Digital Nomad Salary: How Much Do I Need to Make to Become a Digital Nomad?
The number of people working remotely while traveling has grown a lot in recent years. If you’re considering this lifestyle, it’s important to understand how much it costs and what kind of digital nomad salary you need to make it work.
Defining Your Digital Nomad Lifestyle
There are different ways people live as digital nomads. Some prefer to keep their spending low, while others choose a more comfortable or even luxury lifestyle. If you’re reading this, you’re probably planning to spend moderately or on a budget. That’s the focus of this article.
Your total costs will depend on where you go, how often you move, your housing choices, and what you need to work comfortably.
Key Costs to Consider as a Digital Nomad
1. Accommodation
Housing will likely be your biggest monthly cost. You can stay in places like short-term rentals, hostels, or coliving spaces. Airbnb is also an option, though usually not the cheapest for longer stays.
One of the best ways to find good deals is through Facebook groups or Facebook Marketplace. Many people share listings or offer sublets there. Your accommodation choices will have a direct impact on your monthly digital nomad salary needs.
2. Transportation
You’ll need to budget for flights, visas, and getting around locally. Flying less often helps keep costs down. Travel points or airline miles can also reduce expenses.
3. Food and Dining
Cooking your own meals usually saves money. Eating at local restaurants can also be cheap depending on the country. Western-style restaurants tend to cost more.
For example, eating out in Thailand can cost just a couple of dollars, while in Europe meals can be €10–€20 or more.
4. Workspace
Some people work from cafes, others use coworking spaces or set up a small home office. Coworking spaces often charge €100–€150 per month. It depends on your destination.
5. Health and Travel Insurance
Insurance is important. Providers like SafetyWing or Genki offer plans that cover both health and travel needs. If you want to know more, you can check out our blog post about best Digital Nomad insurances. But, long story short, expect to pay around €50-150 per month. (You can get a good travel coverage for about €50).
6. Entertainment and Leisure
Spending time on activities, going to the gym, or taking short trips will add to your monthly costs. It’s good to set aside €100 to €300 for this.
Budget Options: Popular Destinations
Here’s a rough breakdown of monthly living costs:
- Chiang Mai, Thailand: around €1,000-1200/month
- Hoi An, Vietnam: around €1000-1200/month
- Bali, Indonesia: around €1200-1500/month
These numbers include rent, food, transport, workspace, insurance, and some leisure.
Calculating Your Required Digital Nomad Salary
To estimate your own budget:
- Look at the expected monthly costs in your preferred locations.
- Add a bit extra for emergencies or savings (20% to 50% more is a good rule).
- You can use tools like Nomad List to get current cost info. (it’s not always 100% accurate, but can give some estimation)
Conclusion
The amount of money you need to live as a digital nomad depends on where you go and how you choose to live. In general, most people need between €1,200 and €2,000 per month to live in popular destinations comfortably. That’s a practical digital nomad salary for most budget or moderate lifestyles.
Planning ahead makes a big difference. Once you know your costs, you can figure out how much you need to earn and make decisions based on real numbers.
If you want to know more about cost of living as a digital nomad, we have a dedicated blog post about Bali. Also if you would like to read more about other destinations, visit our other blog posts.
Safe travels!
Kuba
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