The allure of working abroad from exotic beaches, bustling cafés, or quiet mountain retreats makes the digital nomad lifestyle highly appealing. However, behind the Instagram-worthy images and youtube videos painting a perfect lifestyles lies a set of unique challenges that many overlook.
Here are some of the key obstacles digital nomads and expats face:
1. Maintaining a Stable Income & Employment
Not running out of money is the single largest challenge most Digital Nomads and expats face when first starting off. Without money you cannot feed yourself, book accommodation or even your flights home.
Many start their journey by doing freelance work or running an online business which often means fluctuating income streams. Even those who are employed and work remotely are often very dependent on a single income stream which if cutoff on short notice could spell disaster.
Not living in the country presents additional challenges when trying to find new employment. It is very rare to find an employer that allows remote work and will employ you without a meeting in person. As companies start to recall all staff back to the office, fully remote positions have become incredibly competitive.
When starting your journey, ensure you have a sufficient safety net and where possible multiple income streams. If not worrying about money will be on the back of your mind.
2. Time Zone Management
Working with clients or teams across multiple time zones can be tough. If not fully considered when choosing a destination can lead you to needing to work odd hours such as becoming nocturnal working nights or a disruptive schedule.
Generally sticking within 1 to 3 hours of your employer’s or clients’ time zone is the most comfortable and practical for many Digital Nomads.
3. Loneliness and Isolation
While the lifestyle offers freedom, it can also feel isolating.
Building lasting relationships and maintaining a support network is difficult when constantly on the move. This is a particularly big issue when living in a country with a native language which you don’t speak.
An example of this when living in Hanoi-Vietnam, I could go for an entire month without any meaningful conversation or interactions with anyone offline.
For those sticking around at their destination for a little longer this issue is a little less of a problem as you will start to form a social group if you try, but is still a very real problem.
4. Visa and Tax Complication’s
Ensuring your Visa is correct and keeping immigration happy is something on the mind of most Digital Nomads and Expats. This is especially true for those on 30/60 day tourist visas or live in countries such as Thailand which require TM30’s submitted everywhere you stay and 90 day reporting with strict penalties if you breach them.
After a few months of traveling you’ll be carrying a calendar working out exactly day you need to leave or be at immigration to get an extension!
Tax compliance is a controversial topic which many do not want to think about and for the most part hopes goes away, however the reality is it’s something you do need to consider. Programs such as CRS (Common Reporting Standard) force financial institutions to report the existence and balance of bank accounts from all over the world to your tax jurisdiction.
For individuals that could potentially be tax residency or obligations in multiple countries, this can become a very complex challenge.
5. Unreliable Internet Connections & Technical Issues
In many destinations, finding fast and reliable internet is no longer a problem. But dramas do occur from time to time and be a major challenge, especially for those who depend on it to earn a living and need to be online 100% of the time.
Having a backup internet connection is often a necessity, such as being able to hotspot off 5G sim card to at-least get online. In some situations like a power cut, both your Plan A (Fibre Optics) and Plan B (4G/5G) will both be down requiring some emergency planning such as making a trip to a co-working space!
Another consideration is it’s not uncommon for laptops, headsets, mice and other technological devices to fail at the worse time or get stolen. Ensuring you have backups of everything you need to start over and allocating a small budget to buy a new laptop in a hurry is a must!
6. Healthcare Access
Accessing reliable healthcare while traveling can both be easy and very complicated process depending on your circumstances. At the minimum you should at-least have decent healthcare insurance that covers you in the case of an emergency.
One of the problems with travel insurance is ‘non emergencies’ like dental or pre-existing conditions are not covered. An example of this that affected me personally was a Wisdom that became badly infected causing crippling pain while abroad and needed to be immediately surgically removed which insurances did not cover. Even this seemingly routine operation required rebooking flights, obtaining visa extensions, extending accommodation and taking unscheduled time off work.
Medical care will vary from non-existent that you can google yourself for a better answer to world-class hospitals depending on where in the world you are. If you have complex medical conditions this may be a factor in where you decide to travel as in some places certain medicines are hard to access and treatments not offered.
It is also a good idea to carry your medical history with you, such as what vaccinations you’ve had, any medical conditions or allergies as-well as basic information such as what blood type you are.
In more developing countries it is essential that you do not blindly follow the advice from the first doctor or pharmacist. In some cultures if the doctor does not prescribe you something, it means they are a bad doctor and often leads to the overprescription of strong medications, some of which can do a lot of harm. An example of this is the trend in Cambodia for doctors and hospitals to give every patient an IV Drip as they walk in the door and/or start giving mystery injections or tablets for ANY illness. If you have any doubts, get a second opinion and at the minimum Google what they are giving you!
I guess as a rule, where possible avoid getting hurt or going to hospital!
7. Homesickness
Being away from home, family, and the people you care for long periods can weigh heavily on expats. Missing significant events like birthdays, weddings, being invited to Christmas lunch’s, and even witnessing loved ones and pets getting older is especially tough. While technology helps bridge the gap and flights can get you back within a few days, the reality of missing out on important moments and not being there for the people who matter most is a rough sacrifice to make and one you cannot undo.
This distance often leads to a sense of cultural disconnect, especially if living in completely foreign cultures which do not celebrate events like Christmas. Many expat bars put on local meals and seasonal events which can be very useful for those far from home and wanting to meet other expats of similar nationalities.
8. Reverse Culture Shock
Returning home after an extended time abroad can sometimes feel just as jarring as adjusting to a new country. You may find that your values, priorities, perspective on life and even driving style have shifted, making it difficult to reintegrate into your home culture.
Despite these challenges, being a digital nomad can be incredibly rewarding. It’s a lifestyle that demands adaptability, resilience, and sometimes one of sacrifice .
Are you living and working overseas? What challenges do you feel impacted you the most?