So you’re thinking about trading in the 9-to-5 office life for something a little more flexible? Maybe working from a café in Medellín, a co-working space in Lisbon, or while your kids nap on a long train ride through Europe. The good news? It’s possible! The even better news? There are plenty of resources to help you get there.
The biggest barrier to moving abroad is figuring out what you are going to do for work. It’s a valid concern! Not all remote work is created equally. It’s important to note where a job posting allows you to work from. While many do allow you to work from anywhere, some are location based.
This guide covers how to actually land remote work, what to think about before relocating, and where to find the jobs that make this lifestyle possible.
Start With the Work
Before you figure out where you’re going, you need to figure out how you’ll be earning. Remote-friendly roles are often in:
- Tech: web development, UX/UI design, product management
- Marketing: digital ads, SEO, social media, content writing
- Legal: Paralegal, visa, case management, contract law, remote attorney
- Healthcare: medical auditors, scheduling, insurance, remote medical assistant
- Operations: project management, HR, customer support
- Education: online tutoring, teaching languages, curriculum design
- Creative: design, copywriting, video editing, consulting
If you’re brand new to remote work, consider freelancing or contract work to build up experience and a portfolio. Even short-term projects can open doors. I have some resources here for that, too.
Where to Actually Find Remote Jobs
There’s no shortage of “remote job boards” online, but some are better than others. These are some I’ve personally used and vetted that are worth your time:
- FlexJobs – subscription-based, but every job is vetted for legitimacy. I don’t usually advocate for pay-to-play sites, but this one is legit. I have found my highest paying remote work through FlexJobs.
- We Work Remotely – one of the biggest platforms for remote-first companies.
- RemoteJobs.io – answer a few questions to be matched with or easily search up remote jobs around the world. And yes, they’re all remote with globally recognized companies too like Amazon, Google, and Airbnb. Not just tech jobs!
- It’s A Travel O.D. Job Board – Andrea was one of the first travel creators sharing her remote journey and has a whole directory with fully remote roles!
- Remote OK – wide range of roles, but there are definitely more tech and programming leaning postings.
- Remotive – job board with fully remote postings across a range of specialties.
- NoDesk – clean listings and resources for remote living. I like how even though the roles are all remote, you can search by location as well.
- Hiring.Cafe – a lot of people find success on this site. I like the filters because you can choose fully remote or hybrid, and add details like “sitting all day” or if you still want a physical environment like visiting client sites.
- JustRemote – includes both freelance and full-time opportunities. They have a dedicated site for US based remote roles, Workster.
- Digital Nomads World – covers jobs, visas, and community forums. They even have a community where you can find in person networking events near you.
- My Notion List – Here is a list of companies that prioritize remote work, always! Just because they are on this list does not mean they are currently hiring, but it’s a great place to start and see if your dream company aligns with your lifestyle!
Tip: Don’t just rely on job boards. Subscribe to their newsletters and set up LinkedIn alerts with keywords like “remote,” “distributed,” or “location independent.” Jobs go fast—email updates help you catch them first.
Newsletters Worth Subscribing To
Job boards are great, but newsletters are even better. They bring new opportunities straight to your inbox so you don’t waste hours scrolling. Here are some of the best:
- Beach Commute – Daily job alerts plus resources on building a remote career. They’re also the creators of the Anywhere Atlas, a database of remote-friendly companies, and they have a podcast. (I subscribe to this email list!!)
- Working Nomads – Customizable job alerts based on category and frequency.
- Nomadswork – Weekly email with fresh remote jobs across industries.
- Freaking Nomads – Mix of remote job leads and nomad lifestyle tips.
- NoCommute – Daily curated remote roles, clear and to the point.
- Remoteur – Bi-weekly emails focused on UX, dev, and marketing roles based in Europe.
- LinkedIn’s Work From Anywhere Job Alerts – A LinkedIn newsletter rounding up global remote job leads weekly.
- PowerToFly – Remote jobs with companies committed to diversity and inclusion, plus virtual career fairs each month.
- Escape the City – Not strictly remote, but many listings are flexible, mission-driven, or location-independent.
👉 Pro tip: Look around and only subscribe for 2-3 email lists. Otherwise your inbox will feel like traffic at rush hour. Pick the ones that match your industry or the type of roles you’re after.
Preparing to Relocate
Finding the job is step one. Taking it abroad is step two, and it comes with its own set of logistics:
Internet & infrastructure: Always confirm that where you’re headed has reliable connectivity. A beautiful beach means nothing if your Zoom call keeps dropping. Also think about investing in a good VPN, like NordVPN which is not expensive and protects your data from the dark web. You can get 3 free months with this offer here!
Visas & legality: Many countries now offer digital nomad visas that let you live there while working remotely. Research these early and apply through official government websites as every country is different. The benefit of this visa? You can apply for citizenship after a certain amount of time!
Taxes: Depending on your citizenship, you may owe taxes at home and abroad. Look into treaties, exemptions, or consult with a tax professional. In the U.S. we have the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion. If you meet certain requirements, you may qualify for the foreign earned income exclusion, the foreign housing exclusion, and/or the foreign housing deduction. To claim these benefits, you must have foreign earned income, your tax home must be in a foreign country, and you must be one of the following:
- A U.S. citizen or a U.S. resident alien who is physically present in a foreign country or countries for at least 330 full days during any period of 12 consecutive months.
