Pros and cons of the digital nomad lifestyle as a solo traveller

Whether you’re already a remote worker or have no idea what it would be like to live and work abroad, there are definitely some pros and cons of the digital nomad lifestyle to consider before taking the leap and booking a flight. 

I’ve been solo travelling and living abroad for the past five years, and the ability to work remotely has invited possibilities into my life that I never thought possible. As a neurodivergent writer, flexible hours have proved really helpful. That said, I’ve seen people set unrealistic expectations when talking about the digital nomad benefits. Yes, some people are wealthy and head to the beach daily – but don’t people also live like that in your own country?

Being a remote worker doesn’t heal class divides and social inequalities. It’s just not as simple as that. Unfortunately, it’s easy to sugarcoat digital nomadism if you cannot see things from different perspectives or focus on what opportunities you can take over those that you can give. There are so many different kinds of people in this world, and we all have our unique challenges and rewards that come with living as a digital nomad!

Most digital nomads I know are working somewhat regular hours (especially if we consider non-billable hours) and live quite simply. However, the best thing is that we can spend our time off and weekends exploring entirely new countries and cultures. How amazing is that? 

No matter where you live, there will always be freelancing advantages and disadvantages. In this post, I’m going to give you a realistic perspective of some of the pros and cons of living nomadically to hopefully help you understand if this lifestyle is for you. 

Pros and cons of the digital nomad lifestyle

I’d like to preface this with a reminder that everyone is different. What’s ‘easy’ for one person is a huge hurdle for someone else, and this lifestyle comes with a lot of privilege. I can speak to this from a neurodivergent and chronic illness perspective, but I have met people with other issues that pile on the cons (or sometimes the pros!) of choosing remote work. 

Despite the challenges, I’ve personally found a lot of benefits – and I’ve learned so much about myself through this process, too.

The top digital nomad benefits

Being able to travel more

The coolest part of being location independent is combining life, work, and travel into one delectable nomad pie.

Because you can work on the road, you don’t have to wait till your following available holiday dates with your work. If you have the urge to see the world but don’t have a considerable income, this is often much more cost-effective than taking holidays. You don’t have to book expensive return flights – instead, you can visit new places near one another and explore them on your days off. 

You’ll also get to stay places for longer! And although you’ll have less time to explore on vacation, you’ll get an incredibly immersive experience of each place you visit. 

Becoming stronger as a person

When you live alone abroad, you must be able to rely on yourself. You’re responsible for where you live, finding food in new countries, and ensuring you finish your work. Although communities are advantageous for our mental health, learning to be entirely responsible for ourselves is crucial. It really can make you feel more solid and independent. 

I’ve never travelled with a partner, but I assume this is the same to some degree. 

Living within different cultures

Living somewhere for a few months gives you a completely different perspective than visiting on holiday! It’s a beautiful way to learn a new language, make meaningful relationships with locals, and learn about the way people from different cultures live around the world. Hopefully, you’ll also realise that your country doesn’t do things ‘better’ than anyone else (if you thought this already). 

Learning new skills

The combination of freelance work and travel means digital nomadism is a recipe for new experiences. In my work life, I’ve learned a lot about subjects I’m passionate about. When travelling, I’ve learned how to scuba dive and become more physically active. 

I’ve also learned more general skills, like how to meet strangers, how to be more assertive, and how to be kinder to myself.

Potentially cheaper to live

The one really depends on if you come from a country with a strong currency. Living off the pound or dollar obviously means saving money working in a country with a weak currency.

Living as a digital nomad depends a lot on passport and visa privileges. Even having English as a first language (or learning English fluently as part of your free education) massively increases your ease of living in different places. So I am immensely grateful for the privileges that have allowed me to work remotely abroad.

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If you can harness the power of your currency, you may have a superb quality of life and live in nicer accommodations than you could ever afford at home. 

However, this instantly becomes a digital nomad drawback if this increases the cost of living for locals – so be mindful of this. On the other hand, tourism can also help other societies and some governments encourage digital nomads to boost their economic growth! It’s not easy to weigh up, but personally, I think that a pro of digital nomadism shouldn’t be just what benefits you but what benefits the whole community.

Get a new perspective on material things.

When you’re living nomadically, you only own what you can carry. Depending on your view, this can be one of the most attractive benefits of being a digital nomad. You realise how few things you need to be fulfilled.

