Here’s Why Budapest Topped This Best ‘Workcation’ List For 2024

Since the start of the pandemic, workers around the world who had an opportunity to work remotely found out that working remotely did not have to mean working at home. 

Instead, remote workers discovered that they could actually “work remote” from anywhere in the world as a digital nomad and the birth of working in a vacation hotspot was born and better known as the “workcation.”

Best Workcation Places

The International Workplace Group’s (IWG) recently released their second annual Work from Anywhere Barometer, listing the top ten cities in the world for a workcation.

International Workplace Group, a company that runs more than 4,000 remote working hub locations around the world, reviewed the major cities around the world using very specific criteria. 

Each location was awarded a score from one to ten on climate, culture, accommodation, transport, food & drink, happiness, broadband speed, sustainability, and the availability of flexible workspaces.

There was a wide mix of cities, countries, and regions on the list. Let’s take a look at some of the standouts for remote workers.

Budapest For The Gold

Taking top in the barometer survey for 2024 was the popular tourist destination of Budapest in Hungary. 

With a score of 75 out of 100, the city rated highly for its mix of workspace and fun places which would give remote workers a great sense of work-life balance.

Not only is the town a scenic destination with plenty of fun places to wander and restaurants to explore, but it also hosts a number of cultural experiences which could help lead remote workers to inspiration.

It was also noted that the internet speeds are relatively fast and reliable. Also, Budapest was considered friendly to both remote workers and digital nomads.

Silver For Barcelona

While Barcelona took the No. 1 spot in last year’s survey, it was able to still remain towards the top in second place.

Along with warm and sunny weather and the ability to work from the beach, Barcelona has a trendy remote work vibe across the area along with a strong digital nomad feel.

The convenient digital nomad visa and relatively inexpensive transportation also made Barcelona a favorite with those on a “workcation.”

One recent development which could be a drawback is the push back against international digital nomads and remote workers in Barcelona. Locals feel the “temporary” residents are responsible for rent increases and lack of housing availability in the city.

Rio Ties For Silver

Rounding out the top three is the South American hotspot of Rio de Janeiro.

With a carnival atmosphere year-round, Rio is a great place to let your hair down and enjoy one of the best digital nomad “workcation” locations available.

The town boasts a robust remote internet network, reinforced for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games which the city hosted, now with citywide 5G coverage.

 Additional government investments have made the city very remote “workcation” friendly and a digital nomad visa is available.

One of the drawbacks is that Brazil is one of the few countries around the world that requires United States citizens to apply for an entry visa and the entire process is confusing, intrusive, and onerous.

What Nomads Need to Know

Rounding out the top ten list of best cities for a “workcation” is Beijing, Lisbon, New York, Singapore, Jakarta, Los Angeles, and Milan.

There were also a couple of cities that did not make the top ten list but stood out as rising places for digital nomads and remote “workcations”. 

Those notable standouts were Austin, Texas; Podgorica, Montenegro; Marrakesh, Morocco; and Valletta, Malta.

So, get out there and explore while working remotely as a digital nomad at the same time. It’s a big world for a great “workcation”. 

Which other cities would you recommend for a “workcation”? Be sure to post your ideas in the story comments to share with other Traveling Lifestyle nomads.