Nomad List| 🏆 Nomad Score™ | 183 reviews |
| 💵 Cost | |
| 📡 Internet | |
| 😝 Fun | |
| ⛅️ Temperature (now) | |
| 💦 Humidity (now) | |
| 💨 Air quality (now) | |
| 👌 Safety | |
| 👍 Quality of life | |
| 🚶 Walkability | |
| ✌️ Peace | |
| 🚦 Traffic safety | |
| 🏥 Hospitals | |
| 😄 Happiness | |
| 🍸 Nightlife | |
| 📶 Free WiFi in city | |
| 🖥 Places to work from | |
| ❄️ A/C or heating | |
| 😁 Friendly to foreigners | |
| 🙊 English speaking | |
| 🗯 Freedom of speech | |
| 😘 Racial tolerance | |
| 👩 Female friendly | |
| 🌈 LGBT friendly | |
| 🎅 Startup Score |
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| 🌍 Region | North America | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🚩 Country | United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ⏱ Average trip duration | 5 days | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 📡 Internet speed (avg) | 28 Mbps | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ⛅️ Weather | ☀️ 28°C 83°F + 💦 Not humid (60%) + 💨 6km/h = Feels like 29°C 84°F | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 💨 Air quality (now) | 👍 30 µg/m3 equal to 🚬 / day | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 💨 Air quality (annual avg) | 👍 15 µg/m3 equal to 🚬 / day | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🔌 Power | 115V60Hz | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🚕 Best taxi app | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 📱 Best wireless carrier | Verizon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 💸 Tipping | No | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 💳 Cashless society | 💳 Yes, cards OK almost everywhere | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ☕️ Best coffee place | Starbucks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ☕️ Best alt. coffee place | Denny's | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🏪 Best 24/7 coffee place | The SandBox | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🚰 Safe tap water | 👌 Yes, drinkable | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ♻️ Return rate | 0% of visitors return | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 👨👩👧👦 Population | 91,000 people | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ⛪️ Religious government | Non-religious | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 💻 Online electronics shop | Amazon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🏠 Apartment listings | AirBnb | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ✈️ Best short-haul air carrier | American Airlines | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ✈️ Best int'l air carrier | American Airlines | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🏥 Best hospital | Issels Medical Center | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| harbor citycoastshistorical architecturenational parkno-beachwarm nowwarmhotclean airgood air qualityfast internethigh cost of livingfreedom of pressdemocracyfreedommany womenfriendly people | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 💵 Nomad Cost™ | $6,163 / month |
| 💵 Cost of living for expat | $4,024 / month |
| 💵 Cost of living for family | $9,520 / month |
| 💵 Cost of living for local | $2,720 / month |
| 🏠 1br studio rent in center | $2,500 / month |
| 🏢 Coworking | $286 / month |
| 🏨 Hotel | $5,944 / month |
| 🏨 Hotel | $278 / night |
| 🏠 Airbnb (59 listings) | $4,796 / month |
| 🏠 Airbnb | $157 / night |
| 🍝 Dinner | $15 |
| 🍹 Coca-Cola (0.3L) | $2 |
| 🍺 Beer (0.5L) | $6 |
| ☕️ Coffee | $4 |
Based on Santa Barbara's cost of living, here's selected remote jobs that would cover your costs:
I lived in Santa Barbara for the last 15 years (originally from Russia, also lived in HN, NYC, CT, and Florida). Currently working remotely for a European startup. Sure, it's expensive (probably around 80-90% of Bay Area cost of living), but the weather is perfect (not too hot, not too cold, all year around), the scenery is beautiful (mountains on one side, ocean on the other), and the city itself is fairly old and cozy (home to the second oldest building in California). People are generally friendly and laid back, lots of tourists, plenty of hipsters. Lots of rich people and celebs own houses here. There's UCSB, a top-50 ranked university, which can provide both intellectual stimulation and fun (concerts, lectures, and partying in student town of Isla Vista). Los Angeles is ~2 hours away, San Jose ~5 hours away.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety ☀️ Feels 29° 84° 28° 83°AQI 30✈️0.00013333333333333$6,163 / mo28MbpsNothing 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
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety ☀️ Feels 35° 95° 31° 88°😷AQI 59✈️0.19541737643621$4,562 / mo24MbpsAmazing beaches and fancy places. My favorite season here is fall since it has great sunsets and the sky is sunny everyday (perfect temperature). Early summer can be gloomy and a bit cold. Late summer is too hot 🔥 Good asian food around here since there are so many asians. Otherwise, most of the restaurants seem to copy each other's menus.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 27° 81° 25° 77°AQI 40✈️0.2563477581962$4,877 / mo43MbpsNothing 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
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety ☀️ Feels 35° 95° 31° 88°😷AQI 59✈️0.19541737643621$4,562 / mo24MbpsThe city of Dallas has captivated me to an extent that I never will find another place so memorizing to live in, with all the opportunities and amenities present.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌤 Feels 50° 122° 38° 100°😷AQI 62✈️2.8411654964439$2,851 / mo32MbpsSamui is Thailand's second most popular island for tourists, after Phuket. The main areas are Chaweng and Lamai. Chaweng used to be more backpacker and trashy (like Bali's Kuta) but is now rapidly developing into a real clean town. Since 2014, it now has a giant air-conditioned Central World mall, an increasing number of coffee places, good restaurants and more upscale hotels and resorts. Lamai Beach used to be the more clean and laidback area but is now deteriorating. The beaches are still okay but the streets are now filled with sex bars and bad restaurants. Worse, prices in Lamai are often higher than in Chaweng due to less competition. The preferrable spot to stay in Ko Samui now is the more mellow South Chaweng.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌧 Feels 41° 106° 31° 87°😷AQI 53✈️18.103069464231$1,385 / mo14MbpsAmazing nightlife and possibly the best overall food scene in the states (lots of michelin-level restaurants at far lower prices than NYC/SF). Avoid the winter and you'll love your time Chicago. It's a city of neighborhoods, so do some research to find which area suits you best. Lots of creative types live/work in the west side (West Loop, Wicker Park, Bucktown, Logan Square, etc.)