And, truly, you’re not going to get to the end of your life and regret leaving behind stories instead of boxes of stuff.

You’ll meet new people.

Although loneliness can be a challenge, meeting new people positive for working abroad. Not only will you meet other travellers, but you’ll also make friends with locals. Something I’ve noticed about living abroad is that I actually get to meet locals in a more authentic way and have formed closer connections, including long-lasting friendships with people I’d never have met on a holiday.

Working from anywhere that has Wi-Fi.

Whether or not you’re a digital nomad, you might have learned about the pros and cons of remote work during the recent lockdowns. I think think the pros outweigh the cons! Although I do like to join a regular coworking space and go in a couple of days a week to force myself out of my hotel room. (I have BIG hermit tendencies!)

If you choose your own hours, you don’t have to worry about heading into a morning meeting at 8 am, even if you’re an insomniac. Instead, you can choose when to log on based on your own rhythm. 

Whether or not you work abroad, though, the most practical solution is to find a job you like, or love, so whether you’re working 2 hours a day or the traditional eight, you’re happy to get down to your laptop and make that digital nomad lifestyle happen. 

Oh, and I absolutely never miss my London commute.

Even when it’s tough, you’ll still feel like you accomplished something. 

The other day, a friend I met while working remotely in Malaysia pointed out how unrealistic some digital nomad examples are. Like, no, she can’t sit by the pool or beach to work in this heat. Her laptop will overheat, and have you seen what humidity does to your laptop screen?!

I met this friend while we were both going through a rough time, but we talked about how – even when digital nomad living is really hard – we’ll still look back and be proud of what we did. We may never have taken excellent day trips together, but we had wonderful conversations over lunch at the coworking space, and I learned something new about how others perceive my mental health (and myself)!

As someone who has lived abroad alone for five years, I sometimes forget that being alone abroad can be seen as brave, strong, or even interesting. And while I wish I could leave depression behind when I get on a plane, I’m so proud of how I manage these disadvantages and am – slowly – overcoming a problematic past. One thing is for sure – I’ll never regret living as a digital nomad.  

Avoid cold winters

Working remotely means you can choose countries with lighter days and hotter climates – or whatever kinda climate appeals to you.  

I’m gonna level with you – I actually enjoy every season. And although I do struggle with Winter’s early evenings, being a digital nomad meant I’ve now experienced real snow (in South Island, New Zealand), whereas before, I’d only really been around grey sludge. 

Learn adaptability

Life as a digital nomad can be unpredictable. You must constantly figure out logistical issues that will take time out of your week. So when your plans take a hit, you have to go with the flow, or you might end up feeling frustrated. 

Honestly, this is a great lesson to learn. No matter how much structure you have in your life, you never know when something comes along that will knock you off your path. Learning how to deal with change – especially unwanted change – can help build resilience.

And if you’re not sure what you want or need in life, then being a digital nomad can give you time and space to figure out what’s important to you when you decide to live somewhere long-term again.

To put your best foot forward as a digital nomad, make sure you have great travel insurance so you’re not alone if something goes wrong.

Personally, I use SafetyWing, a travel medical insurance. SafetyWing was created by nomads, so you know it’s perfect for anyone living the digital nomad lifestyle. You can sign up even if your trip has already started, and it’s easy to pause and resume coverage if needed.

Best of all, you’ll be covered in 185 countries and don’t need to select countries in advance – meaning you can get the most out of the flexible remote work lifestyle. Check out their website or sign up at SafetyWing.

Digital nomad disadvantages

Um, you know you still have to work, right?

And, yes, there are definitely some significant work-from-anywhere drawbacks.

Without a consistent work schedule, many of us easily fall into burnout or feel guilty about taking time off. (I fall into this camp – I often use my days off to deal with burnout related to my health and not day trips, and I still feel guilty for resting!)

However, some people have the opposite problem entirely; the allure of travel and exploration can keep you from your work! If you’re a solo digital nomad, you really have to motivate yourself to stay proactive and get things done.

It’s essential to find a work-life balance that works for you and establish a good and healthy routine for your body and mind. This takes time, so don’t worry if you feel out of sync when you begin working remotely. After some trial and error, you’ll work out how to work consistently while also making time for self-care and adventure. 

