Spain Ranks as Top Spot for Digital Nomads, Tailed by Argentina, Romania and UAE

Spain has emerged as the number one country for digital nomads. VisaGuide.World, a website that provides information on visas worldwide, ranked the best countries to travel to as a remote worker on its Digital Nomad Index.

The countries were ranked based on factors that digital nomads typically take into account before travelling to a location such as internet speed, tax conditions and tax-free length, and the cost of living. Other factors are active visa availability, income requirements for visa applications, Global Health Score (GHS), and tourism popularity.

The top spot eluded Portugal, which has been a go-to location for digital nomads recently. The country recently announced policy changes set to take effect in 2024 that might not be favorable for digital nomads, including the scrapping of its non-habitual resident regime, which accorded new residents a tax reduction for 10 years regardless of nationality.

The top ten is comprised of Spain, Argentina, Romania, the UAE, Croatia, Portugal, Uruguay, Malta, Norway and Andorra respectively.

Spain scored 4.5 out of 5 on Visa Guide’s Digital Nomad Scale. The European nation’s remote work visa presently allows remote workers to live there for up to a year provided they have an income of at least double the country’s minimum wage which translates to about $2,750 a month.

Applicants for the remote work visa must have no criminal record in Spain or elsewhere for at least five years prior to their application. The country’s Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration also mandates that applicants have private health insurance, a one-year employment contract with a company outside of Spain and at least three years of work experience or a college degree in their field.

For digital nomads who travel with a partner or a family, in February, Spain announced that spouses and families of successful digital nomad visa applicants could temporarily move to the country too. The applicant is expected to prove that they have an additional $1000 in income for each accompanying family member in addition to a further $335 per person per month.

The second-ranked country, Argentina, has a digital nomad visa that permits digital nomads to stay for six months with the option to renew their stay for up to 12 months. Applicants for the visa are expected to have a remote job and a passport from a country that doesn’t require an Argentine visa.

Announced in 2022, Argentina’s remote visa grants successful applicants discounts on airport transfers, transportation, hotel stays and co-working spaces. While the economic requirements for the visa are still uncertain, VisaGuide.World reports that digital nomads are exempted from paying taxes for the duration of their stay in the country.