Summary
The number of American digital nomads has significantly increased, but successfully merging work and travel requires careful consideration of routine, community building, and time for exploration. While the digital nomad lifestyle may seem glamorous, the reality involves numerous challenges like internet connectivity issues and work-life balance struggles.
From 2019 to 2024, the number of Americans who call themselves digital nomads grew by 147% to 18.1 million. Successfully blending work and travel can be tricky.
If she goes somewhere for two weeks, that leaves her with only one weekend to fully unplug and explore. Russell works during weekdays, forcing her to make sacrifices on where she can go due to time zones. Portugal's digital nomad visa requires a monthly income four times the local minimum wage.
The high influx of expats in many destinations has strained local communities. The constant transience also makes it hard to put down roots or build deep connections.
This April, Spain's golden visa – granting foreigners residency when they purchased real estate – will officially come to an end. In some locales like Bali, the trendy cafes and other businesses are too expensive for locals.
