More than ever, people are leaving traditional office jobs for the freedom and flexibility of the digital nomad lifestyle. With just a laptop and an internet connection, digital nomads are working from stunning beaches, bustling cities, and serene mountain towns—all while chasing personal and professional goals.
This article covers some of the main reasons from my opportunity working amongst the Digital Nomad and remote worker community for the last 2 years in South East Asia.
1. Cost of Living and High Taxes
In Australia, UK and most of the West, we are seeing one the largest wealth transfers with countless billions being funneled out from the working class and local economy to bail out a bankrupted economic system and embezzled away into god knows where.
This is reflected in soaring prices for everything despite, even for things the government has direct control over such as the Australia’s Passport soaring twice in 12 months to over $412! The reality is the governments need inflation and your rent, food, public transport and energy will not be getting any cheaper despite what they promise.
Living abroad offers a practical way to escape these soaring costs by giving the option of settling in affordable destinations like Thailand or Vietnam where money goes further, and where personal taxes rates are often lower. This by itself for most people enables a far higher quality of living on the same budget and the ability to start saving up and building wealth.
As housing and food costs skyrocket in many Western countries, more people are choosing this option of relocating instead of just grinding away falling deeper and deeper into financial hardship.
Escaping A Dying Country
Many people are not thriving or happy where they are, to put it short they see their country turning to shit in front of their eyes getting worse as each day goes by! Crimes once unheard of are now becoming perfectly normal and even tolerated by authorities, random street stabbings are a daily occurrence. In many modern cities you certainly wouldn’t let your women or children walk home at night.
This decline is paired with the collapse of essential services like healthcare and education whose systems are on the brink of failure thanks to budget cuts and high levels of immigration. To dampen public outcry, many Western governments including the UK and Australia have recently started resorting to online censorship to silence critics.
For those who see the writing on the wall and are fed up with it all, regions such as Eastern Europe and Southeast may be particular attractive due to their safer more stable growing economies. While these places are far from perfect, governments for the most part are seen to be working to improve the country and address the needs of the community.
It’s worth noting that it is not just individuals making the move—young families are also relocating abroad, seeking better opportunities and a brighter future for both themselves and their children as the long term situation appears unsalvageable.
Adventure and Freedom To Travel
On a more positive note, one of the best parts of being a digital nomad is the freedom to travel whenever you want and explore the world on your terms. Whether it’s hopping between countries or going away with friends for a few days to explore another part of the country.
A very common sight in Asia is the countless number of people keeping Coffee Shops afloat. Some spend a couple of hours a day getting their work done at a cafe before calling it a day and going to the beach as they travel or will work out of a local Co-Working space.
Earning a remote income as a Digital Nomad is seen as just a way of life to sustainably afford to do the things you love, there is no judgement that you should be working yourself to death in a cubicle.
Networking
The digital nomad lifestyle isn’t just about working alone starting your dropshipping empire.
Whether it’s connecting with fellow remote workers in coworking spaces, attending weekly meetups, or simply bumping into someone over dinner, the lifestyle can be invaluable in meeting like-minded people and expanding your professional network.
These connections often lead to new opportunities and lifelong friendships.
Pursuing Ideas and Opportunities
For hundreds of years, the quest to seek out new opportunity is the central driving reason why people choose to brave the unknown and risk everything going to foreign lands.
Many embark down this journey use this valuable opportunity to start a business or work on something they feel could be life hanging. From within friend circle, becoming a Digital Nomad has lead to individuals arriving with nothing more than a backpack transforming their life and making 6 figures after a few years of hard work.
Others sometimes take the opportunity to reskill, pursue further education, or learn something new—like mastering a language or achieve a lifegoal that they’ve always wanted to explore but never the opportunity to do so.
Being forced to reskill or opening your own company is a recurring reality for those in the IT industry who have been struggling to find employment or have laid off. If you are sitting on the fence – 41% of companies worldwide planning to reduce their workforces by 2030 due to AI according to the World Economic Forum, now is one of the most critical times to make this pivot if you are in at risk industry and don’t want to be left behind.
Creating a Better Healthier Lifestyle
One of the best things about being a digital nomad is breaking away from the 9-to-5 grind and creating a routine that actually works for you. One that you are happy in. Whether it’s starting the day with a morning run, cooking fresh meals or eating out at restaurants everyday.
It’s goes without saying that when you have control over your schedule it is easier to prioritise your well-being and has a big impact on both mental and physical health. Many find this lifestyle more productive and one that they could never imagine giving up.
Wrap Up
There are many reasons why people choose to adopt the Digital Nomad lifestyle and working abroad. Ultimately its a personal decision, and often one in search of creating a happier more fulfilling life.
Are you planning to relocate overseas? Let us know you’re motivations in the comments below