You wake up in Timișoara, open your laptop, and see a Zoom invite from someone in Toronto. A Slack ping from a client in Berlin.
A message from a fellow freelancer in Bali asking when you’re heading out next. The desk you’re working from might be temporary.
The country you’re in might not be home. But your work is steady, your income secure, and your mind is alive with the possibility of more.
This is the digital nomad life. And for many Romanians in 2025, it’s not a dream anymore.
It’s a path that people are actively choosing — not just to travel, but to live more freely, earn more fairly, and discover how to build a career that doesn’t sit still. But with the world wide open, one big question remains.
Where should you go? Not just for photos, but for real work, affordable living, and the chance to feel rooted even when you’re moving.
Why Romanians Are Rethinking Borders One Laptop At A Time
It wasn’t always like this. A decade ago, working remotely was rare. And working remotely from another country while getting paid from a third?
That sounded like something for ultra-rich influencers or startup founders. But then the world changed. Technology caught up.
Companies realized that productivity didn’t require proximity. And Romanians started noticing that they could stay home — or go anywhere — and still do meaningful work.
The appeal is clear. The average salary in Romania hasn’t kept pace with the rising cost of living. But clients in the US, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK are offering contracts worth two to five times more for the same kind of work. And when you pair that with the ability to move to a country where your money stretches further, the math becomes obvious.
It’s not just about escape. It’s about expansion. Romanians who used to feel stuck in cities that didn’t value their talent are now building lives abroad — not through migration, but through motion. The difference between a digital nomad and a traditional migrant is simple. One works online, stays flexible, and moves often. The other uproots permanently. This lifestyle doesn’t ask you to give up your roots. It just lets you plant new ones — wherever you are.
What Makes A Country Work For A Romanian Nomad
Not all countries are built equally when it comes to living and working remotely. Some are expensive but efficient. Others are cheap but chaotic. The key is not to follow the crowd, but to understand what actually makes a country suitable — not for tourists, but for people who want to log in daily and live well.
You’ll want solid internet. Not just in hotels or coworking spaces, but in apartments and cafés. You’ll need affordable rent, access to basic amenities, and ideally, a time zone that lets you collaborate with clients or teams without burning the candle at both ends. You’ll also want to feel safe, welcome, and part of something — even if you’re just passing through.
For Romanians, there’s another layer. EU citizenship opens many doors. You can live and work legally in other European countries without a visa. That makes places like Spain, Portugal, or Greece very appealing. But outside the EU, things get trickier. You need to know how long you can stay, whether you can work legally, and how to navigate taxes without breaking the rules.
The best country for you isn’t the one with the prettiest coastline. It’s the one that matches your pace, supports your workflow, and gives you the space to grow — both professionally and personally.
Portugal And The Allure Of The Atlantic
For many Romanian digital nomads, the journey begins in Portugal. With mild weather, friendly locals, and one of the most developed remote work cultures in Europe, it offers a blend of adventure and stability. Lisbon and Porto are popular cities, but many are choosing smaller towns where costs are lower, and life is slower.
The time zone lines up well with clients in Western Europe, and the EU status means you can stay without worrying about visas. Coworking spaces are everywhere. English is widely spoken. And the food? It tastes like someone’s grandmother still cares.
But what truly makes Portugal work isn’t just the lifestyle. It’s the feeling that you belong, even temporarily. Many Romanians say the culture reminds them of home — just with more sunlight and less stress.
Spain’s Warm Welcome For EU Citizens With Wi-Fi
Next on the map is Spain. From Barcelona’s creative energy to Valencia’s seaside calm, the country offers multiple personalities — all within the same border. If you’re working freelance or on a remote contract, your biggest challenge won’t be getting in. It’ll be choosing which region feels most like your rhythm.
Spain has affordable cities, strong internet, and a growing community of nomads. It’s not as cheap as it used to be, but it’s still easier on the wallet than most of Western Europe. Plus, the food is fresh, the days are long, and the work-life balance is something Romanians deeply appreciate once they experience it.
You’ll hear more Romanian spoken than you expect. And not just from tourists. More and more Romanians are using Spain as their seasonal base — working during the day, exploring in the evenings, and hopping between towns with the ease of someone who understands that EU borders are more suggestion than limitation.
Georgia’s Open Arms And Low Costs
Now imagine going somewhere that doesn’t just allow you in — it invites you to stay. Georgia, perched at the intersection of Europe and Asia, has become a surprising favorite for remote workers from around the world, including Romania.
You don’t need a visa to stay for up to a year. The cost of living is a fraction of what you’d pay in most European capitals. Apartments are cheap, food is fresh, and the internet is reliable in all the right places. The culture is warm, the landscapes are breathtaking, and there’s a growing nomad community centered in cities like Tbilisi and Batumi.
Romanians often find the local attitude refreshingly open. People are curious, not suspicious. The country wants digital workers and treats them with respect. If you’re just starting out as a freelancer or remote contractor, Georgia lets you stretch your earnings while enjoying a quality of life that feels far beyond what you pay for.
Thailand’s Tropical Temptation For Long-Stay Nomads
If your heart beats faster at the thought of palm trees and street food, Thailand might be your destination. It’s long been a hub for nomads, and though it’s a long flight from Romania, the benefits are undeniable.
Chiang Mai remains a favorite among remote workers due to its affordability, calm pace, and thriving freelancer scene. Bangkok is chaotic but rich with opportunity. And the islands offer short bursts of paradise, perfect for breaks between contracts.
Thailand isn’t part of any EU agreements, so you’ll need to watch visa durations and plan ahead. But many Romanians have figured out how to stay legally — through visa runs, digital nomad programs, or simply taking seasonal breaks. The cost of living is so low that even a modest freelance income can stretch comfortably across the month. And the cultural shift — from language to daily life — opens the mind in ways that few European countries can.
Mexico’s Mix Of Culture And Connectivity
Across the ocean lies Mexico, another rising star for digital nomads. While it might not be the most obvious choice for someone from Romania, more people are making the leap than ever before. Why? Because it offers a kind of freedom that’s hard to replicate elsewhere.
Cities like Mexico City, Oaxaca, and Playa del Carmen are not only beautiful — they’re full of coworking hubs, English-speaking communities, and creative professionals from every corner of the world. The timezone works well for North American clients, and the visa policy is generous, allowing Romanians to stay for up to 180 days on arrival.
It’s a long trip, yes. But many say it’s worth it. The food, the color, the friendliness — it adds up to an experience that feels far from ordinary, and yet strangely like home.
My Opinion
Before you head out, you’ll need to prepare. This isn’t vacation. It’s life in motion. That means making sure your freelance income or remote job is stable. It means using tools like Wise or Revolut to get paid in different currencies. It means having a legal registration back home — whether as a PFA or small business — to issue invoices and stay compliant.
You’ll also want to back up your work, pack your gear carefully, and prepare emotionally. Travel is thrilling, but it’s also tiring. Time zones, cultural shifts, unexpected costs — they all test you. But they also teach you. Romanians who’ve taken the leap say the hardest part isn’t leaving. It’s believing you deserve to go.
The truth is, you don’t need permission. You need a plan. And once you’ve done it once — booked the ticket, landed, settled, worked — the idea of going back to “normal” feels like giving up on something too big to lose.
