How To Become a Digital Nomad and Travel The World (2024)

Nowadays, it’s becoming easier to become a digital nomad and live in a place you love while you work remotely.

More and more people are escaping their 9-5 job. It’s because now it has become easier to follow your passion and pursue a career you love.

Also, people are aware of passive income opportunities, remote jobs, online businesses, and opportunities to work remotely are rising.

According to a recent study, 4.8 Million Americans consider themselves Digital Nomads. 

Pieter Levels, the founder of Nomad List, predicted that there’ll be an estimated 1 billion digital nomads roaming the planet by 2035.

What Exactly Is a Digital Nomad?

Here’s an easy-to-understand definition of a Digital Nomad:

Digital nomads are people who are location independent and travel the world full time while working remotely to earn a living.

They often work in coworking spaces, coffee shops, hotel rooms, or public libraries, relying on devices such as laptops, and smartphones with internet access.

Actually, anybody who can do their job with a laptop, a smartphone, and an internet connection can become a digital nomad.

In this post, I’m going to show you exactly how to become a digital nomad, the ways you can build skills, the best job and business you can do as a digital nomad, the best fully remote companies for digital nomad jobs, the best places to visit as a beginner digital nomad, and much more.

Let’s dive right in.

Inu Etc in Himachal Pradesh, India. Photo by Inu Etc

How Do You Become a Digital Nomad?

The way of becoming a digital nomad isn’t the same for everyone. Everyone has different passions, skills, and professions. 

So, there isn’t one specific blueprint for everyone to follow.

But there are some steps you can follow to become a digital nomad if you are just passionate about becoming a digital nomad.

You need some high-paying skills, a remote job or an online business, a little bit of confidence, and a destination with a reliable internet connection.

Let’s break down the steps of becoming a digital nomad.

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Related post: 9 Ways to Make Money While Traveling [Travel 365 Days/Year]

There will be 1 billion digital nomads by 2035 – Pieter Levels, the founder of Nomad List

Learn Required Skills

Google and YouTube and relevant blogs are the best teachers out there.

But it’s not easy for everyone to learn from these free resources because educational resources from those platforms are not organized and straightforward.

So, you can use online courses to learn the required skills.

Here are the best places to educate yourself and build skills:

• YouTube
• Udemy
• Skillshare
• Coursera
• Lynda
• Udacity

By signing up for one of these resources, you can get access to thousands of online courses that will help you build skills fast.

Udemy and Skillshare are the best places to learn creative skills and the required skills to become a digital nomad, such as graphic design skills, photography skills, marketing skills, web design skills, etc.

If you want to learn to code, you can try FreeCodeCamp or CodeAcademy to get free coding lessons and tutorials.

Read more: How I Travel The World Working Online

Read more: My Journey as a Digital Nomad in Manali: Exploring Majestic Mountains, Connecting with Extraordinary People, and Embracing Freedom

How Digital Nomads Make Money While Traveling The World?

There are many ways you can make money while traveling the world as a digital nomad.

You can make money doing freelance jobs and remote jobs for companies.

Also, you can build a passive income generating business to make money while traveling or even sleeping too!

Here are three types of jobs and businesses digital nomads do while traveling the world.

1. Start Your Own Business

You can start a blog, podcast, or YouTube channel to document your nomadic life and share your experience.

The best part is,

By doing these, you can build a passive income-generating business that makes money while you travel.

Also, you can start other passive income-generating businesses to make your digital nomad life easier. Because having passive income streams means true financial freedom.

Check out this post to get some genuine passive income ideas and to learn more about passive income.

17 Genuine Ways to Make Passive Income While You Sleep

2. Freelancing

Freelancing isn’t a passive income-generating business, but it’s one of the best ways to make instant active income as a digital nomad.

In freelancing, you have to sell your services to earn money. If you have a high-paying skill, you can make massive money by doing freelance jobs.

For example,

If you are a graphic designer, you can sell your graphic design services. You can design logos, banners, flyers, illustrations, etc.

The best place to sell your graphic design service is 99Designs. It’s the only design-specific freelance marketplace available on the market.

You can be a freelance writer, photographer, virtual assistant, digital marketer, and the list goes on.

If you’re a beginner, I suggest you start your freelance career on Fiverr because it’s user-friendly and beginner-friendly.

Read more: Freelancing for Beginners – The Ultimate Guide to Freelancing in 2024

Also, you can use Upwork, Freelancer, Guru.com, Facebook groups, and other social media platforms to get more clients.

Are you a young hustler?

Join our facebook group – ‘Young Hustlers‘

You can also connect with me on Instagram @InuEtc

3. Get a Remote Job

The difference between remote jobs and freelance jobs is remote jobs mean you’re a full-time or part-time employee at an organization or a company, while freelance jobs end once the project is over. In both cases, your presence isn’t required at the office.

Remote jobs are better than freelance jobs because sometimes it’s hard to get clients as a freelancer and remote jobs make your digital nomad life more secure.

If you have the required skills and degrees, you can quickly get a remote job and work from anywhere.

You can be a web developer, app developer, growth hacker, marketing specialist, graphic designer, software engineer, and the list goes on.

Some well-known companies offer flexible remote jobs for digital nomads. Some of them are:

• MailerLite
• Zapier
• Buffer
• Doist
• Hubstaff
• Automattic
• SafetyWing

Read more: The Ultimate Guide to Remote Job – 7 Remote Companies to Get a Remote Job and Travel the World

Online job boards such as We Work Remotely, RemoteOK, and Remote.co are some of the great places to find flexible part-time jobs or full-time remote jobs. Or, if you’re looking for something more specific, here’s a good site for remote SQL jobs.

