Nomad List
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🌍 Region | Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🚩 Country | South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ⏱ Average trip duration | 9 days | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 📡 Internet speed (avg) | 5 Mbps | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ⛅️ Weather | ☀️ 20°C 68°F + 💦 Not humid (35%) + 💨 3km/h = Feels like 20°C 68°F | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 💨 Air quality (now) | 😷 74 µg/m3 equal to 🚬 🚬 🚬 / day | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 💨 Air quality (annual avg) | 👎 85 µg/m3 equal to 🚬 🚬 🚬 🚬 / day | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🔌 Power | 230V50Hz | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🚕 Best taxi app | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 📱 Best wireless carrier | MTN | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 💸 100 ZAR in USD | USD 7.23 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🏧 Suggested ATM take out: ZAR 1,000 | USD 72 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 💸 Tipping | No | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 💳 Cashless society | 💳 Yes, cards OK almost everywhere | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🚰 Safe tap water | 👌 Yes, drinkable | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ♻️ Return rate | 13% of visitors return | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 📸 Visitors per year | 5,537,600 visitors | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 📸 Tourists now | 106,128 tourists | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 👨👩👧👦 Population | 960,000 people | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 😤 People density | 🧘♀️ not busy: 3,400 ppl/km² 17x17m (289m²) space per person | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 👫 Gender ratio | 👨 51% 👱♀️ 49% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ⛪️ Religious government | Non-religious | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 💻 Online electronics shop | Takealot | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🏠 Apartment listings | GumTree | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ✈️ Best short-haul air carrier | Kulula | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ✈️ Best int'l air carrier | Emirates | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
💥 We recommend you to take precautions when traveling to Johannesburg as it may not always be safe for travelers, more info | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| places of worshipno-beachairportmildmild nowslow internethigh crimefreedom of pressdemocracyfreedommany menfriendly people | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 💵 Nomad Cost™ | $1,905 / month |
| 💵 Cost of living for expat | $1,114 / month |
| 💵 Cost of living for family | $2,064 / month |
| 💵 Cost of living for local | $590 / month |
| 🏠 1br studio rent in center | $380 / month |
| 🏢 Coworking | $203 / month |
| 🏨 Hotel | $1,203 / month |
| 🏨 Hotel | $56 / night |
| 🏠 Airbnb (721 listings) | $1,707 / month |
| 🏠 Airbnb | $56 / night |
| 🍝 Dinner | $6 |
| 🍹 Coca-Cola (0.3L) | $1 |
| 🍺 Beer (0.5L) | $3 |
| ☕️ Coffee | $2 |
Based on Johannesburg's cost of living, here's selected remote jobs that would cover your costs:
 | UI UX Designer @ Sotheby's Home |
 | Frontend Developer @ Netdata Inc. |
Lusaka is a bustling city full of surprises if you look. The downside is rent is on the pricey side than say what you would expect to pay in most places in SEA. You can find some low rental places but then you'd be putting yourself in an environment that's not particularly safe. I'd pick a neighbourhood like Kabulonga, Woodlands, Chilenje, Ibex Hill or Makeni. Getting around is easier if you have a car or find a reliable cabby. You can also use the local rideshare app called Ulendo Taxi, it works well and even has female drivers, which I think is great for solo female travellers. Public safety is okay, best not to travel to compounds where safety can be a major issue, especially if you're a muzungu, a local word for 'White person' or someone considered well-off. Expect to be crowded around by street vendors selling everything from phone accessories, clothing, and sometimes local crafts. I wouldn't advise purchasing from these as you'll get ripped off - best go to the weekend markets or the craft village. Zambia doesn't have a café or coffee culture per se but you can find some pretty decent coffee shops that have great coffee and free wifi. Zam Bean Coffee, The Corner Café and 3Tree's are my favs. I'd advise to join the Expat Group's on Facebook for more tips and questions.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 25° 77° 24° 75°AQI 38✈️2h$1,351 / mo2MbpsLove Cape Town as a DN. Been here 3 months - mountains, city, ocean, animals, hiking, super affordable, great foodie scene and safe (if you're smart). https://www.tech4trek.com/cape-town-digital-nomad
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌧 Feels 16° 61° 17° 63°AQI 14✈️2h$1,806 / mo6MbpsLove Cape Town as a DN. Been here 3 months - mountains, city, ocean, animals, hiking, super affordable, great foodie scene and safe (if you're smart). https://www.tech4trek.com/cape-town-digital-nomad
