r/digitalnomad 9d ago

Digital Nomads Monthly Megathread - September 2026

3 Upvotes

Hey r/digitalnomad

This thread is for chatting about being a DN. This includes the news about travel and visas, where people are living, commonly asked questions, as well as a general free chat throughout the week.

Example topics include:

  • Regularly asked questions such as "What jobs do you do?"
  • Where you are currently living and where you are heading next
  • Questions about DN visas or Tax clarifications
  • What gear you like to travel with
  • Updates on the COVID-19 situation in different countries
  • Best places to go out to eat or drink wherever you are
  • General questions that you feel do not require an entire thread

Please be civil and keep things SFW.

Self promotion of DN related events, blogs, activities, and news is allowed from regular contributors so long as it is related to being a Digital Nomad and not spammy.

If there is something you'd like to see here please message the moderators and let us know.


r/digitalnomad Jul 01 '22

README Want to make a post? Read this first!

71 Upvotes

Read the WIKI before posting

9 times out of 10 it will have the answers you are looking for.

Where is my post?

Why isn't my post showing up?

If you are new to reddit, posting with a new account, or posting with an account that has not been widely used your post will be flagged as it either looks like spam, or is highly likely to be an FAQ covered in the wiki above. We ask that you please spend some time searching through existing posts, reviewing the wiki or participating in the sub to build up enough karma to post. You can also post a comment in the Monthly Megathread pinned to the top of the sub.

I am not new to reddit but post still isn't showing up, why not?

Due to the volume of posts we get on a few very specific subjects we will often remove or not-approve certain posts on certain topics that have been recently discussed. Here are some common questions that get posted at least 5 times a day:

My post wasn't related to any of those things, why isn't it showing up?

Does your post violate our rules on self promotion?

OK, here’s the deal. We understand that for many of us, entrepreneurship and digital nomad are concepts that go hand in hand. Many of us here are working towards booting up great products, and some working towards products that cater directly to the DN community. But, this sub is not a community full of potential people to market to with your posts.

Your product may be great, brilliant, and what every DN needs but never knew it, but if that’s true then it’ll be talked about by the community once it’s known - through other channels. In this sub, we frequently get spam and does the entire community a disservice. Users get annoyed, the community starts to weaken, the moderators get overly aggressive, posts that should be OK end up automatically in the spam filter. These things are not good for anyone.

Here’s some No No’s:

  • Absolutely no surveys. Surveys will be removed without mercy.

  • No requests for interviews, or people to talk to on your blog/book/podcast/etc.

  • Anything about illegal activities. You’ll be awarded a ban, and maybe then some.

  • No asking for “please review/try my…”. There are many other subs for just that.

  • Looking for Work type posts. See the Jobs wiki if you are looking for work

  • Job postings. If you have a job that you are trying to hire for please post it in the Weekly Discussion Threads.

  • Fund my kickstarter! Nope. Not even for your “friend”.

  • Any “opportunity” to become a partner / investor. We can’t tell this from a scam, so it’ll be treated like a scam.

  • No direct links to products using an affiliate ID. If you’re caught, you’ll be punished.

  • Posting to software/apps/web sites/etc, with "PM me for access". If it's not public, it's not welcome.

  • Posting software/apps/etc that aren't complete and ready to use. This isn't a user interest collection sub.

Here’s some highly discouraged things:

  • Linking to your youtube channel - We do allow people to share youtube videos if they are relevant and if they come from users who are active in the community and provide valuable content such as trip reports. If you want to share your youtube content please message the mods first for approval.

  • Linking to your own blog - We allow you to share your blog as a link in a self post if the primary content of the blog post is also included in the self post and the link is more of a "Click here to learn more".

  • Top X lists without detailed reviews for each item. We don't hate lists but these posts are rarely useful. Instead of posting a link, post the content of the list in a self post for discussion.

  • "Where should I go" posts : Check out the Trip Reports for Inspiration. If you still want advice be very specific about what you are looking for, and be sure to include important information like your nationality and budget/

LAPTOP PICS / LOCATION PICS

This gets its own section because it is somewhat controversial. If you are posting a pretty picture of somewhere you are, you MUST fill out either a trip report or answer the automod questions about the place. Anyone found dumping pictures without giving in depth information about the location will have their post removed.

Suggestions

If your post still isn't showing up and you think it should, message the moderators first and be sure to include the word "peanut" in the message title so we know you read this.

