What it’s like to work remotely abroad, from huge housing costs to 1am finishes

If you spend enough time scrolling through social media, you’re bound to see a filtered picture of a laptop on a sunbed with the caption “Happy Monday” or a campervan parked up a mountain titled “office for the day”. This is the life of the digital nomad: a specific type of emigration where someone lives in one country but works in another. These workers do not rely on the country where they live for work, but instead remain economically tied to their home country, using the wonders of technology. The lifestyle has become increasingly popular in recent years and particularly after the Covid pandemic created a boom in remote working. According to the research company Public First, about 165,000 Brits lived and worked abroad as digital nomads last year, spending an average of seven months every year outside of the UK. Shorts But behind the pictures of sandy beaches and sunnier climates, what is life as a digital nomad really like — and what sacrifices are being made to live this way? ‘I love the freedom – but I’m behind on my pension savings’ Ginnia Cheng is a committed digital nomad, but even she sometimes worries about her financial security. Cheng, a self-employed PR professional and comedian, has been splitting her time between London and elsewhere for the past five years, averaging about 50 per cent of her time away. Ginnia Cheng loves her life as a digital nomad but is worried she’s behind on her pension savings It began when she was dating a sound engineer who was working for Taylor Swift. When he moved around with the tour, she began to do the same, working remotely. She says: “I realised that I could do my job anywhere. I was employed initially but switched to working for myself so I could travel properly.” Cheng has a Portuguese passport so is able to freely move around and work in the EU. She also travels to Thailand and Hong Kong, where she has family, but tends to stick to places where the time difference allows her to work UK-time. “I love being a digital nomad and feel as if I do better work when I’m away. In London, my desk is by my bed – whereas if I’m by the sea, the day-to-day stresses of the job are not as stressful,” said Cheng, 37. While she has no regrets, there are parts of her life she feels she has sacrificed. As a stand-up comedian, she often misses gig opportunities and can’t do the “constant grinding” expected in the comedy world to get ahead. She also gave up her one-bed flat in London which cost £1,600 a month, to rent a room for £900 to calm her financial anxieties. “Sometimes the long-term finances are a worry. I pay into a pension but not as much as some of my friends — I spoke to a 29-year-old friend the other day and he has the same in his pension as I do now,” said Cheng. The digital nomad nitty gritty Many countries do not allow you to work at all on a tourist visa, even for short trips. While in practice you are unlikely to be caught out working quietly from your laptop, it is worth figuring out how to do it properly if you are planning to be a nomad long-term. Thankfully, growing demand for the lifestyle means many countries are making it easier. Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece have all created a specific digital nomad visa, which can ultimately lead to citizenship if you choose. There are, of course, hoops to jump through, such as income thresholds, how long you can be in the country, and insurance requirements. Most take a couple of months to apply for. For example, according to the global immigration advisers Fragomen London, to get a digital nomad visa in Spain you must meet an income threshold of €2,268 a month (£1,948), plus 75 per cent for your first dependent and 25 per cent for each additional dependent. You must also be in Spain for at least six months a year, hold private medical insurance and have a lease or deed for a residence in the country. Other visas are similar, with Italy being among the most stringent. You must earn at least nearly €2,400 a month (£2,053) and the visas are only for “highly skilled” roles. Most visas can lead to citizenship within 10 years and allow spouses and dependents to live with you. ‘I travel 9,000 miles to spend months with my grandchild’ Russ Cockburn is a dedicated grandfather. His first grandchild, Jules, was born in October 2024 and so far, he says it is the “most amazing experience”. The only kicker is that Russ lives in Albrighton, in Shropshire and Jules is more than 9,000 miles away in Perth, Australia. He and his wife Joan spent four months in Perth when Jules was first born, and have since done another two-month stint – they are finding it is easier than they thought to split their lives across two continents. “I was only planning to go for a month but my daughter asked me to reconsider. She wanted me to be part of Jules’s life from the very start,” said Cockburn, 47, who runs his own PR company called Cucumber PR. When in Australia, Cockburn works four days a week on UK time. He spends the morning with his family — getting up around 6am to spend time with Jules — and then starts work at 3pm in Australia (8am UK time). He doesn’t clock off until 1am (6pm UK time). “The tiredness is certainly a negative – when you get to 10pm Australian time and still have another three hours of work, it’s a lot,” says Russ. “Old age is also playing a part because over there I’m working on different desks, heights, chairs, sitting in train stations, airport lounges, bar stools. It does take its toll.” But Russ wouldn’t change a thing. So far, it hasn’t affected his business: he has managed to retain clients, and even increased turnover because he isn’t spending time in unnecessary meetings. And tax-wise, he is in the same position as he would be if he was working full-time in the UK. Russ uses a visitor visa, through which he is allowed to work as normal — providing he isn’t trying to set up an Australian business or canvas work in the country — and pays UK income and corporation tax as usual. He says: “I just feel so fortunate to be able to do it. I am so privileged that I get to have the opportunity to share my grandson’s life and support my daughter and her husband.” What to consider before becoming a digital nomad Working with experienced immigration advisers can be key to navigating requirements and making the most of the opportunities available. Think about your finances, too. If you are employed then your pension contributions will stay the same, but if you work for yourself, think carefully about keeping up your payments while you are away. Even a short break can have a knock-on effect on your security later in life. According to Standard Life, someone who paid 8 per cent into their pension pot each year who started work at age 22 on a salary of £25,000 would lose £10,000 from their pot if they took a two-year break. A five-year break would cost them £25,000. Housing security is also something to think about. It is likely that you will need to pay for two dwellings if you move back and forth, which could potentially slow down any progress to getting on the housing ladder or fully paying off your mortgage. Sarah Coles from the investment platform AJ Bell said: “If you work for yourself in order to have the nomadic lifestyle, then you need to consider the impact on your pension. “It can be harder to make regular contributions when your income is lumpy, and there won’t be any employer contributions to boost the pot. You might even find yourself having to postpone retirement down the line.”