Hello everyone! Hope your teams did better than the Falcons on Sunday!

You may already know that I quit work to travel for an entire year. You may not be aware that I’ve met many Americans and Canadians while abroad. These people include recent graduates, who have chosen to travel first before starting a job. Others are people like me who quit their jobs in order to see the world. Unexpectedly, many of my fellow travelers are currently working full-time. They didn’t get jobs in Budapest or Barcelona. Instead, they brought their laptops to Europe from New York City and Chicago and continued working overseas. This phenomenon is fascinating to me, and I want to share it with you. Let’s get started.

Backstory

COVID-19 has changed the way we work forever. The jobs that used to require 40+ hours per week at the office, are now mostly remote. This is a positive thing. Now, companies can hire talent anywhere in the world. Employees who are talented also benefit. They can advocate for permanent remote work, and live wherever they want. They can find similar remote roles with other companies if their company wants to force them to return to the office. There has never before been a larger pool of potential employees, and flexibility has never offered to more workers.

Most workers prefer to work remotely (or hybrid) even though vaccines are widely distributed and people can safely return to their offices. Businesses that do not adapt to this shift in labor force risk losing talent.

Nomad Worker: Enter the New Generation of Workers

Over the course of a year, travel abroad was virtually shut down. The same vaccine which made it possible to work in person also opened up international air routes. Americans who had been vaccinated could now travel the world. Some workers pushed the boundaries of “work at home” in a world that is increasingly remote.

In Budapest, I shared an hostel room with a Californian called Perry. Perry was a Californian who worked for a technology company and had been in Europe for several months. He did not have a rigid hourly schedule but had to attend Zoom meetings at various times throughout the day. He would often set up his webcam in the corner of our hostel’s lounge while we ate dinner. Perry was a seasoned traveler who had seen Europe from coast to coast. He did not plan on stopping anytime soon.

In Lagos, I met Mike. Mike, a Toronto-native of my age and working for a business group, was an Airbnb in Lisbon, Portugal. Mike went one step further and got an Airbnb for a whole month in Lisbon, Portugal. He works from 2 to 10 in the afternoons and travels around Europe on weekends. Mike does not even own an apartment in Toronto. After his Lisbon lease expires, he will probably go to Italy or Croatia for several weeks. How feasible is it, financially and logistically speaking? Take a look.

Nomad Lifestyle Funding

Money is at the heart of this equation. How much money will you spend on your trip? How much money do you need?

Flights

The flight itself is one of the largest expenses. You can fly directly from NYC to London for $350.

“But Jack, What if I am not from New York?”

Flying from other cities into Europe will be more expensive. The same flight from Atlanta to London costs $580. You can, however, fly from Atlanta directly to New York and then take the flight above, New York-London, for $350. The cheapest international flight departs from the airport closest to your final destination. Fly from Houston, Miami, or LA to South America. New York is the best airport to fly to Europe.

If you live in Atlanta, but want to go to London for work, the flight will cost you $390.

Accommodation

The biggest variable cost is your hotel. Hotel prices in Europe are similar to those in America, ranging from $60-150 per night. This is between $1800 to $4500 per month. If you are making money, then go all out. The best way to maximize money is by staying in hostels.

Hostels rock. Before coming to Europe I was a little sceptical, but hostels have been my favorite part of the experience. It’s like a dorm-style room shared with other students.

London, England has the highest cost of living in Europe. For $20 per night, I can stay in a hostel with a rating of 9.2/10. For those who keep score at home, that’s just $600 per month.

There is a compromise. Spending $20 per night in central London means you’ll be sharing with nine other travelers. What’s this? It’s awesome. You’ll be exploring the city alongside Australians, Italians and other Americans. You will exchange fascinating stories with people from around the world. Everybody is traveling. Since I started traveling, I have had no problems with locals, but I’ve made many friends.

The hostels are all equipped with drawers and locks where you can store your things safely during the day. Hostels offer free meals, beer, tours, and free breakfasts. London is by far the most expensive place in Europe. I only paid $12 per night in Prague and Budapest. Krakow had two meals included. You will spend less than $500 a month for lodging expenses. Hostels are also a great way to meet new people.

Airbnb is a good option if you plan to stay in a city for some time. You can rent a private 1-bedroom apartment in Sevilla for $800 during the month of October.

If you’re looking to travel, you can either choose to use an Airbnb or to hostel hop. The worst value for money is in hotels.

Other Travel Expenses

You’ll probably want to see different cities. Europe has an excellent rail network. For $800, Americans can purchase a Eurail Pass that allows them to travel around Europe on trains for free for three months. It may seem expensive, but the pass pays for itself very quickly. The pass has already covered $400 in train travel within a month.

Even flights within Europe are affordable. As an example, it would cost $34 to fly directly from Madrid to Berlin.

All Other Things

Spend money on entertainment, food, and drinks. Hostel staffs are familiar with the best restaurants in Europe and can recommend them. If your hostel offers free meals, you can get a good meal for less than $20 per day.

Evenings out can be a very expensive experience. In central Europe, you may pay $1 for a drink (think Budapest), but $5 in Barcelona. This is going to be largely dependent on the venue and city.

Memberships to gyms are also expensive. You’ll want to continue working out in Europe if you do. There are free outdoor gyms available in almost every city. These gyms are equipped with pull-up bars, rings and dip bars as well as various heavy objects. You can make it work, even if you’re a little caveman. If you know where to search, you can find discounts on memberships. A September special allowed me to get a Sevilla membership for only $5.

You can spend your money on a lot of fun things. I spent $30 on a kayaking trip along the Lagos coast and about $5 at different museums in Europe. Most entertainment options, besides multi-day trips such as skiing or expensive tourist traps, like booze tours in coastal towns, are inexpensive (or free).

Monthly Cost Summary

• Flights starting at $400
• Accommodation: $500, $800, or $2000
• Other travel: $267 (800-pass / 3 months).
• Drinks and food: $600
• Miscellaneous costs: $150

After paying for a travel expense, you can expect to pay $1500 per month (assuming you eat healthy and enjoy going out). This number may be lower.

Western Europe is also much more expensive than Eastern and Central Europe. You can have a luxurious life for a fraction of the cost if you stay in the eastern half.

Feasibility

If you earn $50k+ per year in a remote job, then it is possible to travel and work. If you sublease an apartment in the US it is even easier. It’s a logistical question that needs to be answered.

You cannot work abroad if you are required to return to the office part-time. Many companies are flexible because they want talent to stay. In the past year and a quarter, you have proven that you can work remotely. You probably have more power than you think if you want to work remotely. Why? It will take a lot of time and money to train and hire someone else, compared to keeping you. It’s in the nature of business that some jobs require you to be present. Most jobs that have been remote since the pandemic started can easily remain remote. Just ask.

You’ll probably have a lot of odd hours if you decide to work remotely. Due to the six-hour time difference, I’d be working in Spain from 2 PM until 11 PM every day. You’ll have more flexibility if you choose to work at your own pace.

Central and South America also offer similar travel benefits with US time zones. While working normal hours, you can have a blast in Rio, Buenos Aires and Santiago. Consider this.

What Should You Do?

It’s entirely up to you. I am a huge fan of doing whatever you want and what makes for the best story. I’ve seen several Americans spend their mornings exploring cities in Central Europe, afternoons working and nights having fun with friends. This is not for everyone but it’s a great way of satiating that adventurous itch. Why not give it a try? There’s also something funny about receiving an NYC Zoom call in Prague.