Nomad List
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| 🌍 Region | Latin America | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🚩 Country | Panama | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ⏱ Average trip duration | 7 days | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 📡 Internet speed | 7 Mbps | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ⛅️ Weather | 🌥 32°C 89°F + 💦 Humid (94%) + 💨 3km/h = Feels like 50°C122°F | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 💨 Air quality (now) | 👍 50 µg/m3 equal to 🚬 🚬 / day | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 💨 Air quality (annual avg) | 👍 31 µg/m3 equal to 🚬 / day | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🔌 Power | 115V115V60Hz | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🚕 Best taxi app | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 📱 Best wireless carrier | Movistar | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 💸 0 PAB in USD | USD 0.00 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🏧 Suggested ATM take out: PAB 100 | USD 100 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 💻 Best coworking space | CascoStation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ☕️ Best coffee place | Juan Valdez | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🚰 Safe tap water | 🚫 No, contaminated | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ♻️ Return rate | 12% of visitors returns | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 👨👩👧👦 Population | 37,000 people | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 👫 Gender ratio | 👨 50% 👱♀️ 50% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ⛪️ Religious government | Non-religious | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🏠 Apartment listings | Compreoalquile | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ✈️ Best short-haul air carrier | Air Panama | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ✈️ Best int'l air carrier | Copa Airlines | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🏥 Best hospital | Punta Pacifica | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Do not take taxis in Panama, they are corrupt and violent. Use Uber instead. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| beachsurfingdivingnomadslow taxairportwarm nowwarmhotslow internethigh humiditymany menfriendly people | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 💵 Nomad Cost™ | $2,320 / month |
| 💵 Cost of living for expat | $1,975 / month |
| 💵 Cost of living for family | $5,627 / month |
| 💵 Cost of living for local | $1,608 / month |
| 🏠 1br studio rent in center | $1,500 / month |
| 🏢 Coworking | $300 / month |
| 🏨 Hotel | $800 / month |
| 🏨 Hotel | $37 / night |
| 🏠 Airbnb (246 listings) | $1,370 / month |
| 🏠 Airbnb | $45 / night |
| 🍝 Dinner | $7 |
| 🍹 Coca-Cola (0.3L) | $2 |
| 🍺 Beer (0.5L) | $4 |
| ☕️ Coffee | $2 |
Based on Panama City's cost of living, here's selected remote jobs that would cover your costs:
I was there for one week and stayed in Bocagrande, about a 10 minute taxi ride from the Walled City. Pros of Cartagena: Inexpensive locale, reliable and fast internet, good weather (if you like it hot), not terribly crowded (aside from Walled City), beauty/history/nightlife of Walled City. Cons: Local beaches are average at best and riddled with vendors who accost visitors non-stop, street vendors are less pushy but everywhere, fluency in Spanish is very helpful (not really a con, just is), Walled City is loaded with tourists and priced accordingly. Cartagena struck me as a one-trick pony like a Las Vegas. Some people love Vegas because of the weather and the entertainment. Cartagena has the weather and the Walled City. Unfortunately even though its a coastal city, it's tough to enjoy the beach.
I visited Poblado for about a week. I had absolutely no problems with the Internet while I was there. Maybe it was because I was in Poblado, but I never experienced slowness or anything of the sort. Pros of Medellin: spring-like weather, inexpensive, reliable Internet, plenty of shopping and creature comforts, cosmopolitan, friendly people. For cons, a big one is air pollution. Medellin is located in a higher altitude valley. There are many old cars, buses, and (especially) motorcycles belching exhaust into the air. It's difficult for pollutants to disperse because of the city's geography. I.e., there's plenty of smog and there's no debate regarding the negative health impact. To Medellin's credit, the city acknowledges the problem, monitors pollution, issues advisories, and is trying to change, but obviously change doesnt happen overnight. Other cons: The more Spanish you know, the better (not really a con, just is), gringo price gouging, some safety issues (use extra common sense).
I visited Poblado for about a week. I had absolutely no problems with the Internet while I was there. Maybe it was because I was in Poblado, but I never experienced slowness or anything of the sort. Pros of Medellin: spring-like weather, inexpensive, reliable Internet, plenty of shopping and creature comforts, cosmopolitan, friendly people. For cons, a big one is air pollution. Medellin is located in a higher altitude valley. There are many old cars, buses, and (especially) motorcycles belching exhaust into the air. It's difficult for pollutants to disperse because of the city's geography. I.e., there's plenty of smog and there's no debate regarding the negative health impact. To Medellin's credit, the city acknowledges the problem, monitors pollution, issues advisories, and is trying to change, but obviously change doesnt happen overnight. Other cons: The more Spanish you know, the better (not really a con, just is), gringo price gouging, some safety issues (use extra common sense).
