Life as a Digital Nomad: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The digital nomad lifestyle is a bit of a buzzword nowadays, but does it really live up to the hype?

This post goes over some of the major pros and cons that I’ve experienced during my time as a digital nomad. It also discusses some remote work pros and cons and freelancing advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of life as a digital nomad

There are plenty of positive things about being a digital nomad! Here are some great digital nomad benefits.

So many new experiences!

As a digital nomad, you get to see new places and have unforgettable experiences. There’s so much to do and see out there in the world, and being a digital nomad gives you the freedom to experience all kinds of things that you could never have experienced otherwise.

Make friends from all around the world

Another benefit of being a digital nomad is that you meet so many people while traveling, especially while traveling solo. I’m lucky now to be able to say that I have friends all over the world.

Learn about different cultures and ways of life

You learn so much lot more about different cultures and ways of life when you’re living and working in a place – much more than you would learn through a one-week vacation. I think that this has really helped me to become more empathetic and understanding of different lifestyles.

Disadvantages of life as a digital nomad

I think that the pros of being a digital nomad are a bit more obvious (or at least constantly extolled on social media), so I’ve gone a bit more in-depth into the cons of life as a digital nomad. Work from anywhere drawbacks include things like constant decision-making/logistics, discomfort, and loneliness.

Lots of extra logistics to think about – visas, accommodation, insurance, etc.

As someone who is terrible at planning, it’s important to mention the extra logistics of life on the road. I tend to opt for very slow travel because the effort of booking transportation and accommodation and everything else all the time is like a second part-time job in itself. It’s not easy to travel and work at the same time. It’s better to choose somewhere to stay for a while (but not too long, because you have your visa to think about!).

As a digital nomad, it is important to have travel insurance that covers you if you need medical attention on the road. One great option specifically tailored towards digital nomads is SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance. Nomad Insurance is one of the cheapest travel insurance plans on the market that still covers all the basics, and it’s extremely flexible – you can purchase and cancel anytime, like a subscription. A more comprehensive review of SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance can be found in this post.

With SafetyWing, I have one less thing to worry about while living the digital nomad lifestyle.

Discomfort

You may be giving up a more comfortable lifestyle for a more interesting one, but it can get old at times.

Sometimes you just want to be lazy and be somewhere familiar and comfortable for a while. Traveling all the time can get exhausting. Slow travel helps here, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t sometimes miss my own bed/apartment.

If you’re on a budget, this is especially true. I spend most of my time in hostel dorms, and sometimes I just want to be ALONE. (But then, if I move to an Airbnb or hotel-type setup, I have no one to hang out with… Honestly, the digital nomad lifestyle is constant pro/con lists, so prepare yourself for that. Soooo many decisions all the time).

Loneliness

A big drawback is loneliness – it’s easy to make short-term friends, but it can feel lonely when you’re missing significant events or a consistent friend group.

Overall, I tend to socialize a lot more when I’m living a digital nomad lifestyle. I’m always in hostels, there’s always something going on, and there are lots of chances to meet new people. However, sometimes the constant “friends for a week” thing gets to you. It can be hard not having consistent friends that you have a history with.

It can also be hard to miss significant events at home – birthdays, weddings, that sort of thing. I personally feel a lot of guilt not being around for my parents and my grandparents as they get older. It can be some heavy stuff – the digital nomad lifestyle isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. I know that if I had a “normal” life – 2.5 kids and a house in the suburbs stuff – I probably wouldn’t have the time to be there for the rest of my family all the time either, but at least I could be nearby.

Also, if you have the goal of starting a family, this might be a little more difficult as a digital nomad. I don’t have much experience in this area, but I’d imagine it would be slightly more difficult to find a long-term romantic relationship while traveling.

A note

Finally, this isn’t really a pro or a con, but be respectful of where you go. Don’t boast about how cheap it is for you just because your home country’s economy is stronger than the local one. Try to prioritize local businesses over international chains. Be polite to locals and try to understand the local way of life instead of expecting places to adapt to what you’re used to/want.

Making money as a digital nomad: remote work or freelancing?

There are two main categories of ways to make money as a digital nomad. You can either work remotely or freelance.

Remote work pros and cons

Pro: Stability

The biggest pros of remote work are that you earn a constant income and it is much more stable than freelancing. Both of these can be huge stress relievers and make it much easier to plan for the future.

Con: Less flexibility

One drawback to working remotely is that often, you are not necessarily in control of your hours. A lot of remote jobs require you to work normal workday hours, whether this is a 9-5 or what. Not only does this mean that it’s hard to make last-minute plans, but depending on the time difference, it can result in you working some pretty crazy hours.

Freelancing advantages and disadvantages

Pro: Flexibility

The biggest pro of freelancing is definitely the flexibility. You are your own boss, and you can largely pick when and how much you want to work. However, you need to have some self-discipline as well if you want to actually support yourself freelancing.

Con: Less stability

It generally takes some time to build up a client base when freelancing. You may not have the opportunity to earn as much as you need to live right away.

Your income may also be less consistent and reliable. It is important to have savings that can get you through dry spells, and it might be harder to plan for the future.

…

This post discusses some of the major pros and cons that I’ve noticed during my time as a digital nomad. It also discusses some of the advantages and disadvantages of remote work and freelancing. If you’re considering the digital nomad life for yourself, you might want to check out this post about staying safe as a backpacker or digital nomad.

…

All opinions on this site are my own. Some outbound links may be affiliate or referral links, which means that I am paid a small amount at no extra cost to you if you buy through my links. Thank you for supporting This Wild Planet!