Want to be a digital nomad? The countries where it’s easiest, hardest

Being a digital nomad sounds idyllic, but like everything, it comes with its ups and downs.

The lifestyle of traveling while working remotely is on the rise. Around 18.5 million Americans called themselves digital nomads, according to MBO Partners' 2025 State of Independence study. That's a 153% increase from 2019.

As appealing as it is, digital nomadism also has its own set of challenges. Taxes, visas and unstable Wi-Fi in a foreign country are just a few issues that people have to deal with – and some countries are more difficult to navigate than others.

Nearly two-thirds of 600 surveyed travelers said administrative tasks like paperwork and visas take up more time than they expected, according to Global eSIM provider Holafly's recently released its Digital Nomad Friction Index 2026.

"Arriving to a country is usually the easy part. The real burnout happens when remote professionals hit a wall of post-landing bureaucracy, lost work hours, and unstable internet," said Metin Kastro, COO at Holafly, in a statement. "We ran this study to shed light on these hidden friction points because long-term mobility only works when everyday logistics stop eating into people's livelihoods and peace of mind."

The index also ranked 17…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/travel/