Getting 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
A mixture of piss, weed, unwashed nerdy men, overpriced reality estate, passive-aggressiveness, homeless people and freaks
One of the most well known cities, few will be surprised by what they see and experience. Very high cost of living can make it tough for many nomads. A lot of things to see and do but most of that costs money. Can feel overwhelming and oppressively business oriented (ie, full of very serious yuppies and places catering to them), especially in Manhattan south of Harlem. Ton of single people, which is good on paper but means everyone you date will get distracted by another person, or multiple, unless you are extremely exceptional, before you have a chance to meet again, never ends. Weather sucks hard from July to August and January to March/April. It's an okay city if you're a biker and varies a lot. Some areas are quite protected, others have no bike lanes. In general, it can be dangerous if you want to commute by bike, it's not Amsterdam. Friendliness of the people varies a lot. I think income/wealth, where they grew up, where they live within NYC, their job, etc. can often give you an idea of what to expect. Service at stores is usually pretty unhelpful and unfriendly but, again, it varies, even within the same store. Internet is fast for the most part. Great selection of food, just a bit pricey besides some of the cheaper pizza slices. Transportation system is good, no need for a car. However, the subway lines are notorious for having issues during rush hour and are usually jam packed. Also, the stations look decrepit and are way out of date. It's pretty safe. Street scams are more prevalent in tourist areas, pick-pocketing and random phone snatching isn't really anything most people worry about. Can be very noisy depending on where you live. You may wake up to extremely loud construction every morning.
I spent a couple months here and loved it. I studied spanish in a school called Peruwayna in the heart of Miraflores. The school was great and this was a great way to meet people. I went to a couple hostels to meet up with some friends, and met a lot of really cool people that way. Loki is a really cool place in Miraflores to hang out and stay if you're doing the hostel thing, and like to drink. I had a very nice private airbnb in miraflores for less than $30 a day. I also stayed in Barranco for $32 a day in a very elegant condo with 2 beds and 2 baths which was about a half mile away from the action. Virtually everyone I met was kind and welcoming and really liked that I spoke the language. Barranco is a really beautiful place to watch the sunset, and the nightlife is really cool. Uber is cheap and reliable. I avoided regular cabs because I didn't want to negotiate and end up with a gringo price. If you're going to the airport, get a private taxi. I say this because I almost missed my flight home after two Ubers showed up and rejected me once they found out I wanted to go the airport. Luckily, the third was agreeable. You'll want to know at least some basic spanish to get around. If you have a conversational level or are in the process of learning, you'll get a lot more out of the experience because not many people speak english. The food is delicious and unlike the food anywhere else, though most of the local cuisine is a bit heavy and unhealthy. You can easily eat for half the price of major American city, and probably a third of that if we're talking NY,LA, or San fran. Ask about menus. Those are lunch specials for $3-4 that include 3 courses and a drink. They're usually really good too. The happy hours are usually 2 for 1, meaning 2 drinks for the price of 1, which is better than most US happy hours. Especially considering the original drink you're buying is a lot cheaper in the first place. Don't buy souvenirs in miraflores! You can get that stuff much much cheaper in the centro de Lima just don't linger there after dark, because it gets very sketchy. I never had any security problems or felt unsafe. I also live in Baltimore, one of the most dangerous cities in the US, and I felt much safer in Lima. I know women need to be much more carful, because there is an epidemic of sexual assault in Lima, especially on public transit. The visiting women that I met never complained to me about any problems, but I have heard quite a few stories from local women about being groped and/or catcalled. I was warned many times to be careful with my cellphone in public. If you're talking on your cell in public, at least be aware of your surroundings because there are many people who specialize in grabbing your cell from your hand quickly and running off. Though technically illegal, weed is easy to find and cheap, and you can pretty much smoke in the street without worrying about cops bothering you, if that's your thing.
Not 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...)
The price of just about everything in Dublin makes me think that Ireland is a bit deluded about how attractive its capital actually is.
Nothing does a better job of explaining LA’s beautiful diversity and different neighborhoods than the documentary about the late Jonathan Gold, our city’s greatest amabassador and the only food critic to ever win a Pulitzer Prize. It is called, “City of Gold” and if you want to know LA, just watch this film. Trailer link: https://youtu.be/DmKTRDfz1zM
I was there for one week and stayed in Bocagrande, about a 10 minute taxi ride from the Walled City. Pros of Cartagena: Inexpensive locale, reliable and fast internet, good weather (if you like it hot), not terribly crowded (aside from Walled City), beauty/history/nightlife of Walled City. Cons: Local beaches are average at best and riddled with vendors who accost visitors non-stop, street vendors are less pushy but everywhere, fluency in Spanish is very helpful (not really a con, just is), Walled City is loaded with tourists and priced accordingly. Cartagena struck me as a one-trick pony like a Las Vegas. Some people love Vegas because of the weather and the entertainment. Cartagena has the weather and the Walled City. Unfortunately even though its a coastal city, it's tough to enjoy the beach.