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌧 Feels 16° 61° 17° 63°AQI 14✈️2h$1,806 / mo6MbpsBeirut is a place where ideas are formed, and where art, culture, cuisine and an ardour for life thrive. Bars, restaurants and clubs come and go more frequently than the snow on the mountain peaks that form a backdrop to the city. But finding the new places - only to later realise they have vanished - is what makes for singular, memorable nights on these warm shores of the Mediterranean. Unlike in many other capitals in the region, there is a liberal attitude towards drinking in Beirut, where you will find a wide selection of cocktails and beers. The new tower blocks built after the civil war ended in 1990 have provided no end of rooftop bars - one of the first and biggest is SKYBAR- but it divides opinions thanks to its strict door policies and high prices. Alternatively try B 018, a nightclub with a retractable roof opening onto the stars, and known for its liberal attitude and dance music.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 35° 95° 30° 86°😷AQI 60✈️9h$1,818 / mo1MbpsGetting a place to stay is a challenge, and renting an apartment might be a challenge unless you can show proof on stable income job. most leases are 6-12mths minium
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 25° 77° 23° 74°AQI 42✈️13h$5,228 / mo11MbpsHi, I would recommend to not spend too much time in Port Louis if you are in Mauritius. It is a less interesting place in Mauritius to stay or spend time. I would recommend either the North or the west coast of the Island. Trou aux Biches or Flic en Flac are two really good options. You will be at most 5 mins walk away from a postal card beach while still having very good working conditions (good wifi). What I love about Mauritius is the variety of things to do, even though it is quite a small Island, you have numerous amazing hikes (I would clearly recommend Le Morne Hike), lots of postal cards beaches, natural parks, all type of sea activities from submarine tube to perfect kiting conditions. Also, one thing I can't really agree is the racial tolerance score that Nomad List gave them because it is quite ironic in a country where 25% of people are Christians, 40% are Hindus and 15% are Muslims that there is no racial tolerance. Mauritius is one of the most peaceful countries I had the chance to visit where the mix of culture is the most unique. You can literally find a Church, a Mosque and a Temple 30 meters away from each other. It is also one of the most politically stable and the 2nd most developed country of Africa so they have that mix of modernity and Island vibes. If you are a digital nomad going to Mauritius, I would clearly recommend you to contact Island trotter (it is a kind of digital nomad consultant based there) and they will organize everything for you so that you get the best experience. Gael and Jean have been very very helpful during my visit there and they made my trip amazing.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety ☀️ Feels 26° 79° 25° 77°AQI 23✈️5h$1,963 / mo3MbpsBangkok has some of the best private hospitals in the world. Which is interesting if you're in Asia a lot and you want medical care better than you can get in your home country. Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok is ranked #7 in the world. I did an executive health checkup there and it was great. Prices range from $250 to $750 depending on how many checks you want. You can get blood count, X Ray, ultrasound, hormone check, etc. They also have most other medical disciplines. I also got vaccinations renewed. The hospital is private so it's so much better than the overloaded public healthcare systems of Europe, Canada and UK where everyone tries to avoid helping you, is overworked and angry. In Bangkok they're super nice and helpful and you can make appointments straight with a specialist. Not blocked by a GP like in your home country.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌦 Feels 43° 109° 34° 93°AQI 30✈️12h$1,514 / mo16MbpsAlthough London isn't an ideal 'digital nomad' city due to the cost, it is very much made for working, networking and having a great time while you do it. Rent is silly expensive, but you can find a room in a shared house for around £500-600 per month. One review on here complains about bad food, unsafe and bad banking - sounds like they had a bad time to be honest. I disagree strongly with all those negatives. Food is awesome, with lots of incredible places to eat and reasonable (ish) prices. Head to Brixton, Brick Lane, Hackney/Dalston, Tooting etc for top quality food. For your banking, you'll find Revolut, Monzo, Starling etc all allow you to get set up in a few days. Oh and safety.... I've lived here for 7 years (on and off) and been drunk in 'dodgy' parts of town and can say London is one of the safest cities anywhere. Can't say the same for Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona etc.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 26° 79° 25° 78°AQI 22✈️13h$4,007 / mo14MbpsThe figures in this review are wrong. The exchange rate to the USD is 3.67, not 272. Walkability is also terrible! Whoever wrote this must have done a lap of Downtown and not gone anywhere else.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 57° 135° 37° 99°😷AQI 128✈️9h$3,309 / mo8MbpsGreat food and affordable Airbnbs in decent neighborhoods! What more could you ask for! Highly recommend Mexico City if you're passing through LATAM.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌧 Feels 25° 77° 22° 72°😷AQI 80✈️20h$1,557 / mo14MbpsNot a very "freelance/artist" friendly city. The look of someone working inside a coffeeshop is still unusual and unappreciated. Extremely not accessible and not disable friendly (Metro, bus, building, coffeeshops and restaurants...)