Loneliness 

Personally, I find it really hard to meet people as a neurodivergent digital nomad. Because it takes a lot of energy for me to meet new people, I often go for long periods without speaking to anyone.  

Thankfully, there is a wonderful online digital nomad community, so I’ve often been able to meet people I’ve already spoken to online without having to start up conversations with strangers. You can also set up video call dates with close friends, meet people in coworking spaces, or join meet-ups. 

However, you can also take this time to fall in love with being alone. 

After all, you’re the one person who will always be with you. So when meeting new people has been too intimidating for me, remembering to take care of myself and do things I enjoy has been the most critical aspect of combating loneliness on the road.

A lack of empathy 

Unfortunately, I’ve noticed that some people within the nomad community become quite closed-minded about how inaccessible this lifestyle is. When you spend a lot of time mixing with other digital nomads (online or in real life), your individual experiences can overshadow the reality of what life is like for many people. 

Becoming a digital nomad is an extraordinary feat, yes. It takes strength, sacrifice, and a whole lot of determination. That said, if I hear one more white British person exclaim, ‘Anyone can travel,’ I will lose my mind. 

On the one hand, travel can make people more open-minded and eliminate some internal biases about how others live. 

However, many brilliant, game-changing people in this world have never travelled. Travel is not a prerequisite for empathy and compassion. People who run community initiatives at home and help their neighbours can impact many people. 

Imagine looking at people living in poverty, or who can’t leave home because they’re caring for relatives, or who are disabled, or who have a weak passport, or who are dealing with any myriad of other issues which you don’t know about, and thinking they’re less curious, intelligent, caring, or empathetic. Personally, the challenging situations I’ve been in in my own country are

If travelling gives someone a sense of superiority over people who haven’t travelled, I would question how much they’ve learned on the road.

Not having a home base.

One of the hardest things about working as a digital nomad is needing a home base. You can’t buy ‘nice’ things which might be good for your physical or mental health if you can’t carry them! Also, if you travel between different climates, you have to travel around with your Winter and Summer wardrobe! 

From a mental health perspective, lacking community is one of the most significant disadvantages of nomadic life. You don’t have any support network (outside of your online one) or people to help you in a crisis. Research shows that social capital and community have a HUGE impact on those of us with mental illnesses to contend with. 

Financial difficulties.

Although some remote workers have a salaried job, most of us have to deal with the typical freelancing drawbacks such as unreliable income, unexpected expenses, and doing your taxes. But when you’re on the road, your income might become even more unreliable (especially if you have shoddy WiFi), with even more unexpected expenses. And where do we even start with taxes? 

I’ve also found it more challenging to save for the future when I’m moving around a lot than when I’m living in one place long-term (say one to two years), even when I live in a more expensive country. Flights can be costly, even if you’re otherwise living cheaply, and my medication is sometimes more costly even in ‘cheap’ countries.

Here are a few things to consider when it comes to finances on the road:

• Work out where you’ll pay your taxes (and how to do so)

• Remember to consider non-billable hours when setting your hourly wage to potential clients. (Most freelancers have to ask for more money ‘per hour’, but it doesn’t always work out better pay than salaried employees. So you must counter in non-billable hours, sick days, and holiday pay.)

• Consider your physical and mental health needs, as some conditions are more expensive to deal with on the road. 

• Check what visas you’ll need – some countries offer digital nomad visas, but most people travel on tourist visas. I’ve also worked remotely on working-holiday visas in Australia and New Zealand. Ensure you have the correct visa – you can’t accept any work FROM the country you’re living in without a work visa.

• Remember to have an emergency fund – at least enough to pay for a more expensive flight if the costs go up or to cover your accommodation if you lose some income unexpectedly until you can get back on your feet. 

As a solo traveller who chooses private rooms – especially as I work from the hotel a lot – my accommodation budget is often double the amount of couples. Solos pay more rent in most countries, though, so this isn’t something that puts me off from living abroad.

The negative impact on communities you live in 

The lack of empathy detailed above is also related to neo-colonialism. Travellers might think their most enlightened people on the planet, but so did my British ancestors. Early colonialists took advantage of the local communities in terrible ways. Although, of course, they didn’t see it that way – they were more invested in how it would benefit themselves.