I visited Poblado for about a week. I had absolutely no problems with the Internet while I was there. Maybe it was because I was in Poblado, but I never experienced slowness or anything of the sort. Pros of Medellin: spring-like weather, inexpensive, reliable Internet, plenty of shopping and creature comforts, cosmopolitan, friendly people. For cons, a big one is air pollution. Medellin is located in a higher altitude valley. There are many old cars, buses, and (especially) motorcycles belching exhaust into the air. It's difficult for pollutants to disperse because of the city's geography. I.e., there's plenty of smog and there's no debate regarding the negative health impact. To Medellin's credit, the city acknowledges the problem, monitors pollution, issues advisories, and is trying to change, but obviously change doesnt happen overnight. Other cons: The more Spanish you know, the better (not really a con, just is), gringo price gouging, some safety issues (use extra common sense).
Amazing, amazing, amazing. I initially arrived there for 2 weeks with an intention for it to be just a transit stop, but stayed there for 3 months. Stay in the right areas (Condesa, Roma, Coyoca, Polanco, Coyocan, etc), take Uber and take basic precautions. It's a lovely town with endless food options and work options. Accomodations are not cheap by Mexican standards, but very affordable comparing to USA. It's just a great place to live, in my opinion. The only thing that is bad is quality of the air (not everywhere, though, but in general). If you are sensible to a bad air - take a trip and see how you adjust to it. It's a big issue, yes, but I feel like the are much more pros than cons. Viva Mexico!
One of the most well known cities, few will be surprised by what they see and experience. Very high cost of living can make it tough for many nomads. A lot of things to see and do but most of that costs money. Can feel overwhelming and oppressively business oriented (ie, full of very serious yuppies and places catering to them), especially in Manhattan south of Harlem. Ton of single people, which is good on paper but means everyone you date will get distracted by another person, or multiple, unless you are extremely exceptional, before you have a chance to meet again, never ends. Weather sucks hard from July to August and January to March/April. It's an okay city if you're a biker and varies a lot. Some areas are quite protected, others have no bike lanes. In general, it can be dangerous if you want to commute by bike, it's not Amsterdam. Friendliness of the people varies a lot. I think income/wealth, where they grew up, where they live within NYC, their job, etc. can often give you an idea of what to expect. Service at stores is usually pretty unhelpful and unfriendly but, again, it varies, even within the same store. Internet is fast for the most part. Great selection of food, just a bit pricey besides some of the cheaper pizza slices. Transportation system is good, no need for a car. However, the subway lines are notorious for having issues during rush hour and are usually jam packed. Also, the stations look decrepit and are way out of date. It's pretty safe. Street scams are more prevalent in tourist areas, pick-pocketing and random phone snatching isn't really anything most people worry about. Can be very noisy depending on where you live. You may wake up to extremely loud construction every morning.
A mixture of piss, weed, unwashed nerdy men, overpriced reality estate, passive-aggressiveness, homeless people and freaks
Definitely the place to be in western Europe. Great weather, solid food, pretty cheap, good internet, a lot of fun stuff to do, expats everywhere, English gets the job done, awesome day trips... I could go on and on.
I do not recommend London for nomads. It's very hard to find places to work in London. Cafes don't like people with laptops, there won't be any power outlets and you'll get funny stares from staff. That's because London is expensive, and it's a loss for cafes to have you. Flexible coworking is hard to come by and day passes are very expensive. That makes it practically impossible to work properly in London as a nomad.
great city - perfect weather , great food, great tech scene
Not 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...)
Getting 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
Been 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)
Been there twice. I love Prague
It's possible to live in Hong Kong on the cheap. You've got to live far out in the New Territories, or on an outlying island. I spent a summer living happily on Lamma Island for ~$500USD/month in rent for one bedroom in a shared flat. Rent is really the only tricky part--everything else is relatively cheap.
Great place. You can avoid the dropshipper, FBA and MLM webinar course people who have infested the coworkings here for years, by, well, just not visiting the coworking spaces here.
Bangkok 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.
Mostly great weather year round and some of the best food in the world at cheap prices. Probably the best standard of living for the cost in an international city. Good but not excellent public transport. Some questionable reviews being left here by people who possibly never visited,
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