Digital Nomad Lifestyle Guide: Real Talk After 7 Years Working Remotely

The digital nomad lifestyle means working online while living and travelling anywhere in the world.

Instead of being tied to an office, digital nomads earn income remotely and choose where they want to live — whether that’s Portugal, Norway, Morocco, or Iceland.

I’ve been living this way since 2018, working as a freelance writer and travel blogger while spending months at a time in different countries across Europe and beyond.

In this guide, I’ll explain what the digital nomad lifestyle really looks like — including the benefits, challenges, and how it actually works in real life.

Hi! I’m Julia, and I started my digital nomad lifestyle journey around 2018. 

The point of this confession isn’t to brag about my digital nomad life but to show you how it’s possible. It’s not magic, and it had nothing to do with the “privilege” given to me by my family. 

I want to point out some of the things that I did that helped me achieve this type of lifestyle. 

Before we dive in, I want to point out that this is not something that will fit every person out there. Being a digital nomad requires a specific type of personality and some radical life perspectives. 

But this might be YOU, so keep on reading. 

If it feels like you, then you have a starting point. 

If it’s not, then you’ll know that it’s not for you and that you’re not missing out on anything. 

What is a digital nomad?

I consider a digital nomad to be someone who is location-independent of their job and any other physical activities.

A digital nomad is not the same as a remote worker, but there are situations in which these two terms may be confused.

After the 2020 pandemic, many have transitioned into a remote position.

However, the nature of these work contracts stipulates that the employee resides at a specified address, although they are not obliged to present themselves physically to an office. 

The way I see it, a digital nomad is under no obligation to maintain a certain residency or spend X amount of days in a certain city or country.

Of course, each individual should always follow regulations when it comes to visa and residency laws that may apply to their citizenship. 

But I’m not talking about those fundamental laws of how many days you’re allowed in a place based on your visa or passport. 

In that sense, I see a digital nomad somewhere between a tourist and a remote worker, where you get both of those benefits. Of course, there are some disadvantages to embracing the digital nomad lifestyle. But I’ll leave those for the end. 

Honestly, I haven’t Googled “what is a digital nomad” because I intend to speak from my personal experience only. 

I do not wish to adhere to someone else’s opinion or identify with another digital nomad’s perspective. 

You’re here because you want to know what this thing is all about. 

And that’s exactly what I’ll give you. 

Tools I Use as a Digital Nomad

When I first realised that my entire world is online, I needed to adapt and use the right online tools to be able to move freely between countries. After all these years, I can say for sure that I have tested a lot of services and online tools. And I only use the most trusted and reliable ones.

I have some horror stories of when my eSim stopped working or when my cards wouldn’t allow me to pay. So that’s why now I am always prepared, and I want to share with you exactly how I do it and what the best tools are for digital nomads.

Travel insurance

I know this is the last thing you even want to happen, but it should be your first thought. I assure you that it’s better to know you are covered than have a stupid incident or situation ruin your stay in a new country.

Nomads from all over the world use SafetyWing, and so do I (and my partner, too). This nomad insurance covers over 180 countries, and besides the health treatments, you also get compensated for travel delays and lost luggage. There are different plans available, but honestly, my anxiety is much lower knowing I am covered wherever I go.

eSIM (Internet connection worldwide)

I depend on an internet connection just as much as I depend on air to be alive. It sounds dramatic, but it is true. I need an internet connection wherever I go, even on road trips and longer stays in one place. I rely on it for work, travel directions and basically everything.

I recommend using Holafly because it offers one of the best coverage worldwide, and it is also one of the most reliable services out there.

Accommodation

I have been to hundreds of hotels and apartments, but one of the services I use the most, sometimes for a last-minute stay, is Booking.com.

I have my filters, and they never disappoint. I also love that they offer good customer service, which is very much needed if something is off with the place you booked. I hope you get the most wonderful stays, but it’s good to know you are protected in case your hosts go crazy on you.

Car rental

I rented a lot of cars on 4 continents. I used to be very much afraid of renting cars, but the truth is that driving gives me the absolute freedom I need when I’m exploring a new place. To give you an idea, the longest I’ve rented a car was 1 month, and I did a lot of exploring during that time.

