The possibility to work from anywhere has become a reality, and many workers are eager to start a new life elsewhere.
Remote’s “Best Destinations for Remote Work” is an in-depth statistical analysis and evaluation of every country in the world and all 50 U.S. states.
The top locations that scored highly for Internet infrastructure, safety, quality of life and other requirements include Toronto (Canada), Madrid (Spain), and Auckland (New Zealand).

The way we work has changed. The future of work is (in large part) remote-first.

Increasingly, companies are announcing plans to allow employees to work remotely, full-time. Some well-known examples include Spotify, Twitter, Atlassian, Brex, Coinbase, Dropbox, Shopify, Square, Upwork, Slack, Quora, Basecamp, Okta, among many others.

As a result, the possibility to work from anywhere has become a reality, and many workers are eager to start a new life elsewhere.

Today (Oct. 7^th), global HR startup Remote released a first-of-its-kind Best Destinations for Remote Work report. The report showcases the top 100 global destinations for remote workers, along with unique insights into location-specific incentives.

Remote’s “Best Destinations for Remote Work” is an in-depth statistical analysis and evaluation of every country in the world and all 50 U.S. states across seven relevant categories.

Internet infrastructure – Internet infrastructure is represented by fixed broadband connection download speeds.
Attractiveness – Attractiveness refers to a destination’s draw on visitors, which may include natural, urban, cultural, and any other type of attraction. For example, the Maldives may be attractive for its beaches; New York may be attractive for its big-city life; and Italy may be attractive for its cultural heritage.
Safety – Safety reflects civic safety, primarily with respect to local crime rates.
Quality of life – Quality of life reflects a multitude of components that are summarized by the happiness of residents. As happiness measures are only observed subjectively through surveys, they are augmented with other objective information (e.g., air pollution).
Openness – Openness reflects a societal willingness to accept the other, as well as a degree of government transparency.
Cost of living – Cost of living reflects price levels in different destinations, particularly housing costs.
Incentives for remote workers – Incentives for remote workers include special types of visas, financial incentives, tax incentives, and other measures and regulations destinations have implemented to actively attract remote workers.

The Top 10 Destinations for Remote Work

When attributing equal weights to all seven components examined by Remote, the top 10 destinations for remote work are as follows:

Toronto, Canada
Madrid, Spain
Auckland, New Zealand
Madeira, Portugal
Helsinki, Finland
Svalbard, Norway
Berlin, Germany
Valparaiso, Chile
Dublin, Ireland
Sydney, Australia.

Runner Ups (based on different attributes)

Among the top 20 destinations, these are the top 3 places to live for low cost of living:

Madeira, Portugal
Valparaiso, Chile
Bucharest, Romania.

The top 10 most attractive places in the mainland U.S are:

Salt Lake City, Utah
Boston, Massachusetts
Denver, Colorado
Concord, New Hampshire
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Miami, Florida
Portland, Maine
Montpelier, Vermont
Jackson, Wyoming
Seattle, Washington.

Keep in mind that only 4 of the above cities are part of the global top 20.

The Top Cities for Quality of Life

Auckland, New Zealand
Honolulu, Hawaii
Sydney, Australia
Reykjavik, Iceland

Destinations with the Best Incentives for Remote Workers

Based on Remote’s research, 44 countries and 24 U.S. states currently have special remote work incentives in the form of digital nomad visas, tax incentives, relocation payments, housing incentives, and more.

Below are the top 10 destinations that offer incentives.

Ecuador: Ecuador offers a “Professional Visa,” and the country has the lowest monthly income requirement of any country at $400.
Aruba: Digital nomads can live and work in Aruba for up to 90 days through its One Happy Workation program. The program includes package deals and discounted prices for local accommodations. The program is open to citizens from specific countries, including the U.S., UK, and Netherlands.
Antigua and Barbuda: Antigua and Barbuda offer a Permanent Residency Program; to qualify, workers need to spend 30+ days on site and have an annual income of at least $100,000. Benefits include:
- No income tax on worldwide income or assets
- No capital gains tax on worldwide income or assets
- No inheritance tax on worldwide or assets
- A flat tax rate of $20,000 per year.
Belize: Belize allows 45+-year-old non-nationals to live, retire, or work in Belize as long as the income source is from outside of Belize. Qualified individuals receive a pension or annuity of $2,000 per month or $24,000 annually.
Cabo Verde: Remote workers in Cabo Verde are exempt from income tax.
Emilia Romagna, Italy: Emilia Romagna offers the largest cash incentive, paying young families (under 40 years old) $34,000 to relocate.
Topeka, Kansas: Topeka provides up to $5,000 in funds to rent in one’s first year and up to $10,000 in funds for a home purchase as a relocation incentive.
Colorado: Colorado grants employers cash awards for each remote worker employed in an eligible rural county outside of the county where the project is based.
St. Louis, Missouri: St. Louis, Missouri has the best housing incentive. Individuals can purchase city-owned property for only $1.
Mishima, Japan: Mishima gives workers JP¥85,000 (about $775) per month for three years and, in addition to that, workers can choose between a lump payment of JP¥300,000 (about $2,730) or a calf when relocating.

The Future of Work is Remote

“For a long time, workers were restricted to living near major urban hubs if they wanted to access the best job opportunities. The freedom to work from anywhere opens the door for employees to choose their home – or travel – without compromising their work,” said Job van der Voort, co-founder and CEO of Remote.