Taking the leap and choosing to start a digital nomad lifestyle is a big decision. But choosing where to work is equally as difficult. With so many enticing destinations, how do you pick where to start and where to go next?

This list of five popular digital nomad destinations will help give you some inspiration on where to travel. From the chaotic city of Bangkok to the cosmopolitan Buenos Aires, there are plenty of places to choose from. Being a digital nomad requires some specific considerations when selecting a country or city to live in. You’ve got to consider internet speed and workspaces as well as cost of living, safety and all the usual cogitations. These top destinations offer the perfect balance of work and play for first time and experienced digital nomads.

Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon is an excellent European destination to consider moving to as a digital nomad. Digital nomads appreciate Lisbon’s lower cost of living, fantastic work life infrastructure, recreational activities, and cultural heritage; all making it an appealing place to work from.

Firstly, Lisbon is an excellent place to base yourself for further travel around Portugal. You can easily take weekend adventures to the Algarve, Porto, and Nazare. When you are not working there are also a plethora of things to do in Lisbon. There’s the market, St George’s Castle and Praça do Comércio, one of the most photographed places in Lisbon.

You know you’ll have fun in Lisbon, but what is it like to work as a digital nomad in the city? It’s good news on that front, as Lisbon has some fantastic coworking spaces for you to knuckle down and get your tasks done. There’s Avila Spaces located in the heart of the city center. It’ s lovely interior and large windows will certainly get your creative juices flowing. They also have a fully stocked kitchen, free unlimited coffee, and fast Wi-Fi.

Pros

• Great workspaces

• Affordable public transport

• Digital Nomad Visa available

Cons

• Crowded in peak season

Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok is a digital nomad destination where there is something for everyone. It’s a crazy, hectic, an assault on the senses, but an exciting city. In comparison to Western capital cities, Bangkok is the perfect place to have a good quality life on a lower budget.

There are a ton of coworking spaces in Bangkok where you can get work done whilst socializing with other digital nomads. Hubba is a well-known coworking space with two locations in Sathorn and Ekkamai 4. There’s also the coworking chain The Hive that has spaces across Asia.

A digital nomad life in Bangkok is what you make of it. You can live frugally in this big capital city, or you can end up spending a lot of money on foreign restaurants and activities. If there’s something true about Bangkok, it’s that there is always something to see and do.

Pros

• Tons of things to do

• Coworking spaces

• Incredible food

Cons

• Lots of traffic

Canggu, Bali, Indonesia

Canggu is a resort village on the southern side of Bali close to Denpasar. Canggu is surrounded by terraced rice paddy fields and is known for its popular beaches and good surfing conditions. Living in Bali allows you to live that idealistic digital nomad life, surrounded by lush rainforest, wildlife, and outdoor activities.

This area of Bali has become really popular with digital nomads in recent times.  Canggu offers the perfect balance between work and play. You can work in their coworking spaces or in a number of quaint cafes and then unwind at a yoga class or surfing at the beach. By living and working in Canggu you are not only striking a balance between city and village life, but you also get the island experience too. Whether you are working in a café or a coworking space there is always somewhere with fast internet.

Pros

• Safe place to live

• Good internet speeds

• Work-friendly cafes

Cons

• Unreliable healthcare

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai has become a top destination for expats and digital nomads alike. Located in the mountains in northern Thailand, Chiang Mai is a cultural hotspot surrounded by breathtaking scenery. The city of Chiang Mai alone has more than 300 Buddhist temples!

Digital nomads are drawn to the city because of its relatively cheap living costs, laid back lifestyle, remote work facilities and access to nature.

The only downside of living in Chiang Mai is “burning season”. Between January and March farmers burn their fields which creates dire air pollution. But the perk of being a digital nomad is you can plan to be in Chiang Mai between April and December to make the most of this incredible Thai city. Don’t let the pollution put you off, Chiang Mai is a digital nomad destination not to be missed.

Pros

• Good internet speeds

• Low cost of living

• Large nomad/expat community

Cons

• Burning season

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Perhaps you fancy jet setting off to South America? Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires is an excellent digital nomad destination. Buenos Aires is frequently cited as one of the best cities for digital nomads in Latin America. It is even a good city for those who are new to the world of digital nomadism. So, why is this city such a great place to live and work?

Buenos Aires has all the conveniences you could possibly want, and the low cost of living means you can live a very pleasant lifestyle.

There is also a significant digital nomad community in Buenos Aires. Digital nomads from all different sectors congregate in coworking spaces and cafes are frequented by laptop yielding individuals.

The other perk of heading to Argentina is that U.S. citizens are entitled to a 90-day visa which can be renewed by doing visa runs across the border to Uruguay. Being based in Buenos Aires means you can easily travel Chile, Brazil and Uruguay as well as traveling within Argentina. This city is ideal for flexible digital nomadism and exploring Latin America.

Pros

• Low cost of living

• Great coworking spaces

• Array of amenities

Cons

• English isn’t widely spoken