I’ve rented cars in lots of European countries, in Jordan, Guatemala, Peru, and whenever I cannot drive to a place from my home country. I recommend using DiscoverCars to compare prices and find the best car rental for you.

Digital bank cards

Many first-time nomads and even travellers disregard the importance of having a reliable international bank card. It used to be such a hassle to travel abroad and handle cash in foreign currency. This is still an issue in some countries that are not fully digitalised.

But for most of my European trips, I rely heavily on my digital bank card from Wise.

They both have easy-to-use apps and are accepted worldwide. The main thing about these cards is that you can send your own currency to your account, and then the app automatically converts it to the local currency during payment. So you don’t have to stress yourself about the best currency to pay in or bank fees. They offer the best bank fees for international payments, so when I travel, I feel like there are no borders regarding money.

Of course, you have to read about the specific guidelines when it comes to cash or other specific situations, but it’s much better than paying with my bank card from back home.

Another option really popular in Europe is Revolut, which I also use a lot. Sometimes it’s convenient to have 2 cards, and you can easily move money around using the apps.

Pros and Cons of the Digital Nomad Lifestyle

There are undeniable advantages to being a digital nomad. And each one of these already established nomads has created this lifestyle for themselves for different reasons.

But if you ask within a community of digital nomads, “What is the one thing that made you choose this life path?” the most common answer is flexibility.

Pros

• location freedom
• flexible schedule
• lower living costs in some countries

I truly believe that not all humans are the same, and some have a more pregnant gene to express their individuality and preserve the freedom and spontaneous spirit at all costs.

Or at least, that’s what I noticed about myself after all these years.

Working in an office isn’t for me.

So if I were to cut it down to the very essence of it, the main advantages of being a digital nomad are the flexibility (in schedule and many life choices) and the freedom to choose the location from where to work.

Another aspect I see other nomads point out is the opportunity to live in a country with lower living costs than their own. This is important for some, if they are trying to build their fortune and save money.

But oftentimes, living in a cheaper country than your own means that you are born in a privileged country that pays you a good salary to start with. And this isn’t the case with the majority of those who wish to become digital nomads.

For instance, if you’re from the US or the UK (or any other similar economy), then for sure you will have more opportunities to become a digital nomad.

Simply put, in that case, you just need to find a remote job from your country and then move to somewhere like SE Asia or South America (just an example).

But citizens of those countries you move to will not start with the same privileges as you have, and they will find a much harder time becoming a digital nomad.

I sometimes see people on digital nomad groups asking about locations where to live for a monthly budget of $1,000 to $1,500.

This budget might seem like a lot for many. But many of the locations offering suitable conditions for digital nomads (fast internet, fully equipped apartment) in nice cities end up costing more.

Cons

• loneliness
• taxes and visas
• unstable income

As with the pros, these cons aren’t necessarily cons for everyone.

I believe that your own personality plays a huge role here.

Some people thrive in communities and love to be surrounded by like-minded people. I think this is one of the reasons why digital nomad communities have sprung up all around the world. People need to have company.

But many of these communities are somehow gated, require a fee or are simply too intimidating to some, and they fail to integrate.

Introverts and generally timid individuals will have a harder time making friends as general nomads. And dating can be really difficult.

Depending on your home country, you might also have issues with visas and taxes.

Since the digital nomad phenomenon has started, more and more governments have started implementing a digital nomad visa.

But this implies that you have to prove to that government that you reach a certain income threshold (which is quite high for the average digital nomad).

And then you have to worry about taxes. I can’t really give you specific information about taxes, because it’s different for each one of us.

For instance, US citizens have to pay taxes in the US even if they live in a different country.

But a lot of the time, digital nomads might end up living in countries that offer low or no income tax for digital nomads. However, in my opinion, that defeats the entire idea of being a digital nomad (if I can’t just go wherever I want).

I also see people clinging to this idea of being a digital nomad while unable to rely on a steady monthly income. Many digital nomads work as contractors, and projects might terminate them without notice.

Digital nomad lifestyle

What’s the digital nomad lifestyle?

