Best Countries for Digital Nomads in 2026: Visas, Internet, and Cost
The number of countries with actual digital nomad visas has grown from a handful to over 50 since 2020. Most of them are fine. A few are genuinely excellent. Here's an honest take on the ones worth considering.
Portugal
Lisbon and Porto remain the European nomad hubs for good reason. Fast fibre internet is standard in apartments. Coworking spaces are plentiful and reasonably priced. English is widely spoken. The D8 Digital Nomad Visa lets you stay long-term if you can demonstrate remote income. Cost of living has risen significantly but remains below London or Amsterdam. Downside: Lisbon specifically has gotten crowded with nomads, which has driven up rents in the best neighbourhoods (Príncipe Real, Santos). Porto is more affordable and honestly a nicer city to live in.
Thailand
Chiang Mai remains the Southeast Asia benchmark. Rent for a nice furnished studio is around £300-500/month. Co-working spaces like CAMP (in Nimman area) are still popular. 4G is reliable across the city. The food is excellent and cheap.
The visa situation has improved - Thailand's Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa covers remote workers earning above a certain threshold. Otherwise, the 60-day tourist visa plus extensions is what most people do. Not ideal legally, but the reality is most nomads in Thailand have been doing this for years. Check current visa requirements as they change.
Good eSIM coverage across Thailand. See Thailand plans.
Mexico
Mexico City - specifically the Roma Norte and Condesa neighbourhoods - has become a serious nomad hub. Fast internet (fibre is widely available), excellent coworking options, and a very liveable cost of living. Mexico doesn't have a formal nomad visa; most people come on a tourist visa (180 days on arrival for most nationalities). Mexico eSIM options are solid.
Georgia (the country)
Tbilisi is one of the most underrated nomad cities in the world. It's cheap - you can eat well and live well on £1,000/month. Internet is surprisingly fast (fibre is widespread in Tbilisi). The Remotely from Georgia programme allows 365-day stays visa-free for many nationalities. Crypto-friendly. Warm and welcoming. The main downside is the time zone - UTC+4 suits people working with Asian or Middle Eastern clients better than Western Europeans.
Estonia
Estonia has the original digital nomad visa and a genuinely digital-first government. The internet is fast and reliable everywhere. Tallinn is a beautiful city. It's cold for much of the year. E-residency lets you run a EU company remotely. The visa requires a minimum income threshold but the application process is efficient and the approval rates are high.
Indonesia (Bali)
Bali is polarising. The internet in Canggu and Seminyak ranges from excellent to catastrophic depending on the specific building. Coworking spaces are great. The digital nomad visa (Second Home Visa, introduced in 2022) requires minimum funds rather than income proof. It's expensive to set up. Many people still come on tourist visas, which creates legal ambiguity. But Bali's appeal - the culture, the weather, the surf, the community - keeps it on almost every nomad's list regardless. See Bali connectivity info.
What actually matters
Pick based on your work requirements first. Time zone compatibility with clients, internet reliability for the calls you take, and visa certainty for how long you plan to stay. The lifestyle stuff - food, weather, social scene - matters, but it's secondary to being able to actually work.