In this article, using the experiences of the writer of this post, Megan, who has worked as a digital nomad across the world, we’re going to tell you the honest truth about the pros and cons of being a digital nomad.
What is a Digital Nomad?
To put it short, a digital nomad is someone who makes money online, giving them the location independence to live a nomadic lifestyle.
There are various ways people make money, whether that’s working as a fully remote employee, being self-employed and offering their services freelance, or owning their own online business.
This means they can travel frequently and work from anywhere. For some this may mean travelling full-time and moving every couple of days. Others might put roots down in different countries for weeks or months.
The Pros and Cons of Being a Digital Nomad:
Pros of Being a Digital Nomad:
⏵ Work wherever you want
One of the main benefits of being a digital nomad is the freedom and flexibility to work wherever you want. Without a physical workplace to constrain you, you can be in any corner of the world, whether that be a charming cafe in France, a beach in Thailand or the mountains of Argentina. As long as there’s internet connection, you’re good to go.
Some digital nomads use this as a way to travel full-time, hopping from place to place frequently. Others prefer to travel more slowly and really take in the culture of a destination, putting roots down for months or even years in one country.
This way of life also allows you to meet other like minded people and build a strong community. You’ll form connections with people from all across the world from various different backgrounds and cultures which is something that’s hard to do in a traditional job.
Though you can technically work wherever, you do have to consider things such as wifi-connectivity, community, cost of living and transport when picking where to go. Below are some places we’d recommend that have a thriving digital nomad culture:
- Medellin, Colombia
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Tbilisi, Georgia
- Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
- Lombok, Indonesia
⏵ More control over your cost of living
There’s a misconception that it’s expensive to live a lifestyle where you’re constantly travelling and having new experiences. However, this really depends on how and where you travel.
Being a digital nomad means you can have more control over your living costs. Travelling or living in countries within Central America or Southeast Asia for example, is much cheaper than residing in western Europe or the USA.
If you’re living in the UK for instance, you might choose to live in London to be close to better job opportunities. But with this comes extremely high rent and living costs. With location independence, it’s possible to earn a UK salary but live somewhere where your money stretches much further.
You might even find that you save more money while you’re travelling than living at home!
In addition to this, being a digital nomad will make you re-evaluate your relationship with material things. Living out of a backpack or suitcase, you’ll soon realise how much you can live without, which often means you’ll spend less on things and more on experiences.
That being said, it has to be acknowledged that this comes with economic and political privilege and isn’t always possible for digital nomads from countries with lower salaries and weaker passports.
⏵ Improved work-life balance
Another benefit of a digital nomad lifestyle is improved work-life balance. Depending on what type of remote work you do, you’ll likely have the privilege of complete control of your schedule, meaning you can work whenever suits you. This means you can structure your work around your day.
Fancy an early morning hike? Work in the evening. Want to have a fun afternoon on the beach with friends? Get up early and work in the morning. It’s much easier to take advantage of the opportunities around you and make time for things you probably wouldn’t at home.
Below are some digital nomad jobs for beginners that will allow you a better work-life balance:
- Virtual Assistant
- Blogger
- SEO Specialist
- Content Creator
- Online Teaching
- Copywriting
*Read more in our blog of the 10 Best Digital Nomad Jobs for Beginners.
⏵ No long commutes to work
If you’re someone who spends lots of time commuting to and from work, becoming a digital nomad will help you to save time.
Instead of frustrating, busy commutes on the train or being stuck in traffic jams on your drive home, you can be doing something you love and have more time to yourself.
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Cons of Being a Digital Nomad:
⏵ Isolation and loneliness
One of the biggest challenges of being a digital nomad is the isolation and loneliness that can come with it. Being a digital nomad means spending a lot of time working solo, which means you have to make a conscious effort to seek out social interaction.
Some places have vibrant digital nomad communities, making it easy to meet like-minded people, while others don’t. This can be tough, especially if you don’t speak the language and can’t connect with locals.
