I have less money but I'm happier overall.

I don't know if this still qualifies for the 'digital nomad' badge, but I spent the last decade working overseas in a total of five different countries. For as little as six months in one country to nearly five years in another. The work you do doesn't have to be related back to the country you came from, but can be found wherever you happen to be. Like every choice in life, it comes with its positives and negatives, but I've been able to see and experience as much in these 10 years as many people would in a lifetime. I work in tech (surprise, surprise) and everybody needs our skills these days, so work can be relatively easily found everywhere you go. (Language being a hurdle to overcome of course).

I just came accros your channel with this video. Just thabk you to break down all types of working styles, types, pros and cons of being digital nomad. It's hard to find honest contents out there like. Really appreciated

I love my digital nomad lifestyle. Things got even better when I met a guy who was willing to quit his office job and find a remote job to follow me. I am Turkish. I met him in Colombia. Now we work and travel together. Greetings from Bosnia Herzegovina🇧🇦🤗

Its interesting to see how many of these type of videos there are out there - title ”they lied!” Or ”why digital nomad life isnt as good as you expect”, but then in the video they all preach how great it actually is 🙂

Great video. Verh realistic and straightforward

I must say, this video really opened my eyes to the pros and cons of the lifestyle! It's refreshing to see an honest perspective on what it's truly like to be a digital nomad. Keep up the great content! 👍🌏💻

Great report. I loved it.

I am already a digital nomad, but don't really know whether I am category 1 or 2)) I don't have set schedule, but i also don't communicate with clients and don't look for them, as I work in a team, so our team leader mostly cares about it. Nevertheless, I try to transfer to category 3 and sell my artworks, be an artist and as well I have a travel blog in Telegram and Pinterest)) So hope I will be there soon too! For now me and my sister, we live in South-East Asia for 9 months already) And despite all the difficulties - for me, by the way, the main problem is currency exchange rates rise. Since October, 2022 it is already +50%. Guess you earn in stable currency, so don't even think about this problem ahah. And for me despite all this it is a dream life, even though sometimes it is exhausting to move every 1-3 month.

Yes, exactly, solopreneur is the way! I develop and sell my software to translators, while ocassionally working as a translator myself (some 3 hours per day). It is perfect for a digital nomad lifestyle.

Full time working remotely since 2004, company & sales administration, marketing & communication management, all remote with very few in office sessions. Mostly I have been living in fixed places for years at a time, but a fair share of on the road travelling every now and then. I notice that when I am out on the road, I am very focused and productive, as I always have new experiences to look forward to after work. Co-working spaces generally function better for me than cafés and public spaces, easier to focus, and more rewarding to take a break and get outside and have a nice lunch or coffee at some lovely new place. Would never go back to in office ever again. Building on a van life strategy atm planning to have at least two longer yearly periods out on the road.

With a CS background, I would like to land a remote job eventually, but I feel like as a less experienced developer that having face to face communication with experienced developers helps me improve a lot more.

Inspiring video. I work for a company in London, however it is not allowed for me to work outside of the UK even if all my tasks are performed on a laptop. That’s BS and I am already looking elsewhere…

too honest I have never heard about nomad from a field specialist... with real experience..I really like this guy

very good video very inspiriting and honest, not some bs travel is easy advertisement, Thanks Tom !

Im a chemist... Nobody lets me be remote which is why im looking at a career change. I mostly want to change my work location and do long stays in places i like. The thing I've learned is that i loved living in certain places and hate where i currently live. So i might as well go somewhere i enjoy.

I'm the level three digital nomad. Waiting to establish my virtual assistant agency with a long term client base to get into type 4 digital nomads and I'll do it.

What microphone is this? The sound is great. Also, did you take speaking-courses or had voice-over projects before? Accent and speaking voice are really nice to listen to. Very well done!

Very interesting summation, Tom. I've been pondering this for a while as, in principle, being a SCADA engineer does not require me to be in an office for the system creation part of the process. Testing systems, however, is a hurdle that is not so easily overcome :(

I’m currently trying to get to level 2 and 3 in tandem. Still working a FT job at this point and it’s a commuting job, but I know I’ll join the remote fam soon.

I just started working full time as a digital nomad. At least for now, I'd much rather do this than how I was working before.

Really well done.