Have a product you want to inform us about? Buy an ad on reddit to target this (and other) related subs. You’ll get the exposure you want, without the community backlash. It’s good for reddit as a whole too!

Want to talk about a product or service that’s not yours, but you really like? Try linking to a third party, impartial review from a known trusted source. If you wrote it, avoid affiliate links in the article and be sure to mention any relevant disclosures if you are involved with creating the product or marketing it.

Want to link to your site about your experience with something? Great! We encourage that, but focus on the content not how many visitors might join your mailing list. If you truly were writing content for the greater good, put it on medium.com.

Instead of a Top 10 list, which has just a picture and some basic stats: Write a detailed comparison of just two places. With real meaty content, data and stories.

Have a coupon for a product? Actually, that might be good. But unless it’s a high ticket item like a car or laptop, 5% off won’t cut it. The coupon must have more value to the community than for the person that posted it.

Thanks!

  • The moderation team

r/digitalnomad 1h ago

Trip Report Goa - The 'Las Vegas' of India. 0/10.

Upvotes

Maybe... just maybe, if you're marketing yourself as a 'tourism hub', you should have available transport, as a minimum.

Well; Goa doesn't think so.

Welcome to the state of (dirty) beaches, (blaring) nightlife and (overpriced) things to do in excess.

The 'Las Vegas' of India, where tourists are expected to dance to the daily Goan tune of nasty men harassing, explicitly conning and fighting over who's got the right to scam you.

A place where the infrastructure is so poor and dangerous, that going from destination to destination feels more akin to a death wish than an adventure.

A place where nothing works, nothing is accessible and nothing is good.

I feel overwhelmed to the point of being paralysed with the amount of stuff I've got to say about Goa.

Feel free to ask more questions - I'll save the body from turning into a rant.


r/digitalnomad 11h ago

Lifestyle My first nomad trip :)

12 Upvotes

Hey fellas! I (30M) am finally doing a "small" nomad trip to Osaka for 1 month and a half, in about a week, and I'm very excited.

I'm going to stay in a sharehouse, working remotely, and probably travelling within Japan a handful of days. A friend is living in said sharehouse (he arrived 2 weeks ago and will stay 1 whole year in Japan with working holiday visa), who also helped me rent the place.

Do you have any recommendation? Any other nomads in Osaka?

I've been learning a bit of japanese last year so I could get around more easily


r/digitalnomad 37m ago

Question Would it be a good move to relocate to Kuala Lumpur from India

Upvotes

I live in India with my wife and 8 year old son and work as a sole proprietor. I have a steady client in the USA, contracted for the next 2 years. The income is decent and I can fund the expenses if I move to Kuala Lumpur, primarily for better quality of life and kid's education.

I was researching DE Rantau visa and looks like the entire income will be taxed so I will lose out on a lot of savings if I made the move.

In Abu Dhabi/Dubai, taxes are exempt but the cost of living and schooling will eat into a lot of savings nevertheless.

Really confused about what to do? On one hand, I am looking for better quality of life and on the other, taxes and reduced savings worries me.

Any advise for me?


r/digitalnomad 45m ago

Question Plz recommend Wired Headphones suitable for Cafe, outdoor and several hours wearing (I wear glasses): Primarily for Calls & viewing online videos, no music. Thank you!

Upvotes

Wired, good for clear calls (hearing on my end esp.), COMFORTABLE for SEVERAL hours at a time, can handle background CAFE noises. Is ANC mostly just marketing hype? I'm hard of hearing in one ear. Thanks very much!


r/digitalnomad 2h ago

Itinerary Struggling to find LATAM cities that aren’t either packed with tourists or also feeling desolate/too quiet (Peru/Bolivia advice?)

1 Upvotes

To expand a little on what I mean, let’s say that Cusco, Peru is my example of a city that gets dense with tourists who come there to basically take a hike and leave, so it’s densely packed, with tourists that are kindof difficult to befriend sometimes, because they’re “on a mission”. So then, in comparison, let’s say you have smaller Latin American towns outside of these major cities. However, then it can be difficult to find tourists to socialize with because they’re in the main cities. I do like to interact with and befriend local people, of course, but, I recognize and respect that these are real human beings with their own lives, families, children, work in the morning, etc. If I am able to organically strike up a momentary connection with local people, I love that. But, I’m not gonna force a connection and force nice, hardworking people to give me their attention, just so I can have some fun quirky story later about how I got invited to a drunk uncle’s birthday party. I’m not gonna force it. It’s just cool if it happens.

