The 7 Best Cities Around the World for Freelancers

Having the freedom to be your own boss and work on a variety of different projects is extremely attractive to some. Furthermore, the ability to access everything digitally and work remotely means you do not need to be stuck in your home office, let alone your country of birth, if you choose otherwise.

Being self-employed abroad can be a financial gamble for newbies, but there are some countries where things are looking rosy for digital nomads. Wherever you choose to settle, don’t forget to invest in international health insurance for digital nomads to ensure you’re protected.

Lisbon, Portugal

The Portuguese capital, Lisbon is creative and digitally evolving. The city is rich with co-working spaces, many of which are bright converted warehouses. Cafes have dedicated spaces for freelancers and there is an international bubble of young entrepreneurs carving their way in the world. With a highly evolved internet connection present in most places, Lisbon is the place to get online and surround yourself with like-minded people.

Medellin, Colombia  

Although Chile is often regarded as the place to be in The Americas as a freelancing nomad, Colombia is enjoying a digital boom. Medellin, the capital of Colombia’s Antioquia province, is a centre for innovation. A far cry from its days a drugs capital, Medellin is now a safe and vibrant city with a large expat population. With an exciting nightlife, cheap work space and warm temperatures you can easily understand why freelancers are choosing the Colombian metropolis as a work hub.

Chiang Mai, Thailand

It is no secret that Chiang Mai, Thailand, is a mecca for the digitally savvy. Many travellers who want to settle down to some work find themselves in the city due to its strong Wi-Fi, cheap living costs, good weather and hospitable locals. Many of the cafes are dominated by self-employed digital gurus and have morphed into work spaces over the years. During the winter months, the population is a mix of all ethnicities as freelancers escape the cold for 30°C heat and cold beers.

London, United Kingdom

Whilst London is not the most affordable place to live, there are 9 million people calling it home. With an infinite amount of networking opportunities and creative agencies to tap into, it is relatively easy for self-employed digital bods to find themselves new projects and work. There are trendy co-working spaces the length and breadth of the city, however, most cafes welcome freelancers with open arms too.

Florianopolis, Brazil

Few have heard of Florianopolis, but it is the capital of Brazil’s Santa Catarina state; a land-connected island. However, with the chance of a surf at lunch and a blossoming entrepreneurial scene, it is fast becoming the place to be for those in the digital industry.

Often shortened to Floripa, the city tends to be English speaking in the most and boasts great internet connectivity and a plethora of co-working spaces, some with coastal views.

Tallinn, Estonia

Recently championed as the best city in Europe to find employment, Tallinn is also a start-up hub and freelancers from all over the world flock to the Baltic city. Affordable living, unparalleled internet access and widespread use of English are just a snippet of the city’s benefits. The old factories in the trendy district of Kalmaja have been turned into light and airy co-working spaces and it is just a short trot to the medieval Old Town for a drink after work.

Cape Town, South Africa

Many shudder when they consider Cape Town’s power outages and sometimes patchy internet service. However, if you find the right spot, freelancing in South Africa’s Mother City can be a dream come true. Also known as Silicon Cape due to its ever-evolving technology scene, work spaces are rich and full of countless different self-employed professionals. However, whipping out your laptop to work by the beach or with Table Mountain in the distance makes up for any negatives easily.

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