10 Best Budget Cities for Remote Workers & Digital Nomads

Ranked by real average rent · 2026 data · Updated daily · USD
$392
lowest avg rent / mo — Surabaya, Indonesia
$461
avg 1-bed rent of the 10
🌴 How to use this list: rent is the biggest monthly cost for a remote worker, so we rank by real average rents. Before booking a flight, always check visa rules, internet speed, timezone fit and your preferred community — and zoom into each city on the globe to see actual listings.
1 Surabaya
Indonesia $392/mo · 1-bed $140≈ $90/wk 2 Tangerang
Indonesia $403/mo · 1-bed $250≈ $93/wk 3 Shah Alam
Malaysia $427/mo · 1-bed $360≈ $99/wk 4 Skopje
North Macedonia $464/mo · 1-bed $324≈ $107/wk 5 Samut Prakan
Thailand $468/mo · 1-bed $390≈ $108/wk 6 Santiago
Chile $480/mo · 1-bed $360≈ $111/wk 7 Kobe
Japan $483/mo · 1-bed $440≈ $111/wk 8 South Tangerang
Indonesia $487/mo · 1-bed $170≈ $112/wk 9 Bello
Colombia $503/mo · 1-bed $440≈ $116/wk 10 Sarajevo
Bosnia and Herzegovina $506/mo · 1-bed $359≈ $117/wk
See all listings on the globe 🌍

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I really live in these cities on a remote salary?
If your remote income is around $392–$506/month just for rent, these cities are comfortably affordable. Add food, transport, utilities and insurance — and keep a buffer for travel.
Do these cities have good internet?
We can't measure internet speed ourselves — but these are large, established cities with modern infrastructure. Check coverage maps and nomad forums for first-hand reports before committing.
Are the rent prices real?
Yes — every average comes from real rental listings collected daily from local portals. Open any city page for 1-, 2- and 3-bed breakdowns, or zoom into the globe for individual listings with addresses and links to the original ads.
Explore more: 💎 Cheapest cities 💸 Most expensive cities 🌍 The globe