How To Become A Digital Nomad: Your Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide
I get asked this question or see it online often: how do I become a digital nomad? How can I myself travel the world while working? 🌎💻
There is no easy answer to this question, as there isn’t a defined path to becoming nomadic.
However, I put together this ultimate guide to show you how to become a digital nomad. I tried to cover as many scenarios as possible… there are probably more options, but most are subsets of the ones presented here.
Before I dive in, I’ll say that a lot depends on your passport. The truth is that depending on where you’re from, more or fewer doors (countries) will be open and easily available to you.
Before focusing on the HOW, I want to clarify the WHAT.
What is a digital nomad? I think a lot of people make it more complicated than it is, and also romanticize it way too much.
A digital nomad is a person who makes money online and has some level of location independence.
It is actually that simple.
Being a digital nomad means you are not tied to a specific place to earn money; therefore, you can move around. Some move frequently and far away, others less often and stay closer to home.. But that’s just a matter of personal preference and logistics… the concept stays the same.
A digital nomad is not someone on vacation. Most nomads live a pretty regular life, but in various locations throughout the year.
I wrote a post about the 10 biggest misconceptions about digital nomads that might help you understand and see if this is for you or not.
This is important because once you understand the definition and what it is (and is not), it’s much easier to think about how to make it happen (even though it might not be easy to actually do it!).
As the definition states, there are 2 core components to becoming (and being) a digital nomad:
💰 Money: you need some sort of income to sustain your living.
🌍 Location: you need some logistics in place to travel around.
I’m going to break down those 2 elements, listing the options available to most of us. This will give you all the information you need to get started on your journey and make a plan to get there!
💰 Money
I’m starting with money because it enables the lifestyle. Without a sustainable source of money, it’s tough (any lifestyle is tough without money anyway).
Note: I’m assuming digital nomads work to earn money. I won’t cover the scenario of living from investments and full passive incomes… because at that point you’re not really a digital nomad anymore but just a traveler.
So, how to make money? That’s the million-dollar question, right?
I don’t know any magic formula, and I haven’t seen money growing anywhere that I could easily pick up.
In our world, most of us need to work to make money.
Option 1: Remote job 👩💻
A lot of people think digital nomads are all freelancers, entrepreneurs, or day-trader/crypto bros… but actually many nomads are remote employees.
To be nomadic, you need a remote job.
Those were non-existent a few decades ago, but the rise of technology and internet enabled the opportunity for some lucky ones to work from the comfort of their home or any other connected location.
Here are some examples of jobs that can be done remotely:
Creative & Design: Designer, Video Editor, Animator, Illustrator, Photographer, UX/UI Specialist, Creative Director, Content Creator
Writing & Content: Copywriter, Content Writer, Editor, Proofreader, Blogger, Ghostwriter
Marketing & Communications: Social Media Manager, Digital Marketer, SEO Specialist, Email Marketer, Community Manager, Marketing Strategist
Tech & Development: Developer, Data Analyst, QA Tester, IT Support, Tech Consultant
Business & Admin: Virtual Assistant, Project Manager, Operations Manager, Customer Support, Sales Rep, Account Manager
Education & Coaching: Online Educator, Language Tutor, Coach (life, business, health), Course Creator
Finance & Legal: Bookkeeper, Accountant, Financial Consultant, Admin Assistant, Legal Consultant
As you can see, the range is pretty broad, and I’m probably forgetting plenty.
What I want to show here is that you don’t need to have a super techy job to work remotely. You need some sort of basic tech knowledge to work online… but it’s not a privilege reserved only for developers or content creators.
So you have 2 options here:
If you have a job that could be done remotely, talk with your employer about going remote. It might require some negotiation and compromises, but if you don’t ask, you won’t get anything. Be strategic; if your employer is not enthusiastic about the idea, show them that you can deliver by having a “test” period working from home for 60 days. Once you have proof that you can do your job as efficiently as you did from the office (or even better), have another chat.
If your current job cannot be done remotely at all (for whatever reason—position not suited or employer doesn’t want to), or if you don’t have a job… then look for a new job. We saw a rise of remote job listings in 2020/2021; since then many companies have reinstated some return-to-office mandates… but there are still plenty of opportunities out there. I’ll be honest, there is a lot of competition as well, as you might be competing with a global market instead of a local pool. But with patience, perseverance, and dedication, you can do it. I won’t teach you how to get a job, but start by updating your CV and applying!