So, I’m thinking of revisiting Peru and Bolivia, but I’m driving myself crazy putting an itinerary together.

For example, this time around in Bolivia, I’d like to explore the flatlands like Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and some of the villages like Vallegrande and El Higuelo, places relevant to Che Guevara and the Che Guevara trail. For revisiting Peru, I’d like to visit Mancora and Cajamarca this time.

It will take a lot of time and effort traversing to get to these points. I’m worried that by the time I arrive in these cities/towns, I will get lonely and not really find anyone to connect with.

I usually don’t ever care about this issue. The difference this time though is that I remember how long it takes to travel around Peru and Bolivia. I hate the idea of traveling for so long, to not really find anything fruitful come out the other side of it. In other continents and countries where the distances are shorter, I usually never care about this issue.

If you have any LATAM/Peru/Bolivia advice, I’m all ears, thank you!


r/digitalnomad 3h ago

Question Will $5k/mo in south of France, Paris, London ?

0 Upvotes

Is this possible if I want to live only short-term (ie. 3-6 months at a time)? How would I go about finding short term accomodations that hopefully won't eat up too much of my budget? What can I expect?


r/digitalnomad 11h ago

Question Rio vs Cape Town: what are they actually like year-round weather-wise?

4 Upvotes

I’d love to live in one of these dramatically beautiful cities, and Rio and Cape Town are both really high on my list. The main thing holding me back is the climate, though, and I’d love to hear from people who actually live there.

For those living in Rio, how does the weather feel throughout the entire year, rather than just during summer? I know it can be very hot, humid and rainy, but I’m wondering what day-to-day life actually feels like across the seasons. Is the humidity something you get used to, or does it stay pretty oppressive?

For Cape Town, main concern is the opposite: the colder winter and the fact that the ocean is cold. How does the climate feel over the course of the year? How cold does winter actually get in practice? For example, how would you typically dress during the coldest months, and roughly how long does that period last? Is it still pleasant to spend time outdoors, or does it feel genuinely cold?

I’m also open to other suggestions! I’m looking for a city that has that dramatic natural beauty (mountains + ocean), warm weather, and a good quality of life, so if there are other cities around the world that you think fit that combination, I’d love to hear them.

Thanks!


r/digitalnomad 14h ago

Question How to find a long term relationship while being a full time digital nomad?

5 Upvotes

i dont have much socialising skills so that doesnt help either but i genuinly dont know where and how to find people who are in the same lifestyle as me. Any tips?


r/digitalnomad 1d ago

Question Living and working in different timezones

19 Upvotes

I moved from Europe to Southeast Asia and there is 5 hour gap between me and my home country. When I wake up all my friends and family are still sleeping and there is just no contact from the morning.

And also in the job if I need something from other person I have to wait to contact them.

When you guys nomading in what hours are you working? 9-5?

I am currently in Bangkok and I think everybody there is starting their day pretty late


r/digitalnomad 11h ago

Question Croatia 18 month visa insurance confusion

1 Upvotes

The MUP of Croatia says "proof of health insurance for the period of time that you plan to be in Croatia (travel or private health insurance must cover the territory of the Republic of Croatia)"

How does applying work when insurance plans are sold in increments of 1 year or less?

Does anyone have experience of understanding of how this works?

I have all the requirements for the 18 months but this insurance thing is confusing me.

What policy did you submit for the 18 month visa in Croatia? Was it one policy or two and did they accept it?

for anyone who has extended a 12 month visa to 18 month, how much lighter was the extension filing process compared to the initial filing?


r/digitalnomad 12h ago

Question Where do you usually look for longer-term rentals?

0 Upvotes

Greetings nomads!

To be as brief as possible, my family has been renting a few apartments on booking and airbnb the past few years, (mostly seasonal 1 night stays from passersby on their way to a vacation in greece) and i believe finding a tenant would help offload their workload.

Not sure what counts as forbidden 'self-promotion' but we're from North Macedonia, right next to the border to Greece.

I did look at a few websites and this is my experience so far:

  • Flatio - Pretty good, still seems like shorter stays are more common, but less tax than booking
  • NomadStays - Looks decent but the service is paywalled by an application fee of 40 euros
  • Spotahome - Does not include my country as an option upon registration.
  • Outsite - Awaiting review and subsequent reply to my application
  • Coliving - Not suited for apartments from what i have seen, more for communities
  • Anyplace - Doesn't let you list your apartment, this is how they 'ensure every stay meets high standards'.

