So now that ‘ digital nomad’ has been coined as a word in Webster’s dictionaries, and a lot of companies are letting us work from home, more & more countries are getting with the program and releasing digital nomad visas.

Digital Nomad visas allow you to work remotely in the country for a longer period of time than a tourist visa.

Here are 5 top locations for digtal nomads of color that are safe, affordable and lit!

1. Cali, Colombia

Medellin has been a top digital nomad location for a few years now and I did three months in Medellin this year, but what people don’t really talk about is Cali. What I love about Cali is the presence of Black people. Plus, it’s the salsa capital of the world, more affordable than Medellín. While the expat and digital nomad is not huge, there is still a community here and it will continue to grow.

Pros:

• Affordable cost of living.

• Large Afro-Colombian

• It’s the capital of salsa dancing

• Easy to get around

• Spanish speaking

  Cons :

• Petty crime happens

• Larger city so not as walkable

• Not many English speakers

• Not a large expat community (yet)

2. Playa del Carmen, Mexico

When I moved to Playa del Carmen, Mexico in 2017 there were just a handful of black people living there. Fast forward to 2022 and PDC is definitely the top location for digital nomads and expats of color. The community here is huge with events just about every night of the week. There’s even a comedy scene. Whether you are looking for the spiritual communities or the twerking community you can find it here! Hell, we can do both!

Pros :

• Close to the USA.

• 6-month allowance upon arrival ( For US passport holders.)

• Spanish Speaking country with English speakers as well.

• Huge thriving Black community.

• Easy to make friends

• Walkable City

• Beach Town ( who doesn’t love living by the beach)

• Family friendly.

Cons :

• With the influx of expats and nomads willing to pay US prices the price of accommodations are skyrocketing.

• Sometimes the beach is covered in sargassum (seaweed)

• It’s super touristy.

• Internet isn’t that great

• The summers are VERY HOT & HUMID!

• Hurricane season is a thing.

• Police & taxi corruption happens.

3. Lisbon, Portugal

Portugal is definitely poppin’! The black expat & nomad community is growing rapidly in Portugal and specifically Lisbon. There was even the 1st semi- annual Caribbean cooked hosted by @lisbomelanincollective recently.

Pros

• Booming Black community.

• Fast & reliable internet

• People feel safe.

• LGBTQ+ friendly

• Good public transportation

  Cons

• Older buildings with no heating.

• Portuguese is the main language.

4. Bali, Indonesia

Bali also offers a digital nomad visa.

Pros

• It’s a tropical island

• Affordable cost of living

• Plenty of co working spaces.

• Warm weather

• Large expat & digital nomad community.

• Healthy lifestyle is easily accessible here

Cons

• It’s a long way from the USA so visits can be long and costly.

• No public transportation

• Bali belly ( when you get violently I’ll from the water or food)

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai, Thailand was one of my earlier destinations as a Novus digital nomad and the community here is what really solidified things for me.

Pros

• Affordable living

• Amazing expat community

• AMAZING FOOD!

• Beautiful landscape

• Thailand is known as the land of smiles.

• Fast wifi

• Lots of co working spaces

• Warm weather

Cons

• Burning Season!

  Burning season is when the farmers burn all of the crops and the air pollution gets terrible, this is actually why I left Thailand back in 2018.

Are you ready to take your leap as a digital nomad or expat but you need a push? Book a chat with me!