Maybe this is an easy choice. You may have a dream destination you’ve always wanted to visit, and this is your chance. But nesting isn’t simply vacationing and there are additional things you’ll need to consider to choose a great place. You’ve heard the saying “A great place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there?” Well, when you nest, you’re actually living there, even if it’s just for three months. You’ll be dealing with grocery shopping and cooking, laundry, taking out the trash, navigating the city and figuring out a work schedule – all the little things that make a difference between a vacation and a nesting experience.
The first step in choosing a great destination for you is to think about your needs. For us, it’s crucial that we have a good internet connection where ever we go, and if you will be working digitally, that will be crucial for you, too. That immediately eliminates quite a few places in the world. We are also concerned about safety and about cost. While we can occasionally nest in places that are just beautiful with outdoor activities (like Boca del Toro) we’ve found that we prefer places with lots of culture and history. We don’t like to rent a car, so walkability is important to us. Maybe you prefer a warm or sunny spot, or want to be able to ski. Consider your hobbies and interests. Make a list, and then make a chart. Better yet, use ours. (link)
How do you go about researching all of this? It’s pretty overwhelming! Luckily, there are a few sites that can really help.
Nomadlist – This site is really helpful. You can input the characteristics you’re looking for in a destination, and they’ll rank hundreds of possibilities for you based on your preferences. Keep in mind, though, that this site is designed for digital nomads who tend to be younger and have different ideas of ‘fun.’ Fun here often means that there are a lot of good bars in the city. Also, the destinations tend to be a bit more edgy. It’s a great place to start though, and will give you ideas you never thought of. (For some reason, no matter what criteria we input, Chiang Mai, Thailand is always #1. Maybe we’ll have to consider it!)
Expatistan – This is a really helpful site when you’re figuring out a budget. You can input any two cities in the world and get a cost comparison between the two. Will it be cheaper to nest in Budapest or Barcelona? Expatistan can tell you, breaking the costs down into various categories. It also can help you calculate costs in your possible nesting place compared to costs at your home base.
Expat Exchange – It’s designed for expats, but there’s a lot of helpful information here. The country forums are the most active, with friendly expats exchanging information on places to live, questions about health care, about driving – just about anything you might need to know. And of course, you can ask your own questions, too.
Holiday Weather – If you want to know everything about climate and weather at your destination, this is the site for you. It gives you average high and low temperatures, rainfall and sunshine for cities all over the world. Check on the ‘annual averages’ button to choose the best season for your destination.
US State Department – This is the US State department website, which will tell you if you need visas, vaccinations or other special considerations for your nesting site. It also lists embassies, covers health concerns and addresses safety and security issues. (Just be aware – the State Department site makes EVERYWHERE sound super dangerous. Compare the safety rankings for American cities vs. your nesting possibilities on Nomadlist to get a little perspective.)
Once you get a list of possible places, you can drill a little deeper into each one by visiting travel sites specific to that city.