If you are self-employed, an independent contractor, or work for a company with an entirely virtual workforce, you might be able to travel the world while you work. Some call this lifestyle being a digital nomad, due to the fact that internet access enables these people to simultaneously travel and earn a living.
It’s gotten easier than ever to do this thanks to an explosion in resources that cater to this lifestyle — namely, travel companies that specifically cater to people who want to work on the go; job portals that cater to freelancers and roving temp workers; payment and insurance apps that are geared toward digital nomads; and online communities where working travelers can find one another and learn about the aforementioned other resources.
If you’re open to learning more about how to earn a living while traveling, read on for a list of the aforementioned resources, starting with a section on sites for finding temporary work around the globe. Then there’s a section of travel companies and communities for those who want to work on the go. Finally, the last section offers up a couple of insurance providers that have coverage suited for digital nomads.
Work Anywhere
A growing number of industries have jobs that can be done while you travel around the globe — the possibilities range from odd jobs to temporary assignments to longer-term telecommuting work. Listings of all of these opportunities appear on the following websites.
1. Affilorama
Sign up for affiliate marketing opportunities that you can do from anywhere in the world.
2. AG Careers
Find farm-related gigs on every continent of the world.
3. All Cruise Jobs
Like the name suggests, this site lists job opportunities on cruise ships around the globe.
4. Au Pair Finder
Get a gig working for a family in just about any part of the world.
5. Cambly
Teach English as a second language to students located around the world using a mobile app; no experience is necessary and the pay is about $10.20 per hour.
6. Caterer Global
Find catering gigs at resorts in exotic locations.
7. CoolWorks
This site lists a variety of gigs at tourist lodges and resorts around the world.
8. Crewbay
Post a profile on this site and you might get hired to join the crew of a ship.
9. Cruise Ship Jobs
Find work on cruise ships and get paid to see the world.
10. Dive Zone
Find jobs related to scuba diving around the globe.
11. Diverbo
This outfit helps you find overseas jobs and volunteering gigs.
12. Englishunt
Teach English as a second language to Korean students online, for about $10 an hour; you can do this work from anywhere in the world.
13. ESL Cafe
Find gigs teaching English as a second language around the world.
14. Fiverr
List your services for hire, set your own prices, and you’re on your way to finding work on this site. Note, however, that abundant competition in many fields may require you to start out with lower rates until you get customer reviews to prop you up.
15. FlexJobs
This job listing site focuses on freelancing, temporary assignments and telecommuting gigs around the world.
16. Freelancer.com
Find freelancing gigs anywhere in the world and in just about any field.
17. Global Work and Travel
This outfit helps you find volunteer or work arrangements in foreign countries, including working for families as an au pair.
18. Help Exchange
Work in exchange for free room and board — and sometimes extra cash. Look on the Help Exchange website to find listings of farms, ranches, hostels and even ships that trade accommodations for a few hours of your time per day.
19. Hostel Travel Jobs
Find jobs at hostels around the world including work exchange arrangements, where you can get a free stay in exchange for putting in a few hours a day.
20. Hotel Career
Apply for opportunities in hotels around the world using this site.
21. Hotel Jobs
Find work in hotels around the world on this directory.
22. Italki
This language instruction site lets you set your own pay rate and your own schedule. You can work anywhere in the world and choose from 100 different languages to teach.
23. Jobs and Work Abroad Programs
This site jobs around the world in such fields as teaching, nursing, marketing and engineering.
24. LodgeWorks
This site lists seasonal jobs at resorts and tourist lodges around the globe.
25. Patreon
While you travel the world, you can crowdfund your creations by getting people to subscribe to your content on a monthly basis
26. Payoneer
This company positions itself as a low-to-no-cost alternative to PayPal, saving you up to 71 percent on cross-currency transactions. Signing up on this site enables you to do business with a wider assortment of counterparties on sites like AirBnB, Fiverr, Upwork and Wish.
27. Picking Jobs
Find seasonal harvest jobs around the world, including picking fruits and vegetables
28. ResortJobs
This site lists gigs at ski and snowboard resorts, camps, national parks, cruise ships, restaurants and hotels.
29. Rev.com
Check out this site for freelance gigs in audio and video transcription and translation.
30. Roadie
Monetize any road trip by delivering packages along the way for courier services.
31. SeasonalWorkerz
Find listings of seasonal jobs all over the world, including hospitality, tourism, and agriculture.
32. Season Workers
Find jobs at different resorts for a season at a time.
33. Simplilearn
Share your skills with students around the world and get paid for your teaching ability.
34. Surf Instructor Jobs
Find opportunities teaching surfing tourists in all sorts of fun locations.
35. Thumbtack
Peddle your services no matter where in the U.S. you’re traveling; this site requires you to buy credits to bid on possible gigs, but you get a few credits for free when you start.