I pick a place (where I’ll be legally allowed to travel to), I find a place for a longer period of time (usually one month or more), and then I live there. 

I did this in Morocco, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, (and then again in Lofoten), Germany, and Portugal. I also did a bunch of road trips in Europe, longer, some up to 12 weeks, while doing my digital nomad thing.

To support my digital nomad lifestyle, I also work while I’m there. 

So it’s not a holiday, but a lifestyle, because I’m working while travelling. Sounds like a teenager’s dream, but it’s more serious. 

Before you go crazy about tax issues and other stuff, know that I do pay taxes in the country of my residency, where I meet all conditions imposed by local law. 

In my case, this is Romania. 

However, each country has different taxation laws, and you should really know what applies to you so you don’t run into trouble. 

Also, that’s why so many are interested in digital nomad visas. They are individuals who come from highly taxed countries and wish to declare their income in another country where, hopefully, taxes are lower. 

It’s more serious than a teenager’s dream, as I already said. 

The first thing to know about being a digital nomad is that you need to finally get a grip on how the financial and taxation systems work in your country. 

Then, you need to assess your situation and find out how to legally find another country that will grant you a visa (if needed) and how to declare your activity and pay taxes there. 

More often than not, you will need an accountant. 

Now, let’s talk about some realities of this lifestyle and why I rarely tell people I’m a digital nomad. 

How to Become a Digital Nomad

Seems simple, but it isn’t.

If you have never worked online, then this is where the struggle starts.

You need to find some sort of remote work that suits you and pays you. This can be a remote job (monthly salary), freelancing (working as a contractor) or having an online business (you’re the boss).

The easiest way would be to have a remote job, which gives you assurance that by the end of the month, you will get a check of the same amount each month. Jobs often come with most perks (maybe health insurance or a laptop).

But a remote job also means that you need to be on your laptop, online, between certain hours. You’re on a schedule. It kills a bit of that flexibility we talked about.

The freelancer can have more flexibility, because you set the day’s schedule. All is good as long as you meet the deadlines and deliver the work on time. A lot of these freelancers are video editors and other jobs that require low input from others.

The dream is to have your own online business. But this is also the riskiest and scariest for most digital nomads. In a way, as a business owner, you need to be ok with the fact that if money doesn’t come your way, you are the one to blame.

And one last thing.

Before going crazy and declaring yourself a digital nomad and moving to a cheaper country, remember to save some money.

You need to have a comfortable cushion, a money reserve, in case your remote job fires you, the freelance clients dump you, or the online business fails.

This is general life advice, but having a 12-month money reserve to support your current lifestyle is what you should be aiming for.

Misconceptions about being a digital nomad

“I want a digital nomad career.”

Being a digital nomad is not a career! It’s a lifestyle. A career supposes that you’re a professional in your field of work. But as a digital nomad, you can perform any kind of digital work. 

While I work as a freelance content writer and travel blogger, you might be working as a computer science engineer. We might both be digital nomads, but it’s obvious we have very different careers. 

“What’s the digital nomad salary?”

Another common misconception is that being a digital nomad is a job in itself (it isn’t) and that it has a set range of salaries (there is no such thing). 

As I said before, we could have very different jobs (YouTuber, Freelance writer, computer engineer, etc.) and still be digital nomads. 

As you can guess, all these jobs may have different salary brackets, which have nothing to do with your location. So, in this case, instead of asking, “What’s the digital nomad salary?” you should be asking, “What are the highest paying jobs I can do as a digital nomad?” 

“I can’t be a digital nomad because I have a family.”

It’s not going to be easy, but it’s possible. 

To have a digital nomad family, you would need to have a life partner who is also embracing the digital nomad lifestyle. 

And if you have kids, then you have to look into homeschooling. 

Jobs That Allow a Digital Nomad Lifestyle

Getting to the important part.

The key to this entire digital nomad lifestyle is to have remote work that allows you to create the lifestyle you see online.

I have met many digital nomads from all over the world. What they all have in common is that they each created a job that is unique to them.

Oftentimes, it’s something they’re really good at and convince others to pay them for it.

It can look very different for each digital nomad, because I think getting that remote work and maintaining it boils down to each individual’s personality. If anything, a digital nomad is always a good salesman. A salesman for their own craft.