I am in Category 2, but I want to transition to Category 3. At 35 I primarily want to work for myself doing what I love (making vlogs and writing). I don't want to be working for someone at this point, nor I see any benefits in it. Thing that I like the least about being a digital nomad is that building relationships (or even say family) while you are on the road it hard. It all ends up as either hookups, or friendships. But nobody thinks that you will stay. And knowing myself - I probably won't stay indeed. Life is a lesson. Being a nomad is a punishment for going against the main flow. But it's rewarding and has pros as well. Can't see myself being static again, but it also means some emotional pain and discomfort along the way.

This lifestyle is especially appealing to people who do not have children, however, I have met a lot of people with children doing this lifestyle. Great vid.

I’m just happy that soon I’ll be able along with the wife, to spend our winter months in Australia and New Zealand…..to try and not have cold winters for as long as we can….I’ll not be doing any filming other than for myself….just immerse ourselves into the cultures and wonders of such places…..

I'm not a nomad. I just emigrated to another country, working 4 (long) days a week. Work like crazy during the week, then enjoy a 3 day weekend every weekend.

I always admire digital nomads for their courage taking. You're living abroad for a few years knowing that taxes at your home country can be enormous when you come back, because you're working from home your pension calculation for that period is basically zero, you're abandoning relationships, job security is a very big unknown and therefore in the end of the month you don't know if you have enough money to survive another day. Digital nomads, I tip my hat for you!

Remote entrepreneur here trying to extract myself out of the day to day of my business so I can stop trading time for money... It's hard but i know i'm getting closer.

i feel like i cant get out of california. i cant find work that can pay for my living. I want to be a digital nomad but all my experience is as a rehab tech. I would love to go to thailand.

Very nice video, hope you'll have more followers soon

I'm not a nomad, I don't travel around all the time, but I've been living on a tropical island for more than 20 years thanks to making my money online it's great !! pro-tip; get the online job first then start traveling

Good video, I have been around the DN community since 2015, I don't like how the world has changed.. I saw the change as a 41 year old. The world has been turned into a co-working space and many coffee shops and some restaurants into offices, there are less chance encounters with people, many people you meet are working and don't have the free time I do.. back in 2009 when I first traveled, people I met while traveling were focused on explore a place, there was a lot of adventure to be had. The smartphone took away a lot of the excitement of discovering a random place and a lot of people who aren't usually the traveling type-- I meet while traveling now.. Lisbon is overrun with people now, its not fun anymore and its driven up the cost for locals and everyone. I was just in Lisbon for the 4th time a few months ago and everyone is on their laptops in every coffeeshop, it's not what it used to be.

Ah, the good old days... before AI made all remote workers redundant. Thanks for the vid!💪

All that traveling you have done, Tom, I hope 🙏 you have something to show for it by way of a preserved photo archive somewhere. ?

What about tax though? Do you have to pay local taxes to the country you’re in if you’re there for a certain amount of time and do you still have to pay tax for example in the U.K.?

The good work ethics you had at home, you'll have them abroad too. The bad habits ? Those will probably get worse. Discipline is of the essence. Some of us have been in the military, others have a background in sports or martial arts...whatever keeps you committed.

Yes

Alternatively, you could be a stay at home digital nomad--- as in, I have a wife and kids, but run my own business out of my home. Still tons of flexibility, but I don't get to travel, LOL. Nice video, Tom. Keep up the great work.

What type of remote entrep....? What type of ptoduct? This the best

For most companies you cannot work from abroad due to taxation concerns. Even if you do it anyways your options are pretty limited if you are an middle - eastern European citizen, due to your salary won’t be enough to afford a single bedroom apartment in other more privileged counties.

And also the stress finding housing!!!!

Definitely!

For some reason I thought that the "truth" would be much more ominous lol 😂

how do you guys find remote jobs.....i am a software developer too looking for remote positions

I would love to try being digital nomad but I just cannot get a remote job as a programmer. I can hardly get any type of job this year since the market is down. I just get agents on the phone but clients don't want to even have a job interview with me. It is crazy hard so I am still unemployed.

what was the solopreneurship business you ran ? Sounds interesting.

about cons, an alternative is to work from home and look some smell factory, or Volcano or sea? About internet, sure, but every country has a tourist internet cart. Full time remote is dreamy maybe part time in Asia is total dreamy

I am a developer and want to start some business on my own. But have no clue what to do as a backend dev. I'm sure I'm not unique. Would work hard for a worthy idea, but can't come up with one.

How do you deal with visas or stay permits?

