Finding the right accommodation as a digital nomad can be tricky. There are tons of things to look out for and even more to search for. You might need a workspace in your home or perhaps you need some people around you to feel less lonely - the demands on accommodation are endless. Here are your options and their pros and cons.
Coliving
Coliving accommodation can be a great choice for digital nomads. The main idea behind coliving is having both your own space (like a room or a small flat) while creating communities of digital nomads within the building itself through shared spaces, events, and the like. This can be great for productivity (since many coliving spaces also have co-working areas), networking, and socializing.
Finding these can be tricky, but there are tons of international sites to help you out. Sites Like NomadList, Nomadstays, Coliving.com, and Common Living are good places to start. Alternatively, you want to be part of online digital nomad groups which can point you towards their favorite coliving accommodation. Try searching for the destination of your choice and see if there isn’t a nomad community already working on coliving options.
Hotels and hostels
If your stay doesn’t last longer than a few nights or a week, hotels and hostels can be a good choice. With breakfast and dinner included, it can be one of the most convenient places you can choose. But there are many drawbacks for digital nomads. Firstly, they are far more expensive than most other types of rentals. Secondly, they tend to be very restrictive - there’s no space to work, no kitchen, and there might even be restrictions on who you can invite over.
Hostels are a little bit better since their price tends to be a bit cheaper and their communal approach to guests makes socializing easier. Still, both hotels and hostels will mostly be full of tourists or people who are just passing through, so any lasting relationships (personal or professional) won’t really be possible either.
Rentals
One of the best options for digital nomads is renting an apartment or a house. There are three types of rentals to consider here: short-term, mid-term, and long-term. Short-term rentals like AirBnB can be a great alternative to a hotel or a hostel. While it is a bit more isolated, you will have all the conveniences of a cozy home. The downside is that thanks to high demand many short-term rentals are very expensive when looked at from the per-night perspective.
Long-term rentals have all of the advantages of a short-term rental and are probably the most affordable type of rental there is on top of that. But the downside is that you’re tying yourself down for over a year, and this might not be ideal if you want to travel about. On top of that, finding a good long-term rental usually means searching through local rental sites and communicating in the language of your new home, which can be an added difficulty.
Mid-term rentals deal with all the above problems and add a few advantages on top of that. Firstly, you don’t need to tie yourself to your rental for a long time, you can choose if you stay a few weeks or months. Secondly, they are much more affordable than a hotel or AirBnB on a per-night basis. Thirdly, they are pretty easy to find, especially when you use sites like Flatio. Happy flat hunting!