Why did I become a digital nomad?

Behind every digital nomad is a strong and motivated individual who can’t deal with conventional working hours and office rules. 

Since I was in college, I was looking at my peers who were getting intern jobs at big companies and corporations and never felt the need to follow that path. What’s more, I even told myself I would never work in a corporation, although I had never experienced that before. But something deep inside was screaming, “No”. 

Later on, I got my first job in an office, and it really felt like my life was over. 

I was 24. 

Then, I started to look for opportunities to travel and do whatever I could to avoid having to return to a physical office ever again.

Whenever I was there, at my office job, I just prayed the day would go faster so I could leave. It felt like the end of my life, and, trust me, there was no desire to live left inside. 

I wrote an entire manifesto on that feeling. You can read it here: 5 Things I Figured Out After I Quit My Job

But my choice to adopt the digital nomad lifestyle was more than just a flick of the moment. 

For me, it was part of my personality to become as independent as possible from any job or employer. Better yet, finding a way to earn a living online was a way to give me the freedom I was craving so badly. 

If there is a privilege in this whole thing, it is the privilege of being born in the era of the Internet. 

But the good news is that I’m not the only one who’s taking advantage of this privilege. 

The internet is free for all, inclusive, and sometimes a bit harsh, but it’s still our best chance to reach people from all over the world and work together with someone from the other side of the globe.

In a nutshell, I chose to be a digital nomad, even before I knew this lifestyle was a thing, because I didn’t fit into the conventional 9-to-5 job schedule. It was sucking the life out of me, and I had to find an alternative. 

Years later, people are now actively searching “how to become a digital nomad”, but the truth is that if this is for you, you will intuitively find a way. There’s no other option for you. 

Digital Nomad Life: What You Can Expect

If there’s any confusion left, I will try to point out some of the things that I do as a digital nomad. Others might have a different digital nomad lifestyle, but this is me:

• I can work from wherever I want. There is no requirement for me to be in a specific location.
• I have a legal entity which allows me to act like a small business and send invoices to my clients (I’m a freelance content writer).
• I don’t have a fixed schedule. This is more of a perk of the freelancer lifestyle. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. This means I can work, or not, on any given day as long as I meet my deadlines and the work gets done in the end. 
• I can travel whenever I want, for as long as I want. Since my schedule is flexible, I can travel on a Tuesday, take a Wednesday off, and wake up at noon if I feel like it. 
• I prefer to travel for a month instead of only a few days. I’m not a tourist, remember? That’s why I need more time to be able to fit in work days and then use other days to explore a new place. I found that travelling for longer is cheaper in the end and makes me feel less anxious about discovering a new place. 
• I need a good internet connection wherever I go. I have all my things online (work, banking, insurance, tax stuff, accounting), so disconnecting is not really an option. Also, I don’t want to disconnect, I like this. 
• I end up working weekends and evenings so that I can take time off when others are at work. 
• I don’t have a lot of friends, since they all have different lifestyles. However, I occasionally join digital nomad conferences, where I get to meet other like-minded people. 

I do have to add that it takes a highly independent, self-driven and ambitious individual to achieve this.

In the end, you’re the one setting yourself up for success, putting deadlines in place to make sure things get done, reaching out to potential clients, negotiating your fees and making sure everything runs smoothly. 

There are a lot of extra small tasks that you wouldn’t normally do as a simple employee, and not everyone would be willing to put up with this.

And that’s okay; we’re all different. I’m here to simply share my experience. 

Best Countries for Digital Nomads

The best country to be a digital nomad for you is the one that you love, where you embrace the local culture, and where you are legally allowed to travel and stay.

In my experience, a lot of digital nomads chase the perfect weather, which allows late-night hangouts, nature activities and overall offers an easy lifestyle.

