Top 15 Digital Nomad Destinations for Language Nerds

With 50% of the U.S. workforce soon becoming remote, we have to ask ourselves: Where are the best digital nomad destinations to work and travel abroad, and what are the most important languages to learn?

The digital nomad community has come a long way from wanderlust hashtags and gap year wannabes. Digital nomads are serious professionals who are disrupting the corporate-culture economy as they hop from one Wifi connection to the next, simultaneously making their way down their travel bucket lists. 

Many clever digital nomads are also making the most of their time abroad and tackling learning new languages to unlock millions (sometimes billions) of personal and professional doors.

As the population of people learning and practicing new languages has rapidly increased, so have the advances in language learning technologies. It has never been easier to fulfill your lifelong goal to become fluent in a new language.

5 Most Important Languages To Learn for Remote Work

Many location-independent travelers actually use their time working abroad as a full-immersion opportunity to take the leap from conversational speaking to full-blown fluency. But what are the languages digital nomads should learn?

According to Forbes, there’s a vast disparity between languages spoken IRL (in real life) and those that dominate digital landscapes.

Based on use in online content, as well as in emerging digital/tech industry, the most important, or best languages to learn for remote work are the following:  

• English (~1.5 billion speakers)
• Spanish (~572 million speakers)
• Mandarin (~1.2 billion speakers)
• Arabic (~420 million speakers)
• German (~220 million speakers)

Before making plans to depart their traditional jobs and hometowns, many nomadic workers already seek out digital nomad hubs in countries with cultures (and climates) that most appeal to them.

Whether it be the music-rich vibrations of Latin America that entice millions to learn Spanish or the sage eastern philosophies that enchant perspective Mandarin learners, one truth remains: the best way for digital nomads to fully experience the cultures around them is by learning their languages.

So let’s take a look at the top languages to learn for a remote lifestyle, and digital nomad-friendly destinations to practice them.

Top Digital Nomad Destinations by Language

Digital nomads only need a couple of non-negotiables to find a new nest: fast internet, cafes or coworking spaces to collab, affordable rent, and a reasonable visa-length.

Below, we’ve compiled a list of diverse cities, each with their own culture and internet speeds, that we find most appealing to the digital nomad lifestyle.

Don’t know if you should learn Mandarin or Arabic, German or Spanish? Download a free Pimsleur lesson on us!

English Speaking Digital Nomad Destinations

There are 67 sovereign states and 27 non-sovereign entities with English as an official language. With so many places to choose from, we’ve narrowed down that list to the top best places to work as a digital nomad while learning English.

Cost of living estimates are based on rent (including WiFi), local transportation, and food. 

Belfast, United Kingdom

The beautiful city of Belfast boasts fast internet speeds, plenty of cafes, coworking and even coliving spaces. Moreover, Belfast has seen a 73% increase in digital jobs in recent years.

• Internet speed: 18 Mbps
• Co-working spaces: 15+
• Cost of living: $3,200/month  (although some nomads report living well on 40% less)
• Visa info: Up to 6 months on a Visitor Visa

Brisbane, Australia

Surf, sun, city and an existing nomad community make Brisbane a fine place to work online and learn English in Australia. Highlights include incredible wine, a hip coffee culture, and more than 30,000 miles of spectacular coastline.

• Internet speed: 17 Mbps
• Co-working spaces: 12+
• Cost of living: $3,500/month
• Visa info: Up to 12 months Visitor Visa

Miami, United States

For those who are looking to tackle both English and Spanish, Miami is an obvious choice and an easy transition. A growing remote work community, events, and endless entertainment make Miami a remote worker’s dream. Not to mention the fact that you can put “Spanglish” on your resume.

• Internet speed: 26 Mbps
• Co-working spaces: 17+
• Cost of living: $4,000/month
• Visa info: Up to 6 months with a B1/B2 Visitor Visa or 3 months on ESTA

Top Spanish Speaking Digital Nomad Destinations

With over 572 million Spanish-speakers and a growing population of online users, Spanish is proving to be a powerful secondary language to have in your digital toolbox, and will greatly improve the experience of traveling (and haggling) your way through Central and South America.

Medellín, Colombia

A current nomad hot spot, Medellin draws in Latin American-loving digital nomads in droves. With captivating natural landscapes just outside the city and a (very) low-cost of living, we can definitely see why. Colombian Spanish is also one of the easiest dialects of Spanish to learn. Top it all of with friendly paisas (Medellin locals) and you’ll be fluent in no time.

• Internet speed: 7 Mpbs
• Co-working spaces: 20
• Cost of living: $1,200/month
• Visa info: 3 months with Visitor Visa

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Another South American city seeing flocks of digital nomads is Buenos Aires – cafes galore, a low cost of living and a romanticized Italian-esque dialect of Spanish make this city a South American heartthrob. Don’t forget to plan your trip to Patagonia while you’re down there!

•  Internet speed: 8 Mpbs
• Co-working spaces: 20
• Cost of living: $1,300/month
• Visa info: 3 months with Visitor Visa

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

For those seeking the surf, sand, sun, and scuba lifestyle, Playa Del Carmen is a little piece of paradise found in Mexico. With 5 coworking spaces in the small town, it is a clear winner among upcoming digital nomads.  

