How much money do you need to be a digital nomad? A real monthly budget
"How much do I need?" is the first question almost every would-be nomad asks, and the answers online range from "$500 a month in Bali" to "at least $5,000". Both can be true. It depends on where you go, how long you stay and how you like to live.
We priced a month in 45 popular nomad cities from sources you can check: rental platforms, coworking spaces' own price pages, transport fare tables, phone carriers and menus. Here's what we found, and how to build your own budget.
What goes into a nomad's month
A realistic monthly budget has six parts:
- A place to stay. A furnished one-bedroom for one to three months is usually the biggest cost, often 40 to 60 percent of the total.
- Food. Eating out twice a day adds up fast in Europe and stays cheap in most of Southeast Asia and Latin America.
- Coffee. Small, but daily. It matters more than people expect in expensive cities.
- A desk. A coworking hot desk, if you need reliable wifi and somewhere to take calls.
- Getting around. A monthly transport pass, or scooter and ride-hailing costs where there isn't one.
- Phone data. A local prepaid SIM or eSIM.
Flights, travel insurance, visas and your own subscriptions come on top, and vary too much to average.
What a month costs in the cheapest cities
These are the cheapest cities we price where every part of the budget was found. "Comfortable" means a decent furnished apartment, one local meal and one mid-range meal a day, a coffee, a coworking desk, transport and data.
| # | City | Lean month | Comfortable month | Rent, 1-bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Da NangVietnam | $525 | $975 | $310 to $580 |
| 2 | Hoi AnVietnam | $628 | $1,030 | $310 to $700 |
| 3 | Chiang MaiThailand | $625 | $1,150 | $300 to $650 |
| 4 | HanoiVietnam | $661 | $1,200 | $400 to $780 |
| 5 | SiargaoPhilippines | $752 | $1,220 | $350 to $600 |
| 6 | George Town, PenangMalaysia | $626 | $1,230 | $370 to $865 |
| 7 | BangkokThailand | $552 | $1,250 | $300 to $900 |
| 8 | Buenos AiresArgentina | $759 | $1,380 | $450 to $900 |
| 9 | UbudIndonesia | $829 | $1,430 | $500 to $900 |
| 10 | Ho Chi Minh CityVietnam | $862 | $1,440 | $580 to $970 |
Southeast Asia dominates the cheap end. Vietnam in particular offers a comfortable month for well under what a one-bedroom alone costs in much of Western Europe.
What a month costs in the big European hubs
Europe is where most nomads find the budget stretched. Rent is the reason: in Lisbon, Barcelona or Berlin a furnished one-bedroom often costs more than an entire comfortable month in Vietnam or Thailand.
| City | Lean month | Comfortable month | Rent, 1-bed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BudapestHungary | $1,720 | $2,570 | $844 to $1,197 |
| 2 | PragueCzechia | $1,950 | $2,770 | $1,146 to $1,834 |
| 3 | PortoPortugal | $1,790 | $2,830 | $949 to $1,675 |
| 4 | ValenciaSpain | $2,090 | $2,870 | $1,172 to $1,675 |
| 5 | LisbonPortugal | $2,290 | $3,420 | $1,451 to $2,345 |
| 6 | BerlinGermany | $2,680 | $3,790 | $1,675 to $2,345 |
| 7 | BarcelonaSpain | $2,820 | $4,010 | $1,675 to $2,512 |
What a month costs in Latin America
Latin America sits in the middle, with big differences between cities. Buenos Aires and Oaxaca are good value, while Tulum and Mexico City have climbed as more remote workers have arrived.
| City | Lean month | Comfortable month | Rent, 1-bed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oaxaca *Mexico | $939 | $1,360 | $540 to $980 |
| 2 | Buenos AiresArgentina | $759 | $1,380 | $450 to $900 |
| 3 | Rio de JaneiroBrazil | $1,280 | $1,970 | $640 to $1,390 |
| 4 | MedellínColombia | $924 | $1,980 | $450 to $1,200 |
| 5 | Playa del Carmen *Mexico | $1,250 | $2,030 | $800 to $1,000 |
| 6 | Mexico CityMexico | $1,340 | $2,210 | $800 to $1,500 |
| 7 | TulumMexico | $1,190 | $2,440 | $600 to $1,800 |
* A price is still missing for this city, so its total reads low. Its page says which.
Work out your own budget
Pick a city, set how long you're staying and how you like to live. Short stays are priced by the night, which costs more per day than a monthly rental.
Five ways to make your budget go further
Stay longer
Monthly rentals cost far less per night than hotels or short-term apartments. Staying four weeks instead of two can cut your accommodation cost per night by a third or more.
Book your first week, then find a monthly place in person
Listings online for foreigners are often priced higher than what you'll find once you're there and can see places, ask around or join local housing groups.
Cook some meals
Our budget assumes two meals out a day. Cooking breakfast and one other meal at home most days takes a big bite out of the food line.
Skip coworking when you can
A cafe with good wifi or a coliving space with a shared workspace can replace a coworking membership, at least some days of the week.
Go in shoulder season
In beach and island destinations, prices for accommodation can change a lot between high and low season. The city pages note where seasons matter most.
Questions
How much money do you need to be a digital nomad?
In the cheapest cities we price, a comfortable month costs around $1,000 to $1,500, including a furnished apartment, eating out, coworking, transport and data. In major Western European cities it's commonly $3,000 to $4,000. Flights, insurance and visas are extra.
Can you be a digital nomad on $1,000 a month?
In a handful of cities, yes, especially in Vietnam and Thailand on a lean budget. Most people find $1,500 to $2,000 gives a lot more choice of where to live.
What is the biggest cost for digital nomads?
Accommodation. A furnished one-bedroom is usually 40 to 60 percent of a monthly budget, which is why staying longer and renting by the month saves so much.
Where do these prices come from?
From sources we opened and link on each city page, such as rental platforms, coworking spaces, transport fare pages, carriers and menus. Each page shows when it was last checked.