As the trend for digital nomads shows no sign of slowing down, Japan has dominated a new ranking of the world’s best cities for remote workers, with Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya all making the top ten.
For modern nomads, finding the right city involves more than just checking whether the Wi-Fi works. Cost, things to do, work-friendly infrastructure and quality of life can all make or break a longer stay.
To find out which cities offer the best overall setup, independent VPN review platform vpn.jpn.com ranked 104 of the world’s biggest cities, looking at the factors that matter most to digital nomads.
It initially looked at 150 of the largest cities worldwide, based on population using the UN’s Degree of Urbanisation definition, but excluded 46 for various reasons.
In the end, the study considered the density of places to work from, going-out options, and cultural venues, alongside national internet speeds, local price levels, and comfortable working days, which it defined as days with an average temperature between 15°C and 28°C as well as less than 5mm of rain. Each city was ranked on these factors, and given an overall score out of 100.
As well as Japan, cities across East and Southeast Asia made up much of the study’s top ten, with two Spanish cities – Barcelona and Madrid – also featuring.
The world’s best cities for digital nomads
Despite Japan’s proliferation in the ranking, it’s Seoul that comes in first place as the world’s best major city for digital nomads.
The South Korean capital achieved an overall score of 73.60, down in part to the fact that it boasts 59.67 places to work from per square kilometre, alongside 172.94 going-out options and 10.74 cultural venues.
Seoul also records the fastest internet download speed in the top ten at 69.27 Mbps.
The ranking judged affordability against a United States baseline of 100, and Seoul got a score of 63.99, meaning prices are around 36% lower than that benchmark.
Just behind Seoul is the Japanese capital, with Tokyo getting a score of 72.61. The metropolis has slightly fewer places to work from than Seoul – 56.43 per square kilometre – and is a little more pricey, with an affordability score of 65.66, but it has a lot to do when the working day is done.
Tokyo has 395.12 going-out venues per square kilometre, which is more than twice Seoul’s number and also the highest rate anywhere in the top ten. It also features an impressive 12.71 cultural venues per square kilometre.
In third place was Hanoi with a score of 71.86.
The Vietnamese capital was particularly impressive for its large number of places to work – 96.88 spots per square kilometre, the highest concentration in the top ten – and its very low prices, nearly 71% lower than the US benchmark.
Hanoi also has 180 comfortable working days, far more than Seoul’s 105 and Tokyo’s 103, but it falls down when it comes to national download speeds, which are just 16.12 Mbps.
Up next was Taipei, which scored 70.98.
The Taiwanese capital has 48.24 places to work from per square kilometre, and is also particularly strong when it comes to going out venues, with a score of 295.77.
It also offers 10.71 cultural venues per square kilometre and prices are around 57% below the US benchmark.
It’s back to Japan for the last city in the top five, and it’s Osaka, with a score of 70.15
The third largest city in the country, by population, it has 350.27 going-out options per square kilometre, second only to Tokyo among the leading destinations, as well 45.80 places per sq km to work from.
Spain is the only European entry in the top ten
Barcelona takes sixth place and is the highest-ranking Spanish city, with a score of 68.11.
The city has fewer places to work from than the Asian destinations above it, but Spain has the fastest national upload speed in the top 15 at 36.71 Mbps.
Barcelona also has plenty to offer outside working hours, with 104.83 going-out options and 8.97 cultural venues per square kilometre. It also has 164 comfortable working days.
Madrid follows in seventh, scoring 66.67.
The two Spanish cities share the same national internet and price-level scores, so the difference comes down to the city itself. Barcelona edges ahead with slightly more places to work, more going-out options and more cultural venues per square kilometre, as well as 43 additional comfortable working days.
São Paulo comes next, also scoring 66.67 and taking eighth place.
The Brazilian city has an impressive 252 comfortable working days, the highest figure in the top ten, while prices are around 53% lower than the US benchmark.
Japan makes another appearance in ninth place, with Nagoya scoring 64.97.
Like Tokyo and Osaka, it benefits from Japan’s strong internet speeds, with national upload speeds of 33.07 Mbps and downloads of 58.72 Mbps. There are also 23.45 places to work from and 144.32 going-out options per square kilometre.
The downside is the weather, with just 83 comfortable working days, the lowest figure among the top 15.
Rounding out the top ten is Ho Chi Minh City, which scored 64.28 and gives Vietnam two cities in the leading group.
The city has 56.73 places to work from per square kilometre, almost matching Seoul, while prices are around 70% lower than the US benchmark.