Also, the power of networking is huge. LinkedIn is a great place to apply for jobs. Also, it’s a great platform where you can showcase your experience and skills and network with other professionals.

You can directly approach a company for a remote job. Choose a remote-friendly company, let them know who you are and how the company can benefit from your skills, and ask if they have any positions available.

Read more: Work smart, earn passively, and do what you love

Reduce Obstacles, Boost Your Confidence, and Get Inspired!

Get rid of debt, save money, build your own business, or get a remote job and reduce other obstacles.

Educate yourself, motivate yourself, and boost your confidence by reading relevant blogs and books. Also, listen to podcasts and watch travel videos.

Nomadic Matt, Digital Nomad Soul, Hobo with a Laptop, Making It Anywhere, and Wandering Earl are some of my favorite digital nomad blogs which you can follow to learn more about the digital nomad lifestyle.

Some digital nomad books I recommend are:

• How to Travel the World on $50 a Day by Matt Kepnes
• The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferris
• Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel by Rolf Potts
• Travel While You Work: The Ultimate Guide to Running a Business from Anywhere by Mish Slade

Also, you should read two of my favorite books, ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad‘ by Robert Kiyosaki and ‘Crushing It‘ by Gary Vaynerchuk, to learn more about income streams, new-age business strategies, and achieving financial independence.

You can join digital nomad communities such as Couchsurfing, Nomad List, and Facebook Groups to get support and to meet more digital nomads.

Get Digital Nomad Insurance

It’s essential for remote workers and digital nomads to have international health insurance and travel insurance.

SafetyWing is a travel medical insurance that was created by nomads for nomads. You can purchase a policy even if your trip has already started. You can pause and resume coverage with flexibility. 185 countries are covered and you don’t need to let them know about your itinerary in advance. Perfect for people like me who don’t know where they’ll be next month! Check out their website at SafetyWing.com.

Read more: The Best Travel Insurance for Digital Nomads — My honest review of SafetyWing

Get International Internet Connection

As digital nomads often work online, a reliable, fast, and secure internet connection is a must for digital nomads. 

Although you will find WIFI in most places today, it’s always a good idea to have a backup plan, like a mobile hotspot. Your smartphone hotspot can help you, but you have to buy a new SIM card whenever you travel internationally.

So, I recommend Skyroam; it is a global hotspot, which means you don’t have to buy a new SIM card everywhere you go. Inuidea readers get an exclusive discount with promo code INUETC.

Choose a Destination and Go!

If you’re a beginner digital nomad and still learning how to become a digital nomad, I suggest you go to a popular as well as beginner-friendly digital nomad destination.

It’s obvious that you want a place with a lower cost of living with a higher quality of life. But more than that, you want to meet other digital nomads to make your digital nomad life easier.

Taipei, Taiwan

So, as a beginner, you have to choose your first destination wisely.

Here are the top 7 locations for digital nomads along with the cost of living.

1. Koh Lanta, Thailand – Average Cost of Living: $575-$1,620 per month.
2. Prague, Czech Republic – Average Cost of Living: $970-$2,420 per month.
3. Playa del Carmen, Mexico – Average Cost of Living: $900-$1,500 per month.
4. Taipei, Taiwan – Average Cost of Living: $1,400-$2,560 per month.
5. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain – Average Cost of Living: $1,620-$2,420 per month.
6. Medellin, Colombia – Average Cost of Living: $710-$1,620 per month.
7. Tbilisi, Georgia – Average Cost of Living: $700-$1,550 per month.

Do you know?

Bali is one of the most popular digital nomad destinations to avoid if you’re a beginner digital nomad. Bali was a paradise for digital nomads, but it has become too crowded and too expensive!

As well as Chiang Mai and Berlin become expensive too, and Cape Town has become unsafe for visitors.

Quick Tips: You can use Nomadlist to find out your next destination. It’s the biggest crowdsourced database of cities in the world, analyzing 1,902,719+ data points to help you choose where to go next.

Accommodation

For free accommodation, check out Couchsurfing, it lets you meet and stay with locals all over the world for free.

Also, exploring Booking.com, Agoda, and Airbnb is a great way to find low-cost accommodation around your destination.

Read more: 7 Cheapest Places to Visit in Europe!

Inu Etc in Meghalaya, India. Photo by Inu Etc

Final Thoughts – How To Become a Digital Nomad and Travel The World in 2024

Becoming a digital nomad requires time, lots of effort, and patience because It takes huge time to be financially independent and location independent.

So, keep patience and keep working to achieve your goals. If you’re passionate about becoming a digital nomad, you can easily become a digital nomad even though it requires lots of effort, money, and confidence.

Follow these steps, learn more about the digital nomad lifestyle, and start hustling today!

Read more: The Pros and Cons of Digital Nomad Life, Freelancing, and Remote Job

Now It’s Your Turn!

Hey, I hope you enjoyed reading this guide to becoming a digital nomad.

Now I’d like to hear from you:

What do you think about the term ‘Digital Nomad’?

Let me know in the comment section below right now.

Also, share this post with your friends and aspiring digital nomads who are looking for an in-depth guide to becoming a digital nomad.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. I’m always available to help young hustlers like you.

Keep hustling!