Today, modern digital nomad lifestyles are also taking advantage of local communities. Again, you might not see it that way, but if you only move somewhere for a low cost of living and don’t consider your impact on the community, then ask yourself – are you really so different?

Continuing from the above point, you’ll often see discussions about the digital nomad pros and cons with ZERO thoughts towards how you might benefit or harm the societies where you choose to live. 

Renting in a different country short term with a stronger currency can increase the cost of living for locals. If digital nomads pay extra to live in houses that used to belong to locals, locals can’t usually afford to live there any more. (You can choose family-run hotels or pick private rooms in a family home when booking Airbnb, rather than rentals of whole houses, to help combat this.)

When looking into countries whose governments welcome digital nomads, you can also see how their policies impact locals, who will also see consequences. Are they welcoming wealthy remote workers to help those living on the ground who will see real consequences, or just to finance the government? Not all digital nomad visa schemes are bad, but it’s worth researching. 

The environmental impact 

Not every digital nomad lifestyle will have a more significant environmental impact than those who take a one-year holiday. It all depends on the distance between where you travel, how often you want to visit your family, modes of transport, and how you actually live once you arrive.

You can reduce your environmental impact as a digital nomad by:

• Take trains instead of flights, when possible, and offset your carbon emissions when you have to fly. Of course, offsetting doesn’t counteract flying, but it’s a start. 
• Use public transport or car-pooling. 
• Slow travel (staying in places for at least a few months to reduce the number of flights).
• Stay in green hotels and avoid apartment rentals (which can make rent less affordable for locals)
• Buy eco-friendly toiletries and quality sustainable clothing that will last for a long time. 
• Consider the direction of your travel. For example, going from Europe to Southeast Asia to Australia involves much less flying than Europe to Australia to Europe to Asia – this also is MUCH cheaper.
• Use a reusable water bottle to avoid drinking from plastic bottles in countries where you can’t drink tap water. I also use my own cutlery.
• Eat local food and occasionally opt for vegan food when travelling. 

It can be more difficult to manage health conditions.

Everyone’s digital nomad journey is different, and that’s especially true for people with a health condition – whether it affects your mental or physical health. 

• Ensure you have the accommodations you need to live and work effectively and happily – and make this a priority for anywhere you plan on living long-term.  

• Be careful with controlled medications, as they are illegal in certain countries. You often need a doctor’s note in advance and can’t take more medicine than for the duration of your time in one specific country. This makes visiting several countries difficult, and I’ve had to get new prescriptions in different countries – resulting in expensive doctor’s appointments. Perhaps surprisingly, medication was about 8x more expensive in Southeast Asia than in Australia, the UK, or New Zealand.

• Sensory overload while travelling – although I love working from anywhere, the best thing about remote work for me is often just being able to… work from home. Being a neurodivergent writer means adapting to a new place’s rhythm and routine can really disrupt my output. It often takes a few days to return to normal, resulting in a loss of income. 

• Always put your health first. Sometimes this means saying no to things. Other times, it means focusing on getting enough exercise, eating well, and taking time to rest.

My recommendation for dealing with health conditions is to live in countries where you know you have access to medication, good healthcare or travel medical insurance, and any other support you need long-term. This doesn’t mean you have to not visit countries where it will be harder to access the aid you need but go there for shorter periods in between.

Going from country to country and working out prescriptions every time (alongside dealing with the burnout associated with moving) has been somewhat of a nightmare. Especially as I’m a solo traveller, I have to make sure I figure things out BEFORE I get burnt out.

Conclusion: Is being a digital nomad worth it? 

If you’re wondering, ‘Should I be a digital nomad?’ then my answer is, well, why not give it a try? 

You don’t have to make it a blog-worthy lifestyle or worry about the label. You can be a remote worker for a different city in your own country for a couple of months or take an extended vacation where you stay a couple of extra weeks because you can work online. 

Aside from the most obvious pro – that the digital nomad lifestyle is a fantastic way to travel and work at the same time – the key takeaways from me are:

• Always consider the local community when weighing up the pros and cons of the digital nomad lifestyle
• Put your health first (even when you’re really tempted not to), and don’t skimp on the travel insurance.
• Use this time to learn the strengths and priorities of the most important person in your life (you!) 
• Embrace all the challenges that come your way. Sometimes the biggest challenges of living as a digital nomad are the areas where you have the most potential for personal growth.