- A U.S. citizen who is a bona fide resident of a foreign country or countries for an uninterrupted period that includes an entire tax year,
- A U.S. resident alien who is a citizen or national of a country with which the United States has an income tax treaty in effect and who is a bona fide resident of a foreign country or countries for an uninterrupted period that includes an entire tax year, or
Health insurance: Regular travel insurance usually isn’t enough. Get coverage that includes long-term stays and international care.
Digital Nomad Visa by Country
Below is a list of the countries that currently offer visas that can cater to a remote work lifestyle. Some are specific to digital nomads, but as always, check the specific requirements each country has as they differ.
Not every visa process is seamless or immediate. You can do many of these on your own but I would recommend speaking with an immigration lawyer from the country you are looking to migrate to as well as a tax professional. Some visas require advance applications and others allow you to apply once you are in the country.
I have an emoji guide to somewhat help understand the level of difficulty and requirements
🤩 generally easy application + process
🧑🧑🧒🧒 Accepts families
🌎 Visa not limited to digital nomads (retirees, passive income, etc)
🪪 Visa has options to apply for permanent residency (after meeting requirements)
EUROPE
- Spain – €2,400 per month 🤩🧑🧑🧒🧒🪪
- Portugal – $2,950 per month OR $8,925 per year in passive income 🤩🧑🧑🧒🧒🪪
- Italy – €24,789 per year🧑🧑🧒🧒🪪
- Croatia – $2,870 per month 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Greece – €3,500 per month 🤩🧑🧑🧒🧒🪪
- Estonia – short stay (3 months) and long stay (1 year) available – €3,504 per month 🤩🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Malta – 3 types of visas – €3,500 per month 🤩🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Norway – €35,719 per year 🌎🪪
- France – €615 per month 🌎
- Iceland – around $7,763 per month 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Romania – €3,700 per month 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- The Netherlands – $1,340 per month – must be self employed 🧑🧑🧒🧒🌎
- Czech Republic – $5200 in your bank account – IT professionals only 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Hungary – €3,000 per month, singles < 40 years old 🤩
- Montenegro – $1,483 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Latvia – €2,857 per month 🪪
- Albania – $9,800 per year 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Cyprus – €3,500 per month 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Serbia – €3,500 per month 🧑🧑🧒🧒🌎
SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA
- Costa Rica – $3,000 per month 🤩🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Mexico – $2,600 per month 🌎🪪🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Panama – $36K per year
- Belize – $75K per year 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- El Salvador – $1,460 per month 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Uruguay – $1,500 per month 🤩🪪
- Colombia – $684 per month 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Brazil – $1,500 a month 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Ecuador – $1,380 per month 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Peru – proof of funds 🧑🧑🧒🧒🌎
MIDDLE & EAST ASIA
- Indonesia – $60K per year 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Thailand – €13,800 in bank account 🧑🧑🧒🧒🌎
- Japan – $65K per year 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Dubai – $3,500 per month 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Abu Dhabi – $3,500 per month 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- South Korea – $2,276 per month 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Malaysia – $24,000 per year 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Vietnam – no income requirements! 🧑🧑🧒🧒🌎
- Taiwan – $40,000 per year 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Turkey – $550 per month 🧑🧑🧒🧒🌎
CARIBBEAN
- Barbados – $50,000 per year 🤩🧑🧑🧒🧒🌎
- Bermuda – no income requirements 🤩🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Bahamas – no income requirements 🤩🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Dominica – $50K per year 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Antigua and Barbuda – $50K per year 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Cayman Islands – $100K per year 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Anguilla – no income requirements 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Curaçao – no income requirements 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Saint Lucia – no income requirements 🧑🧑🧒🧒🌎
- Grenada – $37,000 per year 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Montserrat – $70,000 per year 🧑🧑🧒🧒
AFRICA
- South Africa – $3,000 per month 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Mauritius – $1,500 per month 🧑🧑🧒🧒🌎
- Seychelles – proof of funds 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Namibia – $2,000 per month 🧑🧑🧒🧒
- Cabo Verde – $1,800 per month 🧑🧑🧒🧒
OCEANIA
- Australia – $3,262 per month 🌎
- New Zealand – Have $2,700 in your bank account, between 18 and 35
Ready to Take Off?
Working remotely abroad isn’t just for the entrepreneurs or recent college grad backpacker. With the right preparation, it’s accessible to families, solo travelers, and anyone who wants more control over how and where they live.
Start small: apply for one remote job, subscribe to one or two newsletters, and research one visa option. Each step builds momentum.
And remember that moving abroad with remote work is less about finding the “perfect” setup and more about creating a sustainable rhythm that works for you. The internet will glitch, flights will get delayed, and sometimes you’ll miss home. But you’ll also gain experiences, languages, and connections that no office cubicle could ever offer.
Your career doesn’t have to hold you in one place. With the right tools and mindset, it can be your ticket to the world.
Questions? Drop a comment below!
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