With over 50 European countries now offering flexible pathways for remote work, the real challenge isn’t securing a digital nomad visa – it’s choosing where to settle.
A new study has revealed Europe’s 10 best cities for digital nomads, each offering a careful balance of affordability, safety and quality of life.
Data scientists compiled a top 10 by analysing 35 of the continent’s most visited hotspots, looking at accommodation, food, internet costs and speed, public transport, and safety.
Higher safety and lower costs resulted in more points, which were combined to create the final rankings for each location.
While Central and Eastern European cities were found to offer some of the best value for money when it comes to fast internet, accommodation and affordable public transport, prices tend to be exceptionally higher across Western and Northern Europe.
Krakow, the second-largest city in Poland, emerged as the overall best city for remote work, scoring an impressive 161 points out of 175.
While average monthly expenses totalled a mid-range cost of €1,423.12 (£1,227.34), it performed particularly well in food affordability (£128 a month), internet costs (£13.94 a month), and safety (75.08 out of 100).
Following in second place is another Polish hub, Warsaw, which boasts slightly cheaper monthly expenses of €1,265.26 (£1,091.34), a safety score of 74.66, and an overall score of 150 out of 175.
Krakow has emerged as the best European city for digital nomads, where monthly costs average €1,423.12 (£1,227.34) and food costs around £128
In second place is another Polish city, Warsaw, which boasts slightly cheaper monthly expenses of €1,265.26 (£1,091.34)
Ranked third is Budapest, Hungary, where digital nomads spend an average of €1,542.24 (£1,330.51) each month, including just €23.08 (£19.91) on monthly passes for public transport. It scored 147 points out of 175.
Rounding out the top five is Prague, Czech Republic (£1,101.51/month, 141 points) and Tallinn, Estonia (£2,266.72/month), each of which offer great affordability, fast and reliable internet and low food costs – making them ideal locations for remote work.
Other cities that made the top ten include Madrid, Spain (130 points), Seville, Spain (125 points), Lisbon, Portugal (122 points), Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Porto, Portugal.
For digital nomads, reliable and affordable internet is essential, and cities like Krakow and Warsaw stand out for offering exceptional value for money.
With a price per Mbps of just £0.052, these cities provide reliable, high-speed connections at a fraction of the price revealed in cities like Brussels (£0.36).
The study found public transport costs vary dramatically across Europe, with Prague offering the most affordable monthly pass at £19.46, while London offers the most expensive pass for use of the Underground Zones 1-4 at an eye-watering £256.33.
Safety also varied widely, though Dubrovnik stands out with the highest score of 82.23 – double that of the French city Lyon, which has the lowest safety levels at just 40.87.
In third place is Budapest, Hungary, with €1,542.24 (£1,330.51) monthly expenses
Europe’s best cities for digital nomads in 2026
As revealed in a new study by Playerstime
City & Country
1. Kraków, Poland
2. Warsaw, Poland
3. Budapest, Hungary
4. Prague, CR
5. Tallinn, Estonia
6. Madrid, Spain
7. Seville, Spain
8. Lisbon, Portugal
9. Dubrovnik, Croatia
10. Porto, Portugal
Monthly expenses (€)
€1,423.12
€1,265.26
€1,542.24
€1,276.65
€2,627.12
€2,169.41
€1,912.62
€1,745.27
€2,270.09
€1,569.29
Safety Index
75.08
74.66
75.30
66.27
78.42
70.91
63.69
67.03
82.23
66.39
As for accommodation, Prague and Warsaw take the crown as the most affordable, offering rooms at around £30 a night, while Dublin and Reykjavik lead the ranking for most expensive accommodation that can exceed £3,450 per month.
Dublin also ranked as having the highest monthly expenses of £4,076, followed by Reykjavik (£4,031) and Amsterdam (£3,616).
It comes as a recent study has revealed ten countries across the globe that make it simplest for Brits to try life overseas.
It analysed various factors to rank the leading nations, such as visa accessibility, minimum monthly wage requirements, average monthly rent cost, visa cost, and estimated monthly living costs for a single person.
Despite its distance from the UK, Japan has emerged as the best country overall for Brits to try life abroad, as it stands out as the only nation to offer a free 12-month visa for UK nationals.
As well as a free visa, it combines a low minimum income requirement of £417, below-average living costs of £623.30, and speedy visa processing times (up to two weeks).
Interest is steadily on the rise, with searches for ‘Japan working holiday visa’ up 30 per cent in the past month.
East Asia dominates the top of the rankings, with South Korea following closely in second place.
It offers one of the lowest barriers to trial relocation – requiring a minimum monthly wage of just £146 and a £50 application fee, as well as boasting a two-week visa processing period.
Taking the third spot is Serbia, the highest-ranking European destination on the list.
With its close proximity to the UK, low living costs of £536 per month, and average monthly rent in the city centre under £400, it’s an ideal choice for Brits wanting to test drive a new life abroad without venturing far.
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