✅ PRO: Stable and secure income, massively reducing stress levels. Allows planning ahead.
❌ CON: You might be limited geographically by time zones or company rules.
Option 2: Self-employed/freelancer/business owner 🚀
If for whatever reason option 1 is not available for you, then you’ll have to make money yourself.
The range of difficulty and feasibility will vary greatly here based on your skillset, your risk tolerance, your determination to make this work, and plenty of other factors.
Depending on where you start, it might take time to generate a sustainable living income… so this option might have to start and be developed while you have a job until it generates enough cash. Otherwise, you’d need to have savings.
Creating a business entity is fairly easy these days; it usually only takes a few clicks and costs a couple hundred $/€/£.
You can freelance and find gigs for clients.
You can create your own product (physical or digital) or service and sell it.
There is a range of options here. What you can do is purely based on what you can do and/or are willing to learn.
The sky is the limit (along with your mindset, your patience, risk tolerance, motivation, etc 😉).
✅ PRO: Complete freedom over your schedule.
❌ CON: Financial instability, stress, and potentially longer hours.
Option 3: Hybrid 🧩
I’m offering a third option here, maybe a less discussed option, but I think it’s underestimated: the hybrid model.
You could have a part-time job while developing your own thing. This is a nice in-between between options 1 and 2 and can offer some financial stability while giving you enough time to work on your business.
If you have a job, you could negotiate to go part-time with your employer. Or you can look for a part-time job.
Don’t underestimate this option. This is the route I wish I would have taken and that I still consider sometimes.
🌍 Location
This is the lifestyle part. Now that you have secured (or are in the process of securing) your income, it’s time to design a lifestyle around it.
Now that you have untied your job/income from a physical location, you get to think about what you want, what’s possible for you, and plan!
And once again here, there are way more options than you might think.
We’ve all seen those Instagram posts of digital nomads living in Bali or Thailand, somewhere by the beach, hopping around every week from one magical place to another.
That’s one of many ways you can live your life.
I will list 3 lifestyle options below. The 3 of them can be applied to whichever traveling range you can and want to do. It doesn’t matter if you want to stay within your country, continent, or planet… the theory I describe still applies.
Option 1: Classic Nomad 🌴
I’ll start with the classic option that I mentioned—bouncing around every few weeks.
I think most people—especially travelers or couples—start here because it feels exciting and adventurous.
Based on your level of freedom, you book an Airbnb or hotel for a few days or a couple of weeks, so you have enough time to explore the area, then you move on to the next place on your list.
✅ PRO: It’s fun, exciting, and thrilling.
❌ CON: It can get tiring after a while. It requires discipline to manage work and sightseeing effectively.
You might not have time to see everything if you have to work full-time (hello, FOMO! 👋🏼).
You can easily get trapped in what I call tourist-mode, where you forget you are living your regular life instead of being on vacation… and you might end up spending as much as tourists do, which may not be sustainable for too long.
Option 2: Slowmad 🐢
Next is what we call “Slowmad.”
That means traveling slowly. Slowmads usually stay in places for at least a month, if not more.
The idea is that you still get to live in different places throughout the year, but you take it more slowly so that while you are somewhere, you have a sense of stability and routine for long enough before having to pack your bags again.
✅ PRO: When you land somewhere, you have time to unpack your bag, settle in your new location, create a routine, and get a different perspective on the place than if you were staying there for only a week. If you have a lot of work, it gives you more time to see the area.
It’s probably easier to manage a budget.
❌ CON: You will see fewer places, which can feel frustrating at times because your bucket list is extra long (hello again, FOMO!).
Option 3: Hybrid / Home Base 🏡✈️
Again, I’m offering a less discussed option here.
The goal of this lifestyle is not travel, travel, travel. I see the goal as having the freedom to travel, which is slightly different.
Both options 1 and 2 imply traveling non-stop.
According to your situation (home, finances, etc.), a hybrid option might be something to consider.
If you can afford it, why not keep your home so you have a base to return to whenever you want, and alternate between being home for a while and taking long trips away? I mention being able to afford it because it’s a more expensive solution, as you still have to endure the cost of your home base while you travel, which can be complicated.
But if you can rent it out, Airbnb it, or something else, that could be something to consider.