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 27° 81° 26° 79°AQI 48✈️12h$4,068 / mo20MbpsSpent six months in Istanbul in 1993 when Turkey was really exotic. Didn't return till 2007, when I made mostly Kurdish friends in Sultanahmet, whom I'd see on frequent visits thereafter. Otherwise, I'd skip the city as like throughout Turkey bar the Kurdish areas there's anti Western feeling and targeting of visitors (I noticed that after a meal with alcohol, I'd nearly always be approached by a single male in the street near the restaurant inviting me to a bar certain. I'd suggest going to the first busy café instead, at which point they'd excuse themselves. I suspect some waiters were part of a scam targeting single males).
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 30° 86° 28° 83°AQI 37✈️10h$1,649 / mo10MbpsLove Cape Town as a DN. Been here 3 months - mountains, city, ocean, animals, hiking, super affordable, great foodie scene and safe (if you're smart). https://www.tech4trek.com/cape-town-digital-nomad
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌧 Feels 16° 61° 17° 63°AQI 14✈️2h$1,806 / mo🌇 Also went here43 peopleThe figures in this review are wrong. The exchange rate to the USD is 3.67, not 272. Walkability is also terrible! Whoever wrote this must have done a lap of Downtown and not gone anywhere else.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 57° 135° 37° 99°😷AQI 128✈️9h$3,309 / mo🌇 Also went here32 peopleSpent six months in Istanbul in 1993 when Turkey was really exotic. Didn't return till 2007, when I made mostly Kurdish friends in Sultanahmet, whom I'd see on frequent visits thereafter. Otherwise, I'd skip the city as like throughout Turkey bar the Kurdish areas there's anti Western feeling and targeting of visitors (I noticed that after a meal with alcohol, I'd nearly always be approached by a single male in the street near the restaurant inviting me to a bar certain. I'd suggest going to the first busy café instead, at which point they'd excuse themselves. I suspect some waiters were part of a scam targeting single males).
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 30° 86° 28° 83°AQI 37✈️10h$1,649 / mo🌇 Also went here25 peoplegreat city - perfect weather , great food, great tech scene
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 32° 90° 29° 85°AQI 22✈️11h$3,410 / mo🌇 Also went here31 peopleThe Diet Coke of Asia. Zero crime, English spoken everywhere. Reliable public transport. Some nice spots for off-the-beaten-path walking and hiking. But also clinical, authoritarian, money-minded and very costly. Companies and shopkeepers will always do what's good for them (or makes their own life easier); not what's good for the customer. People avoid eye contact and are generally overworked and miserable. After a while, crossing over to Malaysia's neighboring Johor will, warts and all, feel like a breath of fresh air ("Yes! Space! I can move! I can breathe!").
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 41° 106° 32° 89°😷AQI 51✈️12h$2,880 / mo🌇 Also went here29 peopleNot a very "freelance/artist" friendly city. The look of someone working inside a coffeeshop is still unusual and unappreciated. Extremely not accessible and not disable friendly (Metro, bus, building, coffeeshops and restaurants...)