Constantly travelling makes it hard to build lasting relationships. You’ll meet great people, but at some point, either you or they have to leave, and the connection stays pretty surface-level.
A simple solution is to slow down and spend more time in one place, especially if you find somewhere you love with a strong community. Coliving spaces or coworking hubs can also be a great way to meet others who are in the same situation.
Alongside this, being away from home for long stretches means missing out on family milestones, holidays, and important events. It can feel like you’re disconnected from loved ones, and with different time zones, staying in touch isn’t always easy.
However, with the right attitude and mindset, you can definitely build the connections you need. You might even find that you’re surrounded by so many people that you end up wishing for some quiet time!
⏵ Income Insecurity
Another con of being a digital nomad is the financial uncertainty. Unless you have a remote job with a regular salary, freelancing can mean unpredictable income, which can be stressful at times.
This is something that you need to learn how to manage effectively. One way to do this is to build multiple income streams, rather than just one. It’s also a good idea to save some of your earnings and build an emergency fund that can cover your living expenses for 3-6 months in the event that the work dries up.
⏵ Lack of stability and roots
One of the disadvantages of the digital nomad lifestyle is the lack of a permanent home base. You're constantly on the move, and unless you decide to settle somewhere, you may not feel truly connected to any community or culture.
This also comes with travel fatigue. Constantly moving around can be exciting, but it can also lead to burnout, making it hard to enjoy new experiences. Most digital nomads will tell you that there’s been points where exhaustion hits and you question if you want to keep living this way.
Plus, the stress of dealing with visa applications, language barriers, and cultural differences can be overwhelming, especially for those who thrive on routine or have anxiety.
To cope, we’d suggest travelling more slowly. Spend more time in each place so you can build a routine and get to know the local culture. If you're planning to stay in one place longer, take the time to learn the language as it makes a huge difference in how connected you feel.
Lastly, as a nomad who carries everything they need in a backpack or suitcase, you may start to miss some home comforts.
⏵ Work-life balance is difficult to maintain
Constantly being in new and exciting places can be distracting, making it difficult to stay focused. When you’re often surrounded by people who are enjoying time off work, it can feel like you’re on a constant holiday and work can slip to the back of your mind.
There’ll be times where you need to say no to new adventures and prioritise work instead, which can be tough.
Finding a good place to work can also be a struggle. Not every location has reliable wi-fi, and even if it does, the quality might not be great. You might find yourself working in noisy cafes or spaces that aren’t ideal, which can make staying productive even harder.
To manage this, you need to set boundaries, stay disciplined, and stick to a solid work-life balance. Finding the right environment to work in is key, as well as building connections with other digital nomads who also have to juggle travel and work.
Final thoughts: Is being a digital nomad worth it?
Being able to work from your laptop in exotic locations and cute cafes across the world is frequently painted as the dream on social media.
In an age where pretty much everything is online, there are more and more opportunities for people to make this dream a reality. So it’s not surprising that many people are throwing out their traditional 9-5 job in favour of becoming a digital nomad and travelling full-time.
But is it as glamorous as it seems? Though becoming a digital nomad can provide ultimate freedom and flexibility, it doesn’t come without its downsides. Travel fatigue, income insecurity and loneliness are some of many issues that digital nomads face.
It can be hard to remember that social media is a highlight reel, a snippet of someone’s life that doesn’t always show the full picture.
The question is: is being a digital nomad worth it? The answer to this is subjective. While some people may take change in their stride and thrive off being in new places and meeting new people, others may struggle with the lack of routine and security.
Though having the freedom and flexibility is more than worth the disadvantages for a lot of people, others may miss their home comforts and feel isolated.
So this is something you really have to try out and figure out yourself. But we hope that this blog on the pros and cons of being a digital nomad will help you to decide if you’re ready to take on a new way of life as a digital nomad.
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