I am Indonesian, I am still a half digital nomad 😂😂😂, sometimes staying at Bali for working and vacation. There are some culture shocks, if you think Bali as for your next destination. They are is Hindu devoted, and they have many sacred places, and strict guidance of conducts. Whoever goes to Bali, it is expected to know it and follow the guideline. Even though Bali offers many advantages as affordable cost of living and many places for working, some disadvantages you need to consider. In some areas of Bali internet connection still underdevelop, and a limited reliable public transportation. Currently cheapo tourists and not having manners tourists flock in some area of Bali. Local government is considering a stricter ruler as heavy fine, jailing and a deportation process for these kind of tourists. There will be a heavy punishment and fine, if you do some local business without any proper documentations and right visa. So be vigilant with the crooks who offer you this kind of services. Anyway, try short voyage to Bali - Indonesia for at least 2 weeks - 1 months and hops among several areas. In this case, you get a better picture of Balinese way of life. Then you can decide which are you will stay. Popular and crowded one in Canggu, Seminyak. But you can explore Kuta, Legian, Nusa Dua, Jimbaran, Ubud, Amed, Sanur, Lovina or even island hopping to Nusa Penida, Lombok, Gili Islands, or Labuan Bajo. Much better for working than crowded Bali. Or Java of course, Jogya, a part of a Jakarta, Solo, Bandung, some places you can consider to stay and build you digital nomad life. There are 17.000 islands in Indonesia you can choose for staying 😂😂😂, not only Bali. Things to consider, priority : have a solid travel health insurance and spare money, in case you have an emergency situation. Even though local hospital can provide you a standard services, but if you need more advance services you need to fly direct to Singapore or Penang for a better facilities and services. International Health Center is in development in Sanur area and it is expected to run around 2025. Have luck.

I call myself 'Digital nomad in the polder' (of the Netherlands). I am a coach en a (gost)writer of content en als a bit of a VA. I don't live in my micro camper ..... yet!

You now should do a video about the effect of the digital nomad on the places they go live in. In Lisbon local can't afford to live in the city anymore because so many digital nomads came that the rental market has gone up 40% the last year alone. The worst part is that most of those worker don't pay their taxes were they live, they go to a poorer country, enjoy the amenities and do not contribute one bit. It is selfish and not sustainable. And also please stop using those local coffeshop as working space. More and more small coffeshop get crowded with remote worker squatting the whole day, taking all the room, pushing locals away and effectively changing the vibe they came looking for in the first place.

What does Category 3 include?

I aspire to be traveling artist and skateboarder , lets see how I will make it happen. And I am making it happening .

I don’t really want to travel around the world all the time. I would just like to earn a living in a small town in Nevada where the main employer was a gold mine. Occasionally traveling would be nice, but if I could live in just one beautiful place in the middle of nowhere while being able to earn a living that would be awesome. I just need to learn the right skills.

man i need yre help man im in africa and im denied a lot of the money websites can i use a vpn to bypass these greedy companies? and they will not know when you transfer to or from Paypal? thnx a lot

from my experience the internet connection in the canary islands is way better and more reliable than in the uk

Digital nomad was a fad that is now ending. Everyone took off in 2013 and all went to the same places. Then reality hits, they go back to their homes, and a new group of nomads went to the same places to create the same content. Then covid. And now the new nomads are not having the success rate of the previous 2 groups because of content over saturation.

Nice video. Inspiring. But… not sure how possible it is to be a nomad (a digital one) in the longer term … like 6 months or more… as a life style. While your video is inspiring, but I am not without doubts about its longevity.

Nice 👍

Subbed. Greetings from Jakarta

I’m travelling all year long but I don’t need the hassle of digital work. I just spend my inheritance

Any of these types saving for retirement?

Any suggestions for remote mental health therapists?

How do you start a family as a nomad?

How do you deal with loneliness and romantic needs?

Ok, but it sounds like it's only available for programmers what about the rest of the fields?

The video says nothing about taxes, visas (yes, you cannot overstay your tourist visa and just be fine with it) and ethically, how to be a good neighbour and resident of your adopted country.

Cool, how do I become a entrepreneur then?

May be I'm not a true Digital Nomad though I love traveling. To afford my travel, I offer Pinterest services. I also edit UGC, but only for myself.

I could do this

Hi! Are you there?

How will the U.S. dollar devaluation affect Digital Nomads abroad in the future?

remote work is cool only on youtube