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 35° 95° 30° 86°😷AQI 66✈️3.8806218880477$3,747 / mo30MbpsNothing 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
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety ☀️ Feels 35° 95° 31° 88°😷AQI 59✈️0.19541737643621$4,562 / mo🌇 Also went here10 peopleA mixture of piss, weed, unwashed nerdy men, overpriced reality estate, passive-aggressiveness, homeless people and freaks
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 25° 77° 22° 72°AQI 22✈️0.58872461536383$5,692 / mo🌇 Also went here8 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 27° 81° 26° 78°AQI 30✈️3.5056444915089$1,495 / mo🌇 Also went here5 peopleBest city in the world! You can certainly live the Nomad life in NYC for a lot less than 5k a month! I've been doing it since December 2018 for around $2500/mo. AirBnB is the way to go!
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌧 Feels 43° 109° 33° 92°AQI 34✈️5.395593417153$5,419 / mo🌇 Also went here8 peopleUse Uber transportation. I do not recommend to use bike because it is not safe. Traffic is a big problem, so be prepare ahead for your appointments and don’t get stock in the rush hours.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌧 Feels 41° 106° 31° 88°AQI 21✈️6.6353661865275$6,293 / mo🌇 Also went here5 peopleOn the bright side: Clean and generally safe, good infrastructure, close to nature. Negative side: One of the most difficult places in the world to make friends, not much happening in the city, very expensive and broken housing market. Many internationals with whom I have spoken feel very bad here
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 21° 70° 20° 69°AQI 18✈️11.852803562393$3,774 / mo🌇 Also went here6 peopleTourist trap crowded with influencers taking a selfie in front of a canal . Very expensive.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 25° 77° 23° 74°😷AQI 52✈️11.965568121025$5,434 / mo🌇 Also went here6 peopleParisians tend to be rude and arrogant. The city is nice but there are much nicer places in other parts of France. Also the people make no effort to speak english 80% of the time so do bring a french/english dictionary
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 27° 81° 26° 78°AQI 33✈️12.172781151611$4,444 / mo🌇 Also went here8 peopleI would disagree on the safety level of this city. Living there for 8 months now I'd say from my experience that Barcelona streets aren't safe at all. Many robberies, physical and sexual agressions are frequently occurring mostly due to drug issues in some central neighborhoods. I agree on the perfect weather great food and tech scene too on the positive side.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 32° 90° 29° 84°AQI 18✈️12.947951819972$3,430 / mo🌇 Also went here5 peopleAbsolutely worth visiting. Kyiv has many wonderful, modern, cheap, interesting restaurants and areas to check out. Some amazing bars and Georgian food. A major city but still slowly becoming more English-speaking and international. Some great Airbnbs and some really hilariously bad ones. A city with many facets.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety ☀️ Feels 36° 97° 32° 89°AQI 23✈️13.513648145544$1,451 / mo🌇 Also went here5 peopleIt'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.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 44° 111° 32° 90°😷AQI 67✈️15.355034303331$2,941 / mo🌇 Also went here6 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 41° 106° 31° 88°😷AQI 53✈️17.087167295914$1,169 / mo🌇 Also went here6 people✅ Safe
✅ Fast internet
✅ Lots of fun stuff to do
✅ Warm in the spring
✅ Perfect humidity now
✅ Good air quality on average
✅ Spacious and not crowded
✅ Easy to do business
✅ High quality of education
✅ Great hospitals
✅ Roads are very safe
✅ Great freedom of speech
✅ Democratic
✅ Everyone speaks English
✅ Very friendly to LGBT
✅ Not many people smoke tobacco
❌ Extremely expensive
❌ Not many nomads go here
❌ Very difficult to make friends
❌ Not safe for women
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