Spain is the No. 1 country for digital nomads—again: The country ‘has great health care, beaches and sunny weather,’ expert says

Five years after the Covid-19 pandemic sent workers home, return-to-office mandates are still making headlines. Despite the strong push to get employees back into offices full-time, remote work persists, with many workers looking for ways to keep traveling while still having a job.

To determine the best countries for those looking to travel and work abroad, VisaGuide.World, an online free information guide to worldwide visas, ranked them based on the following factors:

• Internet speed: 15%
• Taxation policies and tax-free length: 20%
• Income requirements for visa applications: 15%
• Cost of living in euros: 30%
• Healthcare score: 10%
• Tourism popularity: 10%

Each country was then given weighted percentages and a score on a scale from 1 to 5.

“Digital nomads prefer sunny weather and welcoming places with many tourists,” Lum Kamishi, project manager at VisaGuide.World, tells CNBC Make It.

For the second year in a row, Spain came in at the top of the list.

As of 2023, Spain’s remote work visa allows people to live in the country for up to a year as long as they have an income of at least double Spain’s minimum wage, more than €2,600, or $2,750, a month.

“Spain is a tourist heaven. It has great health care, low minimum income requirements for visa, average taxes,” Kamishi says. “Spain is an affordable country that has beaches and sunny weather, two things that digital nomads usually look for.”

Applicants must have no criminal record in Spain or anywhere else for five years before applying, 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, according to Spain’s Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration.

In 2024, Spain announced it was allowing spouses and families to join successful applicants of the digital nomad visa. The applicant must show an additional $1,000 more per month in income for one family member. After that, applicants must have an additional $335 per person per month.

1. Spain
2. UAE
3. Montenegro
4. Bahamas
5. Hungary
6. Canada
7. Romania
8. Portugal
9. Brazil
10. Curaçao

The United Arab Emirates is the second best country for digital nomads. It got a score of 4.4 and ranked as the country with the highest score for Internet speed.

Kamishi says that although digital nomads don’t have to pay taxes and health insurance costs are lower there, what held the country back was the cost of living.

“It’s a much more expensive country to live in and scores lower on the cost of life, which is the most important factor for digital nomads,” Kamishi adds.

In order to take advantage of UAE’s “virtual work visa”, applicants must have proof of employment with a one-year contract and a minimum monthly income of $3,500. The digital nomad visa will last one year with an option to renew it.

Dubai has its own virtual working program, which allows people to relocate from outside of the UAE. It requires applicants to have a passport with a validity of at least six months, valid health insurance, proof of employment with a contract valid for one year, a minimum salary of $5,000 per month, and to provide bank statements for the previous three months.

Want to earn some extra money on the side? Take CNBC’s new online course How to Start a Side Hustle to learn tips to get started and strategies for success from top side hustle experts. Sign up today and use coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off $97 (+taxes and fees) through April 1, 2025.

Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It’s newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.