A friend of mine spent three months trying to “find herself” in Bali because every blog told her it was the best place to work remotely. She came back two months early — bad wifi, a time zone that fought with her US clients, and a coworking space that was more Instagram set than office. That’s the thing nobody tells you upfront: the best place to work remotely isn’t a place at all. It’s a match between your work, your budget, and your personal tolerance for chaos.
So instead of handing you a generic “top 10 cities” list and calling it a day, let’s actually break down how to find the best places to work remotely — whether that means a country on the other side of the world or the best place to work remotely near me, meaning literally down the street.
What Actually Makes a Place “Best” for Remote Work?
Before you book a flight to Lisbon because it’s trending on every remote work forum, ask yourself what you’re actually optimizing for. Because “best” changes depending on the answer.
If you’re chasing lower cost of living, places like Chiang Mai, Mexico City, or parts of Eastern Europe will stretch a modest salary much further than staying in, say, San Francisco or London. If reliable, fast internet is non-negotiable (and for most remote jobs, it is), you want cities with established digital nomad infrastructure — think Lisbon, Tallinn, or Bangkok — not somewhere charming but patchy.
Then there’s time zone overlap. This one gets ignored constantly, and it shouldn’t. I’ve talked to remote workers who picked a dream location only to realize they had a three-hour overlap window with their team, meaning every meeting happened at 11 PM local time. That’s not sustainable for more than a few weeks, no matter how good the coffee is.
Best Places to Work Remotely Around the World
Here’s a realistic rundown, based on cost, connectivity, visa access, and community — not just vibes.
Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon earned its reputation the hard way. Genuinely strong internet infrastructure, a growing digital nomad visa program, and a coworking scene that’s matured a lot in the last few years. It’s not cheap anymore compared to 2019, but it’s still more affordable than most Western European capitals.
Mexico City, Mexico
Close time zone overlap for US-based teams (huge if you work with American clients), incredible food, and a cost of living that lets your salary go noticeably further. The altitude and air quality take some adjusting to, worth mentioning honestly.
Chiang Mai, Thailand
One of the original digital nomad hubs, and still one of the cheapest. Fast wifi in most cafes, an established community, and a slower pace of life. The trade-off: it’s a long haul flight for anyone coordinating with US or European teams, and visa runs can get tedious.
Tbilisi, Georgia
Underrated. Visa-free stays for many nationalities, low cost of living, and a surprisingly solid tech and coworking scene. Doesn’t get talked about as much, which honestly works in its favor — fewer crowds, better prices.
Bali, Indonesia
Beautiful, no argument there. But my friend’s experience wasn’t unique — wifi reliability varies wildly by area, and the “remote work paradise” branding has pushed prices up in nomad-heavy zones like Canggu. Great if you research neighborhoods carefully first.
Split or Zagreb, Croatia
Croatia’s digital nomad visa is one of the more straightforward ones in Europe, and the cost of living is reasonable compared to Western Europe. Good if you want EU access without EU prices.
What If You Want the Best Place to Work Remotely Near Me?
Not everyone wants to relocate, and that’s a completely valid call. If you’re searching for the best place to work remotely near me, the answer isn’t a country — it’s usually one of these:
- A well-reviewed local coworking space rather than a coffee shop. You’ll get consistent wifi, fewer distractions, and honestly, some structure that working from your kitchen table doesn’t give you.
- Public libraries. Underrated, quiet, and free. Many now have dedicated work pods or meeting rooms you can book.
- Hotel lobbies and business lounges in bigger cities, especially if you need a change of scenery for a day without committing to a membership.
- Hybrid coworking-cafes, which have popped up in most mid-size cities now — part café, part desk space, with actual outlets and decent wifi.
Search your city name plus “coworking space” and check recent reviews, not just star ratings. A space with 4.7 stars and reviews mentioning “wifi cuts out constantly” tells you more than the number itself.
It’s Not Just About Where — It’s Also About Who You Work For
Picking a great location doesn’t matter much if your employer is inflexible about remote work in the first place. This is where looking at fully remote companies and remote-only companies pays off. Some of the more consistently remote-friendly employers include names like GitLab, Automattic, Zapier, and Toptal — all built remote-first from day one, not bolted on after 2020.
If you’re job hunting, filtering specifically for the best remote jobs (not just “hybrid, 2 days in office”) saves you a lot of disappointment later. Job boards like We Work Remotely and Remote OK are more reliable for this than general sites, since every listing is genuinely remote by design.
The Honest Downsides Nobody Puts in the Brochure
I’d be doing you a disservice if I only sold you the highlight reel. A few things worth knowing before you commit to any of this:
Loneliness is real. Working from a beautiful café in a new country sounds romantic until you realize you haven’t had a real conversation in four days. Community takes effort to build, it doesn’t just happen because you’re somewhere trendy.
Costs creep up faster than expected. Nomad-popular cities inflate prices for locals and newcomers alike. What was a budget destination three years ago might not be anymore — always check current, not outdated, cost-of-living data.
And burnout doesn’t disappear just because your view changed. If anything, blurred boundaries between “home” and “work” get worse when your home is also your vacation.
Final Thought
There’s no universal answer to where the best place to work remotely actually is — it depends on your job, your budget, your need for community, and how much chaos you can tolerate before it stops being an adventure and starts being exhausting. Start smaller than you think you need to. Try a location for a month before signing a longer lease. Test your team’s time zone overlap before you book anything non-refundable. The best setup is the one you can actually sustain, not the one that looks best in a highlight reel.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the best place to work remotely near me?
It depends on your city, but a well-reviewed local coworking space, a quiet public library, or a hybrid coworking café are usually your strongest local options — check recent reviews for wifi reliability before committing.
2. What is the cheapest best place to work remotely?
Chiang Mai, Tbilisi, and Mexico City are consistently among the most affordable options with solid infrastructure for remote work.
3. What is the best country for remote work visas?
Portugal, Croatia, and Georgia currently offer some of the more accessible digital nomad visa programs, though requirements change often, so check current rules before applying.
4. Is Bali still a good place to work remotely?
It can be, but wifi and cost vary heavily by neighborhood. Research specific areas like Canggu or Ubud individually rather than assuming all of Bali is the same experience.
5. What makes a city good for remote work?
Reliable high-speed internet, affordable cost of living, time zone compatibility with your team, and an established community or coworking infrastructure.
6. What are the best remote-only companies to work for?
GitLab, Automattic, Zapier, and Toptal are known for being built remote-first rather than adapting to remote work after the fact.
7. How do I find the best remote jobs?
Use dedicated remote job boards like We Work Remotely or Remote OK, since general job sites often mislabel hybrid roles as “remote.”
8. Is it better to work remotely from home or a coworking space?
It depends on your personality — coworking spaces add structure and reduce distractions, while home offers more flexibility and lower cost.
9. What’s the biggest downside of working remotely from abroad?
Loneliness and inconsistent internet are the two most common complaints, along with rising costs in popular nomad destinations.
10. Can I work remotely without relocating at all?
Absolutely. Many people find their “best place” is a local coworking space or library rather than another country entirely.
11. What time zone issues should I consider before choosing a remote work location?
Aim for at least a 4-5 hour overlap with your core team to avoid late-night meetings becoming a permanent fixture of your schedule.
12. Are fully remote companies more flexible about work location?
Generally yes, since fully remote companies are built around asynchronous work and don’t require a fixed office timezone, though policies still vary by employer.