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 27° 81° 26° 79°AQI 48✈️12h$4,068 / mo🌇 Also went here36 peopleBeen living in 3 different centrally located airbnb in Berlin (2018), each between 800 and 900€ per month for 40-45 sqm (we're two, so 400-450€ each). Each time a full flat and not a shared airbnb, legal now since some months (though it was always possible to get a full flat before as well). Internet was always between 15 and 50 mbps. I spend 100€ per week on food, including restaurants (pretty cheap here), check for Turkish market on Maybachufer and Turkish stores in Neukölln (I spend less on food here than in Chiang Mai!). Berlin is such an awesome place to live, very multicultural, very tolerant, many different neighborhoods, quite relaxed feeling, many parks, lakes all around. No need to speak German at all. Come over here, probably one one of the best place on earth ;) (written in Sept 2018)
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 27° 81° 26° 79°AQI 13✈️12h$3,128 / mo🌇 Also went here24 peopleBangkok has some of the best private hospitals in the world. Which is interesting if you're in Asia a lot and you want medical care better than you can get in your home country. Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok is ranked #7 in the world. I did an executive health checkup there and it was great. Prices range from $250 to $750 depending on how many checks you want. You can get blood count, X Ray, ultrasound, hormone check, etc. They also have most other medical disciplines. I also got vaccinations renewed. The hospital is private so it's so much better than the overloaded public healthcare systems of Europe, Canada and UK where everyone tries to avoid helping you, is overworked and angry. In Bangkok they're super nice and helpful and you can make appointments straight with a specialist. Not blocked by a GP like in your home country.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌦 Feels 43° 109° 34° 93°AQI 30✈️12h$1,514 / mo🌇 Also went here25 peopleGetting a place to stay is a challenge, and renting an apartment might be a challenge unless you can show proof on stable income job. most leases are 6-12mths minium
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 25° 77° 23° 74°AQI 42✈️13h$5,228 / mo🌇 Also went here36 peopleAlthough London isn't an ideal 'digital nomad' city due to the cost, it is very much made for working, networking and having a great time while you do it. Rent is silly expensive, but you can find a room in a shared house for around £500-600 per month. One review on here complains about bad food, unsafe and bad banking - sounds like they had a bad time to be honest. I disagree strongly with all those negatives. Food is awesome, with lots of incredible places to eat and reasonable (ish) prices. Head to Brixton, Brick Lane, Hackney/Dalston, Tooting etc for top quality food. For your banking, you'll find Revolut, Monzo, Starling etc all allow you to get set up in a few days. Oh and safety.... I've lived here for 7 years (on and off) and been drunk in 'dodgy' parts of town and can say London is one of the safest cities anywhere. Can't say the same for Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona etc.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 26° 79° 25° 78°AQI 22✈️13h$4,007 / mo🌇 Also went here43 peopleI have been told it's the vanilla of digital nomads : easy, cheap, risk free. I loved it so much I want to move there ! Great food, great places to see and awesomely polite and nice people.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 55° 131° 39° 101°AQI 33✈️13h$1,103 / mo🌇 Also went here20 peopleGreat food and affordable Airbnbs in decent neighborhoods! What more could you ask for! Highly recommend Mexico City if you're passing through LATAM.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌧 Feels 25° 77° 22° 72°😷AQI 80✈️20h$1,557 / mo🌇 Also went here21 peopleA mixture of piss, weed, unwashed nerdy men, overpriced reality estate, passive-aggressiveness, homeless people and freaks
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 17° 63° 17° 63°AQI 12✈️23h$5,943 / mo🌇 Also went here22 people Nomad List Nomad List1 Month: $29.99/month
12 Months: $60/year
Save 83% per year: $4.99/month
One-Time-Purchase: $99
Save 98% forever
200 people signed up this month
as seen in
Nomad List💖 Thank you so much for supporting Nomad List! I really appreciate it!
📬 First, please go to your email and click the confirm link first to verify your email address (check your spam folder if you can't find it).
💌 After you confirm your email I'll send you an email with more info.
👩💻 You can then start using all the Nomad List member-only features!
💭 If you have any feedback, please tweet us!
by levelsio
