Study ranks digital nomad destinations by their internet quality
Speedtest by Ookla is an American web service that provides free data and analysis about Internet access and performance around the world. In June, they published their research findings about the remote work destinations with the best internet connectivity. They studied only countries that have digital nomad visas, i.e., a visa that allows expats to work for companies or clients who are based abroad.
The top ten countries of their findings are Thailand, Spain, Romania, Hungary, Portugal, Taiwan, Norway, Panama, Brazil and Malta. Many of these countries have only recently created digital nomad visas. Brazil's, for example, was launched in January 2022, and Thailand's LTR (Long-Term Residency Visa) for digital nomads was inaugurated in September 2022. Spain's digital nomad visa just started accepting applications in June 2023.
There are small variations between these countries when it comes to their download speed, upload speed, internet consistency and affordability. Thailand ranking first on the list might come as a surprise when we consider that most lower-income or middle-income countries in Southeast Asia have connectivity issues.
Thailand has excellent Internet and an affordable tropical lifestyle, but its visas have high-income requirements
In Speedtest's study, out of all the countries studied, Thailand has the fastest median download speed of 196.20 Mbps and the fastest median upload speed of 164.85 Mbps. It also has the most consistent connectivity, with a nearly 90% consistency rate. This means that you're unlikely to experience patchy Internet or frequent shutdowns.
Thailand is a tropical country with lush greenery, beautiful beaches and excellent resorts, which makes it a great place to work remotely from. The cost of living there is also relatively low, with an internet package costing only around US$15-20 per month. On the Expat.com forum, expats in Thailand recommend using private operators like AIS rather than the state-owned operator because, in their experience, they are more reliable and have better customer support.
Thailand has two visas that can qualify as digital nomad visas: the Long-Term Residency Visa (LTR) and Smart Visa. The LTR visa allows high-earning digital nomads, who must make at least US$80,000 a year, to stay in the country for 10 years. The Smart Visa is a 4-year visa for investors, entrepreneurs, as well as highly-qualified professionals in key sectors like robotics, biochemicals and logistics. They must make at least 200,000 baht, or nearly $US6,000, per month. The high income requirement might, unfortunately, be a barrier for less wealthy expats.
In Europe, Spain is the digital nomad destination with the best Internet
Many European countries are on Speedtest's list of the countries with the best Internet connection and a digital nomad visa. Among them, Spain has the best Internet connectivity.
The median download speed in Spain is 172.04 Mbps, the median upload speed is 125.85 Mbps, and the Internet there has a consistency of 84.4%. Earlier this year, the Spanish government gave the satellite operator Hispasat a contract to expand ultra-fast internet access in rural areas. Many expats, especially Americans, have been moving to rural Spain to be able to afford spacious homes at low prices. This is good news for them. Spain has a brand-new 5-year digital nomad visa that's open to remote workers who earn at least €2,160 per month.
The third country in Speedtest's ranking is Romania. The Internet in the country is fast, has country-wide coverage (even in rural areas!), and is extremely affordable. Eurostat says that 87% of Romanian households have high-speed Internet, which costs only about €8 per month. The median download speed is 171.15 Mbps, the median upload speed is 107.36 Mbps, and the Internet has a consistency of nearly 90%.
Romania currently has a 1-year digital nomad visa which can be renewed for an additional year. Expats need to earn at least €3,300/month to be eligible, and since April 2023, they are exempted from paying taxes on foreign-derived income if they don't stay in the country for 183 consecutive days. The capital Bucharest is among the emerging digital nomad hubs in Europe, with many new coworking spaces and a high level of English proficiency in the city.
Hungary had a digital nomad visa a bit earlier than most countries. The country launched its White Card in late 2021. Like Romania's visa, it's valid for 1 year, with the possibility of renewal for an extra year. It requires a lower monthly income of €2,000. Hungary has the fourth-best internet connectivity in Speedtest's study, although it has a low upload speed (34.33 Mbps). The Internet there is 84.6% consistent.
Brazil and Panama are the Latin American countries with the best internet connectivity
Most of the countries in Speedtest's list are in Europe and Asia. Ranked 8th and 9th, however, are Panama and Brazil in Central and South America. Multiple countries in this part of the world have created digital nomad visas in the past few years. They also offer warm weather and a relatively low cost of living.
In both Panama and Brazil, the download speed is about 100-110 Mbps. Upload speed is faster in Brazil, at 76.6 Mbps, while it is a slow 14.60 Mbps in Panama. Both countries' Internet has a consistency rate of around 85%. The operator Tigo Panama announced in 2023 that it would invest US$100 million to improve fiber optic coverage in the country and modernize its mobile network.
What digital nomad visas do these two countries have? Panama's digital nomad visa is valid for 9 months and can be renewed for an additional 9 months. Expats aren't taxed at all on the income they earn from abroad, but they must earn at least US$36,000 per year to be eligible. For Brazil's digital nomad visa, they must earn US$1,500 per month. This visa lasts one year and can be renewed for an additional year. In late 2022, the first digital nomad village in South America opened in Brazil in a place called Pipa, which is right on the beautiful Atlantic shoreline.
