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Forget Paris, Barcelona, London and the like: if you’re a digital nomad on a European quest for a better quality of life, higher security levelsgreat connectivity – and even culture – your destination may be further east than you might have initially suspected:
Eastern Europe does chock full with digital nomads, and or Nomad list‘s ranking of the best places to live in the Old Continent is all we can deduce, all your usual Western hotspots are losing momentum as once-overlooked destinations start to catch up.
Eastern cities in particular seem to suffer from this biggest increase when visiting nomads, and it’s time we look at why:
Prague, Czech Republic
The capital of the former socialist Czech Republic, Prague has a historic center packed with monuments, including an iconic square flanked by Gothic buildings, a 15th-century bridge, ornate Baroque churches and a hilltop castle that is among the largest in the world.
It’s called the City of the Hundred Towersand good luck climbing Petrin Hill in an attempt to count them all (we never got past maybe 30 ourselves).
Besides the obvious timeless beauty and cultural might that would appeal to Europhiles, Prague is just as attractive to digital nomads: it is one of the highest ranked European cities in terms of economy. Nomad list currently, with near perfect scores across the board.
Nomads love it because of how safe it feels compared to much of Western Europe, where cities like Paris, Barcelona and London have seen crime rise considerablevibrant social scene – Prague’s cosmopolitanism should not be underestimated – and a numerous laptop-friendly cafes.
That said, it’s not one of the cheapest nomad destinations east of the gorge, nor the most hospitable:
Monthly expenses total $3,038 to live in (a month’s stay on Airbnb costs $1,052 – $1,611, and consumer prices have increased), and based on Nomad list reviews, the perception of racial bias is higher among non-European residents, but the good far outweighs the bad.
Skopje, North Macedonia
Capital of a landlocked Balkan state that, like the Czech Republic, Also had a socialist past, Skopje is one surprisingly relaxed city crossed by a picturesque river, with the usual cobbled Old Town and hilltop castle – and plenty of festive kitschy statues.
Seriously, we doubt there’s any other European city with a higher concentration of sculptures per square kilometer than Skopje: from Alexander the Great proudly mounting his horse to the pious Mother Teresa (who was born here), there are larger-than-life icons scattered everywhere.
Of course, taking selfies with Skopje’s infamous rows of effigies isn’t the main reason nomads come here: North Macedonia is both outside the European Union and And the Eurozone, so needless to say, bureaucracy and prices are much lower here.
1 US dollar is equal to 56.86 Macedonian denars, and considering the national minimum wage is only 22,567 MKD, or about $400 – as reported by Wage indicator––you can guess how much further your hard-earned IT dollars will go in Skopje.
We’re talking $539 per month for an apartment in the city center, within walking distance of all shops, cafes and main attractions, kebabs for around $6.18 in the Old Bazaar, or $30 for a more luxurious dinner for two in a mid-range restaurant.
Affordability and the absence of strict Schengen rules seem to be the two biggest draws here Nomad list respondents reported that ‘fun levels’ are just ‘okay’, and nightlife as ‘bad’, but if you ever feel the need for something cheap enough For some peace and quiet, look no further than quirky Skopje.
Warsaw, Poland
One of the most innovative and fastest growing business centers in the East, Warsaw is not the typical European city with postcard-like streets radiating Old World allure and the fairytale castle on a hill, but it has something that the others lack:
It’s as cosmopolitan as Europe gets after London, with towering skyscrapers as far as the eye can see, man-made parks nestled amid the concrete jungle that will bring back your fondest memories of Manhattan, and a thriving social scene. just a true global capital can offer.
The visiting nomad may wonder how exactly Warsaw came to be this way, while many of its counterparts are, you know, more on the strange side of things, but the truth is that much of the historic city was destroyed by bombing in World War II.
Tree. Away. Literally razed to the ground and rebuilt from the 1950s onwards.
That’s why, today, when you walk through modernism-dominated Warsaw, you experience more “America” vibes than “Europe” – except meIt has retained its walkabilitythe standard of living, and (at least part) of the age-old culture.
Warsaw’s Old Town, a reconstruction of the former medieval center, features a high concentration of cafes and pastry shops where nomads are more than welcome to sit and relax for a while (you might even spot a strange 14th-century structure see that it survived the bombing).
However, Mokotów is all about the shopping centres, including one of Warsaw’s busiest, Galeria Mokotów, and the boisterous nightlife: On Puławska Street you will find the city’s trendiest cocktail bars and brewpubs.
In Bielany, a more laid-back, quiet neighborhood on the banks of the scenic Vistula River, nomads can enjoy peaceful riverside walks and plentiful green spaces, and let’s not forget unusual Powiśle, famous for its quirky art galleries and bistro scene.
As you might have guessed, despite the amazingness that would put it on par with all of Western Europe’s greatest city breaks, living in Warsaw costs $2,812 per monthas reported by Nomad listand the big plus is safety:
You might expect a city of such a large size – 1.7 million inhabitants – to be overrun by crime and other deep-seated urban problems, but that is certainly not the case in Warsaw, where harm is unlikely to come to you if you walk alone runs. night as a woman, and violent crime is (usually) unheard of.
Murphy’s Law once stated that anything can go wrong shall go wrong, but that doesn’t change the fact that the security level in Warsaw is higherand so your risk of being affected by a crime is subsequently lower.
Tbilisi, Georgia
Georgian Tbilisi, the rising star of Eurasia, is an ancient queen famous for its eclectic architecture, spanning periods of Persian, medieval, Imperial Russian and socialist influence, its picturesque Old Town, and most recently, for reinventing itself like a nomad center:
Right now it’s the highest mapped city in Europe Nomad listand to the uninformed observer this may seem a little surprising given Georgia’s relative anonymity, but we’re here to shed some light on it:
Unlike the American state of the same name, this country is not so much associated with peaches as with wine and centuries-old Orthodox churches..
As for Tbilisi itself, it is proof That you can with one foot in Europe and another in Asia and get the best of both worlds.
It has a distinctly European feel, with wide boulevards lined by stately palatial complexes and ornate building facades, and the usual characteristic squares and fairytale castle on a hillBut as nomads have happily reported, it is comparable in price to Central Asia.
A modest meal at a cheap downtown restaurant will cost you $10, or the equivalent in Georgian lari, while a more elaborate dinner for two at a fancy restaurant in the more expensive Bambis Rigi will likely set you back a reasonable $44.20.
As for Airbnbs, monthly rental prices in Tbilisi have certainly become more expensive in recent years due to the influx of nomads – and Russians and Ukrainians fleeing conflict in Eastern Europe – but there are still apartments for a surprisingly affordable $665 – $745 per month on Airbnb.
Tbilisi’s unparalleled cafe scene is yet another compelling factor for remote workers. Places like Fabrika, Coffee LAB and Lui Coffee cater to an international audience and are well equipped to accommodate English-speaking guests.
Last but certainly not least: most nomads – and certainly Americans – can stay a whole year visa-free in Tbilisithanks to Georgia’s generous open visa policy.
Read more about it here.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
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