• Internet speed: 6 Mbps
• Co-working spaces: 5
• Cost of living: $1,400/month
• Visa info: 6 months with Visitor Visa

Top Mandarin Speaking Digital Nomad Destinations

We’ve heard it for years – Mandarin is the language to learn for business. With the rise of tech and software development in China, it’s a clear choice for those looking to conduct business online as well.

Shanghai, China

Digital nomads in this city are fascinated by the fast-paced pursuit of business, technology, and finance. It’s a buzzing city of business professionals with a rich Chinese-city culture, and all the tea houses you could ever imagine.

• Internet speed: 10 Mbps
• Co-working spaces: 8+
• Cost of living: $1,900/month
• Visa info: 30-90 days with Visitor Visa

Shijiazhuang, China

The incredibly low cost of living is a big appeal for this Chinese city. Despite a high AQI (pollution index), Shijiazhuang is buzzing with digital nomads and avid Mandarin learners looking for a calmer alternative to Shanghai or Hong Kong. Teaching English online is a popular job among nomads in this city.

• Internet speed: 11 Mbps
• Co-working spaces: 1
• Cost of living: $800/month
• Visa info: 30-90 days with Visitor Visa

Singapore

Singapore is a glistening, futuristic city unitary state with four official languages: English, Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil. The high reviews and even higher internet speeds come with a high price tag. But with 97 Mbps and plenty to do, Singapore sings music to digital nomad’s ears. Unfortunately, a tourist visa is only valid for 30 days (and you don’t want to mess with Singaporean legal authorities).

• Internet speed: 97 Mbps
• Co-working spaces: 20+
• Cost of living: $2,800
• Visa info: 30 days

Top Arabic Speaking Digital Nomad Destinations

Arabic-speaking countries are investing heavily in creating digital infrastructure, quickly adapting to the growing remote work trend.

Marrakesh, Morocco

Morocco is a country filled with vivid, colorful history. The vast and varied landscapes, low cost of living, and proximity to Europe make this country a trending nomad hot spot. Many nomads start in Marrakesh and make their way around the country.

• Internet speed: 11 Mbps
• Co-working spaces: 5
• Cost of living: $1,900 /month
• Visa info: 3 months

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Perhaps most known for tourism or perhaps as the set of Sex and the City 2, Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates and a recent draw for digital nomads. It is a top place to dive into the Arabic language and stand in awe of breath-taking mosques while working remotely.

• Internet speed: 8 Mbps
• Co-working spaces: 7
• Cost of living: $3,600 /month
• Visa info: Up to 6 months

Cairo, Egypt

Towering pyramids shrouded in mystery and golden desserts as far as the eye can see, Cairo is a great digital nomad destination for the budget-savvy traveler. It is an up-and-coming city nicely juxtaposed against an ancient backdrop of epic world history. Language, culture, and history nerds belong in Cairo.

• Internet speed: 6.54 Mbps
• Co-working spaces: 20+
• Cost of living: $550  /month
• Visa info: 3 months to 6 months ($25)

Top German Speaking Digital Nomad Destinations

Germany has long been known for advances in manufacturing and innovation. In keeping up with growing trends, Germany has become a top place for digital nomads in clean energy, software, mechanical manufacturing, and AI. Learning German to work online is a smart move.

Berlin, Germany

Berlin has long been an attractive city for alternative people from all over the world. Today, the city draws contemporary artists from every corner of the globe and thrives off the electric energy of edgy startups and urban gardens. In addition to learning German, language lovers will be in heaven with the juicy diversity of languages spoken by other like-minded entrepreneurial expats.

• Internet speed: 35 Mbps
• Co-working spaces: 28+
• Cost of living: $2,800 /month
• Visa info: 180 days

Frankfurt, Germany

Frankfurt is best known for being a major financial hub in Germany. However, it is now (temporarily) home to a large number of remote workers thanks to ample cafes, coworking spaces, and a lively entertainment scene.

• Internet speed: 15 Mbps
• Co-working spaces: 10
• Cost of living: $2,700 /month
• Visa info: 3 months

Munich, Germany

Munich has a buzzing business scene and plenty of coworking spaces, as well as a very strong digital nomad community. Although the city center is crawling with internationals (especially around Oktoberfest), there are tons of weekend getaways to small Bavarian towns where you’ll be able to get a taste of German culture and practice your German skills with locals.

• Internet speed: 35 Mbps
• Co-working spaces: 18
• Cost of living: $3,000 /month
• Visa info: 3 months

You Pick the Destination, We’ll Teach You the Language

So there you have it, the best languages to learn for remote work and top cities to learn a language while working online.

Remote work is the future of international business. Stay competitive by learning a language that will help live the digital nomad lifestyle, or at least be able to work from home – wherever that may be!

Before hopping on that flight to your digital nomad getaway, make sure you prep yourself on their local language!

Our linguistic-backed Pimsleur Method mixed with our on-the-go software allows you to learn your dream language from anywhere – at the airport, out on a jog, or while you’re stuck in traffic!

Check out our following language programs to get started today!

Learn English – Learn Spanish – Learn Mandarin – Learn Arabic – Learn German