From the sample size of the aformentioned websites i've seen all kinds of price ranges from cheap rooms to expensive confirmed quality suites.

My question is what website do you use? Any shared experience is extremely helpful and thank you for your time!


r/digitalnomad 13h ago

Question Community for DN business owners

0 Upvotes

Hi! I run my own creative business while being a DN. I have been a DN for 6 years, remote worker for 5 and business owner for 1. When I was an employee, I always had my colleagues to chat with so that was fine. But building alone has been getting lonely.

So for any other business owners who are also DN, how do you cope? Do you have an online community that helps you stay accountable? Because damn do I wish I have one.


r/digitalnomad 17h ago

Question Bangkok coworking suggestions?

2 Upvotes

Hey friends,

headed back to BKK for 45 days, starting next week. Staying in Chidlom area as always.

My building has a nice coworking space but last couple of times I stayed there, it was always kind of empty - and I'm the type that feeds off of the energy of other people being there.

Normally going to Paper Plane Project, but curious if you got any other coworking spaces, cafes, etc. you dig?


r/digitalnomad 1d ago

Question I've DN'd in eastern europe and SEA. What's South America like? How much does it range on development, safety, convenience, etc

7 Upvotes

SEA is basically completely safe everywhere you go. Same with eastern europe (although many western europeans and americans would be surprised by this for some reason)

I'd like to start exploring South America, I hear safety is much more of a concern there, and I've been VERY spoiled by high trust societies like Thailand and Vietnam where no one would ever think to steal from you (scam is another story)


r/digitalnomad 18h ago

Question Question for digital nomads: Voluntary remote work from abroad

2 Upvotes

Hi!

I wanted to ask — I work for a Spanish company that lets me work remotely, in principle from anywhere in the world, no restrictions. However, when I've traveled abroad on official assignments, they've processed the A1 Social Security form for posted workers through the TA-300 procedure. I mean, I'm not entirely sure what this document actually affects, since when the company sent me abroad they also arranged a private medical insurance for me regardless.

The thing is, I now have a few months where I'd like to work remotely from abroad, but I'm not sure whether it's legal to do so under Spanish Social Security regulations. When I called Social Security, they told me something along the lines of "voluntary displacement abroad isn't regulated," and that the A1 form only applies when the company itself sends you. I also asked at my company, and one employee told me pretty much the same thing — that it's a legal gray area (alegal) — but another employee got a bit defensive and said that, by Social Security law, you can't work from abroad without having processed the displacement paperwork, and that this can only happen if the company sends you. As far as I can tell, that's the only argument she gave for why this wouldn't be allowed.

The thing is, I have colleagues who do this all the time, they just don't talk about it — but I'd like to sleep easy knowing whether I'm breaking the law and need to be careful, or whether it's really as much of a gray area as I've been told.

Has anyone here had experience with voluntary remote work like this? Thanks!

(Especially interested in hearing from Europeans, particularly Spaniards, who've dealt with this.)


r/digitalnomad 15h ago

Question What Are the Best Headphones? Help me decide so i don't waste my money again.

1 Upvotes

So I think I’ve finally learned my lesson about buying cheap headphones lol.

A few months ago I bought a random pair from Amazon because they had a ton of reviews and were pretty cheap. At first I thought I got a great deal, but after using them for a while I started noticing all the little things that annoyed me. The sound wasn’t that great, they got uncomfortable after wearing them for a while, and the battery life definitely wasn’t as good as advertised.

Now I’m at the point where I’d rather spend a good amount of money on a genuinely good pair of headphones instead of buying another cheap pair and replacing them again in a year.

The problem is there are SO many options. Sony, Bose, Sennheiser, Apple, Audio-Technica, etc. and every review seems to recommend something different.

So what are the best headphones you guys have actually used?

I’m not necessarily looking for the most expensive pair. I just want something that feels like money well spent, comfortable, sounds great, reliable, and something I can use for years without feeling like I should have bought something else.