36. Tutor ABC
Teach English as a second language online to students who are based in Asia; the pay is about $20 per hour.
37. UpWork
Formerly known as Elance (and oDesk), this site lists freelance gigs in just about every field that you can perform in a telecommuting capacity.
38. Workamper
This site lists work opportunities surrounding RV campgrounds.
39. WWOOF
This acronym stands for Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, as the site enables you to find gigs on organic farms around the globe.
40. Udemy
Sign up on Udemy to teach classes anywhere in the world and get paid for them.
41. VIPkid
Get paid up to $22 an hour teaching English as a second language to an online classroom; although the site says you can choose your own hours, the selection might be dictated by where the clients reside.
42. Virtual Vocations
Apply for all kinds of telecommuting jobs on this site — and also access online training on what else but how to telecommute better.
43. YaCrew
Search from among 684 jobs on yachts or post your resume for consideration by one of these floating employers.
44. Yoga Travel Jobs
Find yoga instruction opportunities at spas around the world.
Travel, Lodging and Community
Sign up for tours with other digital nomads and have an instant community; or book your own arrangements using a la carte services.
45. AirBnB
This directory of short-term subletting opportunities — also known as home-sharing — has become the go-to for finding cheap accommodations anywhere in the world. You can use this site both to monetize your home while you travel — assuming you have a friend who can help you accommodate the short-term subletters in your home — and to find places to stay while you travel.
46. Bootsnall
Purchase multi-stop international flights on this site; create a traveler profile; and check out the community section to meet other digital nomads.
47. Couchsurfing.com
Here you can meet people in other parts of the world with a view toward crashing on each other’s couches without having to pay for accommodations. A premium version of this site costs $60 and verifies your identity to make you more trustworthy to others; this in turn enables you to make more meaningful connections on the site.
48. Floatplan
Somewhat akin to the yachting world’s version of home-sharing, this site lets you plan and join sailing adventures.
49. Groupon
The travel section on this discounts site includes deals on accommodations in different parts of the world.
50. Home Exchange
Trade places to stay with people in over 150 different countries; as of this writing, the site features about 65,000 different homes.
51. Hostel World
This site provides a directory of 36,000 youth hostels — with over 10 million verified reviews — in 170 different countries around the world.
52. MindMyHouse
Find house-sitting gigs around the world, so you save money on accommodations.
53. Nomador
Score free lodging in far-flung locales by doing a bit of pet-sitting for people who are away on holiday.
54. Remote Year
This startup may give you a case of sticker shock compared to other options until you compare it with the equivalent amount of time in big city apartment rent — plus expenses and touring. Pay $27,000 for a year of travel, about half that much for six months, and a quarter of the original amount for three months.
55. Trusted Housesitters
This site actually charges an annual membership fee of $119, which entitles you to find pet-sitting and house-sitting arrangements around the world.
56. WifiTribe
Like the name suggests, this travel arrangement comes with a bit of community, and the prices are much more modest than Remote Year. Pay a one-time membership fee of $300 — of which $100 gets credited toward any travel you book — and then pay $800 to $1,800 per month you travel, depending on how often you want to travel during a year and whether you want a private or shared room.
Global Insurance Plans
Nothing spoils a trip like accidents — so make sure you’re covered for all possibilities before you set off to be a digital nomad. Look into insurance plans that work in the parts of the world you’re heading to, while covering things that could arise while you travel — from unanticipated cancellations to loss of luggage and healthcare. Below are a couple of options that combine all of these types of coverage.
57. World Nomads Insurance
This company sells travel and health insurance that you can use in over 130 countries. Plans include up to $10,000 in coverage for unexpected cancellation of your trip; up to $100,000 for emergency medical and dental; up to $100,000 for evacuation and repatriation to your home country; and up to $3,000 for lost or stolen luggage and equipment.
58. Travel Insurance
This site lest you get competing quotes from multiple travel insurance providers — about a dozen of them are on there — so you can pick the plan that best suits your needs.
Are Digital Nomads Mainstream?
The fact that so many different resources have come about for digital nomads suggests that the practice of working and traveling at the same time has become practically mainstream.
The abundance of home-share and house-sitting exchanges in particular make it easier than ever for people to get moving without having to make many compromises. And the ample choices for work and community also make things easier than ever.
Readers, have you contemplated the digital nomad lifestyle — or practiced it at any point in time? And have you worked with any of the resources mentioned here? Please tell us about your experiences in the comments section beneath this post.
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Jackie Cohen is an award winning financial journalist turned turned financial advisor obsessed with climate change risk, data and business. Jackie holds a B.A. Degree from Macalester College and an M.A. in English from Claremont Graduate University.
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