✅ PRO: You get the best of both worlds. You still have stability whenever you want it, and you can escape your regular life and environment to explore the world.
❌ CON: Not as affordable as full-time travel.
Logistics 🧳📋
Ok, so by now we have established:
How you will make money “online” without being tied to one single physical location.
A way to travel that suits your desires and needs.
Now, time to plan!
There are many aspects to take into account when planning to take your first digital nomad trip. Some are obvious, some less so.
There are also more options available to you than you might think.
Here are a few important considerations:
From a work and tax perspective, make sure that whatever you do is compliant. Some jobs require you to be in your country; otherwise, they cannot insure you, for example. This can be a complex topic. Discuss it with your company and HR department before you start planning, so you know what to expect. If you work for yourself, discuss with your accountant or an expert about taxes because you are about to enter a very grey area of “I live nowhere, so technically I’m not a resident anywhere—so where do I pay taxes?”
Still regarding work, make sure you have everything in order to manage timezones. It’s not always easy to schedule calls when you are 12 hours ahead of your clients. Think about this when planning your trips.
Healthcare: If you have a job, learn about the policies when you work from abroad. If you work for yourself, make sure you have some sort of coverage (I personally use SafetyWing).
Check with your local mobile operator if roaming is included in your contract. If not, look for a local SIM card upon arrival or use an eSIM app like Airalo.
Banking: Tell your bank you’ll be traveling so they don’t freeze your card as soon as you make a payment in an “exotic” country. Look for internationally-friendly banks (I personally use N26 and Revolut a lot, and Wise for transfers).
Before going to a country, research the visa requirements. Some countries require you to apply before going; some have visa exemptions and just stamp your passport on arrival. Talking about passports, make sure yours is valid for a while, as most countries require at least 6 months validity before expiration. Also, make sure you are not infringing any local working laws (remote online work is still a grey area, so it’s usually fine to just say you’re a tourist traveling, but I wanted to mention it).
This lifestyle can be lonely. While freedom is amazing, you’re away from friends and family, sometimes in unfamiliar and uncomfortable environments. It can feel isolating (especially if you travel solo). Seek out connections: stay in shared accommodations, work from coworking spaces, and use apps like Meetup or NomadList to meet people.
Something else I want to talk about is thinking outside the box a little. 📦✨
When embracing this lifestyle and traveling, most people think: I need to make money so I can pay for accommodation, food, and everything else.
True. But depending on which scenario you picked, you might not be financially able to travel much yet.
However, there are ways around it and a few things to consider:
Traveling might cost you less than living in your home country. For example: when I lived in Miami, I was spending probably $3K a month on just basic living things. In Southeast Asia, my wife and I lived for less than $2K a month (while having a better quality of life). Take that into account when you calculate how much you need to earn.
If you have a home base, you might be able to rent it or Airbnb it, as I mentioned. But you could also do house swapping, where you exchange houses with someone else for an agreed period (so they live in your house while you live in theirs). This way, your house is maintained, and you get free accommodation somewhere!
If you are willing, you can exchange your time for accommodation and sometimes even food. There are a few ways to do so:
House/pet sitting: You look after someone’s house and pet while they go away. There are many listings all over the world, from one night to many months. Great way to live like a local somewhere and get free accommodation. I personally use TrustedHouseSitters.
Volunteering: Hostels are always looking for volunteers; in exchange, they offer free nights. But there are also websites listing opportunities where you do some work (farming, fruit picking, teaching English, social media work, etc.) for a few hours a day in exchange for accommodation and sometimes even food. I have used Worldpackers in the past and had a good experience.
So there you have it—the ultimate guide on how to become a digital nomad! 🚀🌍
I’ve shared everything that I know about it, and I hope it will help you achieve your goal of becoming a digital nomad.
I personally find this lifestyle fantastic. It lets you see the world and develop yourself as a person. I’m extremely grateful for having the privilege to live this way.
Now it’s your turn: assess your current situation, pick which options are most appropriate for you, start planning, and most importantly, start taking action to make your dream come true! 🎉
I worked remotely from 2019 until 2024 before we moved abroad. I don’t think I could ever go back to in-person unless it was a bookstore…
Great recap of what it can be like to be a nomad, Jeremie. I have so many things I could share from my experiences this year. You really hit on the points! No surprise, since you're living this life yourself!