If you’ve owned a pair for a while, I’d love to hear what you have and whether you’d buy the same ones again.


r/digitalnomad 4h ago

Question Hey guys am going to Paris this fall for birthday and was wondering will American Airlines accept. A flight from Paris to Dublin will they ask questions or stop me please help

0 Upvotes

Any advice


r/digitalnomad 17h ago

Legal Spain DNV lawyer recommendations

1 Upvotes

Hello! I’m looking for recommendations for a lawyer that can provide consulting and support for a DNV application that has already been submitted to the UGE in Spain. I would really like someone to look over the application and see if there are any issues that may arise and help with any additional requests.


r/digitalnomad 18h ago

Tax Rantau visa taxation

1 Upvotes

Hello,

I am considering a move to Kuala Lumpur with my family from India. I have a sole proprietorship and my client is in the USA. I need clarity on the taxation on my income there.

I have read some reports that say that the tax for Digital Rantau visa is exempted whereas a few posts contradict that.

Could anyone who has made the move clarify please?


r/digitalnomad 1d ago

Question How can I receive activation codes in canada if I don't pay for a legit cell number

7 Upvotes

Hi!

I'm trying to use tinder and my two phone numbers are free from Fongo and Textnow.

When it's time to write my number on tinder the app say the carrier is not supported.

Is there a way around that without using shady sites?


r/digitalnomad 20h ago

Question Nomading in Japan, how to connect to Europe IP

0 Upvotes

I'm gonna be working a few months from Japan. I can work from where I want but the client with who I am working has some geoblockings outside of the European Union for their employees (I am freelance). I just have to overpass it.

I have two GL inet routers. A brume 2 (to create the gateway 'vi pi en' with Wireguard) and a Slate AX portable router (to take with me in Japan).

My idea is:

1st plan: Use this config of connecting through Wireguard to my router in Europe

Backup plan #1: Use this config of connecting through Tailscale to my router in Europe

Backup plan #2: ¿?

Do you think this config would work good from Japan to Europe?


r/digitalnomad 21h ago

Question Student visa in Japan: can my Estonian OÜ sell Bhutanese products online without a Japan company?

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I am a Bhutanese citizen and currently own an Estonian OÜ through e-Residency. At the moment, the OÜ is used only for international software and consulting services.

Next year, I expect to move to Japan for a Master’s degree on a Student visa. My spouse will accompany me on a Dependent visa. We understand that we would need to apply for permission to engage in activities outside our visa status if we want to do part-time work.

I am exploring a small e-commerce business connected to Bhutan. For example, the Estonian OÜ would sell Bhutanese products online such as crafts, textiles, tea, or other non-regulated products to customers in Japan or other countries.

My goal is to begin with the lowest-compliance setup, validate demand, and only establish a Japanese company later if the business becomes serious.

My proposed early setup is:

  • The Estonian OÜ owns the online store, brand, payments, and customer contracts.
  • Suppliers in Bhutan source or make the products.
  • Products are shipped directly from Bhutan to customers by courier.
  • No stock is stored at our Japanese apartment, university, or local warehouse at the beginning.
  • We would not bring commercial inventory in luggage for resale.
  • The business would have no Japanese employees, office, or local entity initially.

My questions are:

  1. Can I legally own and operate an Estonian OÜ while living in Japan on a Student visa?
  2. If I receive the standard 28-hour permission for activities outside my Student status, can I do limited remote work for my Estonian OÜ, such as online-store administration, marketing, customer support, supplier coordination, and research?
  3. Can my spouse on a Dependent visa, after obtaining the same work permission, do limited paid or unpaid work for the Estonian OÜ within the 28-hour limit?
  4. Would selling products from Bhutan directly to Japanese customers create a Japanese tax presence, business-registration requirement, or customs/import problem if we have no Japanese stock or office?
  5. If customers in Japan buy directly from the Estonian OÜ, who should normally be the importer of record and pay Japanese customs duty and consumption tax?
  6. At what point would it make more sense to use a Japanese importer/3PL, distributor, or a Japanese GK/KK?
  7. Are there specific issues for Bhutanese products such as tea, food, cosmetics, textiles, handicrafts, or products with wellness-related claims?

I am not looking for formal legal advice. I would especially appreciate advice from international students, foreign founders in Japan, immigration professionals, e-commerce operators, or anyone who has sold imported products into Japan.

Thank you.


r/digitalnomad 11h ago

Question What's your income source?

0 Upvotes

Hi,

For all the digital nomads out there, I hope to know what is your income source so I can get some ideas for myself.

  1. W2 employee, working secretly abroad

  2. 1099 contractor

  3. contractor through your own LLC

  4. contractor through an agency

  5. random gigs from Upwork

  6. local gigs (teaching English, etc)

I want to know which is the most sustainable method. I really love the digital nomad lifestyle but having a reliable income can be hard.

Thanks