Digital Nomad Toolkit: 10 Most Useful Websites for Remote Work and Travel

Hey, freelancers!

We know how challenging it can be to plan your travels, find the perfect place to live and work, or just figure out how much money you’ll need to live comfortably in a new country. We've all faced situations where the info turned out to be inaccurate, and our expectations didn’t match reality.

Luckily, today there are tons of resources that can make life much easier for digital nomads. And who better to share these tips than our travel enthusiast and Etcetera's founder, Denys, who has already visited 46 countries! For Denys, the freedom to travel is the ultimate value, and as an experienced nomad, he’s generously shared his favorite resources for planning successful trips and services that come in handy once you’re there.

Save this list of top 10 essential sites for digital nomads:

Tools for finding and evaluating cities to live in:

World Travel Index – A tool for finding destinations that fit your budget. Users can:

• Find destinations that match their budget
• Estimate the budget for a specific location
• Compare costs for housing, food, transport, and other expenses across different cities

Nomad List – A community and resource created specifically for digital nomads, where users can compare different locations and get recommendations from other travelers.

Key features of Nomad List:

• Compare cities based on factors like cost of living, internet speed, weather, safety, quality of life, and more.
• Get city rankings based on various indicators, making it easy to find the best locations for digital nomads.
• Use advanced filters to customize your search according to preferences like budget, type of housing, Wi-Fi availability, and other important aspects.
• Connect with others on the social platform, share experiences, ask questions, and get advice from fellow digital nomads.
• Attend events and meetups organized by the community to connect with other travelers in real life.

Some site features require membership, which involves a one-time fee. Members get access to exclusive resources and features.

The Earth Awaits – A resource that allows users to search for cities to live in based on preferences like cost of living, climate, safety, and quality of life. It offers detailed information about various cities to help digital nomads find the perfect place to live.

Key features of The Earth Awaits:

• Track extensive information on over 600 cities worldwide
• Create your own lifestyle and budget according to your specific situation
• Compare the cost of living across different cities (overall living costs, rent, food, utilities, etc.)
• Share city information with friends and family
• Daily updates to ensure the information is accurate

Resources for comparing the cost of living:

Numbeo?is one of the first online platforms to collect and analyze data from different cities and countries, allowing for easy comparisons. With Numbeo, you can:

• Compare the cost of living between cities and countries
• Calculate an estimated budget for living in a specific city
• Check prices for rent, groceries, transportation, and other expenses
• Analyze purchasing power and overall quality of life

If you find Numbeo helpful, you can contribute to the community by sharing your knowledge of local prices to help improve the accuracy of the available information.

Livingcost – A mix of Numbeo and Nomad List, gathering data from many public sources to provide comparative information on the cost of living in 9,294 cities and 197 countries worldwide. The site offers:

• Country rankings by cost of living
• Detailed price data for rent, groceries, transport, and other expenses for each country
• The ability to compare living costs in different locations

World Data Cost of Living Index – A resource that provides a handy tool for planning trips, especially short ones. Key features:

• Users can search for travel destinations based on their budget, finding places that match their financial possibilities.
• Estimate a budget for a specific destination, considering costs for accommodation, food, transport, and other aspects.
• Use various filters to customize your search according to your preferences and requirements.

Maps and city neighborhood info:

Hoodmaps – An interactive map that shows the characteristics of different city neighborhoods from the perspective of locals. The site offers:

• A visual representation of city areas categorized (e.g., “trendy,” “touristy,” “unsafe”)
• The ability for users to add their own tags and comments
• Useful info for choosing the best neighborhood to live in

Platforms with local reviews and tips:

Crowdsourced Explorer – A platform providing information about cities based on reviews from locals. You can get a real sense of what life is like in a new city. The site offers:

• Reviews and tips about life in different cities
• Information on culture, transport, safety, and other aspects of urban life
• A platform for users to share their own experiences

Informational resources:

Freaking Nomads – A blog dedicated to the life of digital nomads, offering inspiration and practical advice.

The site offers:

• Articles and tips on living and working in different countries
• Personal stories from travelers
• Information on adapting to new cultures and the digital nomad lifestyle

Expat.com – A platform for expats and international travelers. The site offers:

• Forums for sharing experiences and advice
• Articles about living in different countries
• Resources for adapting to new environments
• Information on work, housing, and cultural aspects of various countries

Got any other resources that have been tried and tested? Share them in the comments! And let us know if the topic of relocation is relevant to you as a freelancer.