With spring not exactly springing here in the UK, coupled with our rising bills and general meh-ness that comes after years of austerity and a pandemic, you’d be forgiven for thinking the grass may be greener somewhere hot and sunny.
Which has led more of us than ever to search out a life in the sun where we can achieve the ultimate work-life balance as a digital nomad.
Searches for ‘digital nomad visas’ are up 311% from last year and have had a 40% bump even in the last month, showing that you’re not alone if you’re been dreaming of travelling.
The UK is one of the most comfortable countries to live in – ranking 22nd on the Global Quality of Life Index. However, it comes at a price, because the UK is also one of the most expensive countries in the world with an average cost of living of £1,461.
With exorbitant local prices for everything from Lurpak (remember when it was nearly a tenner?!) and fuel, it’s no wonder that one in ten of us move abroad seeking a better life and already make up 8% of the global digital nomad population.
This all led us to thinking… where is the best place to live if you’d like great quality of life and a lower cost of living? The team at Laba, an online learning platform, wanted to find out the same.
They analysed the cost of living index, quality of life index, rent index, and tax rates of all European countries that offer digital nomad visas, and found the top seven destinations for British digital nomads.
“While the pandemic may be over, more and more people are still embracing remote work,” says Eugene Feldman, co-founder and CEO of Laba.
“The digital nomad movement continues to rise — along with the cost of living in the UK. Now is the perfect time to seize the opportunity to work remotely from a dream destination, where you can enjoy a high quality of life and live like royalty with the same income — and perhaps even return to the UK one day with some massive savings.”
So, pack your bags and grab your passport and pick your favourite location from the list below…
Croatia
Gorgeous Croatia, with its stunning coastline and limestone buildings has a cost of living of £725 (vs £1,461 for the UK) and a quality of life index of 163. The most popular destinations are areas like Zadar, Dubrovnik and Split, but further away from the tourist trail you’ll find even cheaper rental prices.
Estonia
At number 172 on the quality of life index and with a cost of living of £826, Estonia is not only one of the most digitally advanced nations in the world but also has more saunas than cars – so you can sweat your troubles away (not that you’ll have any, with their rent prices).
Portugal
If you’re looking for some sun, you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere better than Portugal, with their 300 days of sunshine on average a year. We can barely count on 300 minutes in the UK!
And with a cost of living of £792 and a quality of life index of 164 to boot, Portugal is looking super attractive right now. Head to Lisbon for a slice of city life but with a short commute to the beach, or head down to the Algarve where you can enjoy sleepy seaside towns and a bohemian vibe.
Spain
With a cost of living of £924 and a quality of life index of 174, Spain has more than 3,000 beaches to soak up the sun – and, of course, the tradition of the siesta. A mid-afternoon nap sounds good to us.
The Czech Republic
This fairytale-like location with hundreds of ancient castles and some of the finest beers in the world will take your breath away, and comes with a cost of living of £817 and a quality of life index of 164 to boot. Charming Prague is the most popular city, with picturesque streets lined with quaint bars and cafes you can work from.
Latvia
With a cost of living of £696 and a quality of life index of 153, here you can witness the spectacular Northern Lights and breathe in the fresh pine-scented air of one of Europe’s greenest (and most Instagrammable) countries.
Italy
Italy… need we say more? With a cost of living of £989 and a quality of life index of 141, Italy is the place for hedonists on Vespas who know that Aperol Spritz is the answer to all of life’s problems! And there’s parks, cafes and bars galore to set up your laptop in.