Here is my personal list of popular digital nomad countries:

• Portugal. I think Lisbon still is a preferred city for digital nomads in Portugal, but Madeira is also one of the best spots in Europe for digital nomads, given the spring-like weather all year round and great nature. I spent a month in the Algarve during the European winter, and I think that’s exactly the place for digital nomads.
• Iceland. I stayed in Iceland as a digital nomad. It’s definitely not a super popular spot for that (it’s one of the most expensive locations on Earth), but many nomads can afford it and like it. I even compared Iceland to Norway (if you are into these Nordic destinations).
• Norway. Another expensive example, but it is becoming more popular as more people love smaller cities, and the summer nature in Norway is to die for. I love Norway, forever.
• Morocco. Most people don’t think of Morocco, but there are many nomads, especially in smaller towns by the coastline (Agadir, Essaouira or Taghazout). I spent 1 month in Morocco and loved it.
• Argentina. Out of all the places in South America, Buenos Aires offers the closest vibe to a European city, and nomads love that.
• Columbia. Medellin is already a world-famous digital nomad spot, but that also means prices have risen because of it.
• Indonesia. Bali (and seeing all the gorgeous Bali photos on Instagram) is what started this digital nomad life trend in the first place. I loved Bali, and many choose to visit Bali for a honeymoon or a once-in-a-lifetime trip.
• Thailand. Another favourite country of digital nomads worldwide. And you’d be surprised to discover that most of them don’t spend their time on beaches in the south, but in the north in Chiang Mai.
• Spain. The weather, food and culture of Spain are hard to beat. And before digital nomads invaded this country, the Brits and Germans (and other nomads) were retiring here.
• Italy. The best food in the world, the most desired summer destination in Europe, still attracts basically everyone, including digital nomads. But they tend to stay further away from the main attractions.
• Canary Islands. Another almost tropical paradise for those looking for warmer places in Europe during winter. I loved Tenerife in January, and that’s why so many digital nomads go there.
• Malta. Some love it, and some hate it. But undeniably, Malta is a digital nomad hotspot in Europe.
• & many others more with similar vibes

Why the digital nomad lifestyle isn’t for everyone?

The truth is that we are all different, and we have different needs. 

The meaning of the digital nomad lifestyle is simple: earning income online while living in different places around the world.

Some people may not find themselves in this lifestyle and have no drive to be a digital nomad. 

Here’s the harsh truth about being a digital nomad (some of these things I have already suggested): 

• I don’t have a lot of physical stuff. I realised I need to see objects as tools for a purpose and not get attached to them. I don’t own a lot of clothes or objects. My lifestyle is pretty simplistic, and sometimes I need to get creative. 
• I often travel with hand luggage only. That’s right, even for a one-month+ of travel, I only have a small laptop pack and a backpack, or sometimes a carry-on on wheels (it depends on location). I know nomads with big luggage that they need to check in when flying, but they only have one suitcase, which is still extremely restrictive. 
• You need to quickly be able to adapt to change. If you decide to travel, changing the climate, food in your diet, workout routine and other habits need to adapt to the current location. 
• I don’t see how a highly habit-attached individual can adapt to ever-changing surroundings. We all need stability, habits and a routine in our lives, but there are different degrees of it. If changing any of your daily activities is a deal breaker for you, then you certainly can’t become a digital nomad because it will make you deeply unhappy. 
• Most digital nomads have a tendency to be sociable and make friends easily. The world is a lonely place, and nobody wants to be lonely. 
• You need to organise everything. Things like accommodation, transportation, rentals, research, places to visit, and coworking places need to be researched all the time. This activity tends to drain my energy, but I truly love organising this, so it makes me happy. 
• You’ll be far away from your family and probably miss some of their birthdays or other celebrations. This is a deal-breaker for some, while others are more independent. 

Digital nomadism is about flexibility and getting detached from physical stuff. 

I’m not perfect at it, and there are so many other nomads doing this much better than I am, but either way, you need to embrace this idea.

Otherwise, it will be hard, if not impossible, to adopt the digital nomad lifestyle. 

Is the digital nomad lifestyle for you?

Digital nomad living often involves slow travel, spending one month or more in each location while continuing to work online.

If these things sound like something you would like to do or are already doing, then great. This can be you. 

I have also known people who did this, discovered it was not what they wanted, and then went back to having a normal job. That’s great, too. 

There is no right way to live your life. 

But if there’s nothing I can’t compromise about, it’s your mental state and happiness. 

Choose whatever makes you happy.