Winter boltholes for remote working – we rate the best options, from Portugal to Mauritius – The Telegraph

Where would you rather be – at a desk in a chilly home office with a ticking electricity meter in the next room, or on a terrace in Portugal tapping out emails while temperatures hover around 18C? A host of “digital nomad” visa schemes, including a newly-launched one from Spain, mean it’s possible to take advantage of working remotely in order to head off to sunnier climes this winter – and possibly even save some money in the process.

What is a digital nomad visa?

Since the pandemic, many countries have introduced these visas in a bid to lure long-stay visitors. It’s working: according to MBO Partners, there were 7.3 million American digital nomads in 2019 but 15.5 million by 2021 while Forbes Magazine has cited estimates of 35 million worldwide. 

Allowing holders to work remotely from their country of choice, digital nomad visas usually last up to a year – longer than a tourist visa but less time than a residence permit – and most also allow travellers to continue paying tax in their country of origin. For those with flexible working arrangements and few ties at home, they offer the chance to explore the world while still earning money. 

The schemes’ conditions vary by country, but applicants usually need to be able to demonstrate proof of income and have a clean criminal record as well as pricey international health insurance. Still tempted? Here are our top five digital nomad visas to escape with this winter:

1. Portugal

Winter temperatures remain balmy by British standards in much of Portugal


Winter temperatures remain balmy by British standards in much of Portugal


Credit: Alamy

An influx of expats over the last decade has made Portugal costlier than it once was (cappuccinos at Lisbon’s hip coffee chain Fábrica now cost an eye-watering €3.30). But, outside the capital, it’s still much cheaper than Britain. The country takes 66th place in Numbeo’s Cost of Living Index (the UK is 31st) – which means visitors could really profit from some working winter sun. 

Lisbon, along with Porto and Cascais, has long been a popular destination for digital nomads, which explains its profusion of shared workspaces and expat meetups. These two are a particular hit with Bitcoin billionaires taking advantage of tax breaks on cryptocurrencies (and faster mobile and fixed internet speeds than the UK), though rules will change next year. Meanwhile, retirees and others with passive earnings can stay on a D7 visa, which has an income requirement of just €822.50 per month. 

Since October 2022, the employed and self-employed have also been able to take advantage of a “residence visa for the exercise of professional activity provided remotely outside the national territory” – a digital nomad visa by another name. To do so, Britons have to demonstrate a monthly income of four times the Portuguese minimum wage (which it’s thought will be €3,040 in 2023) and provide evidence of self-employment or a job contract as part of a fairly lengthy amount of documentation. Applications can be made at the Portuguese consulate in the UK or border control (SEF) in Portugal. Leave plenty of time as this is one of the most popular countries for digital nomads.

Away from Lisbon, life is laid-back and costs are low. Temperatures hover around 17C in the Algarve in February while, though accommodation is expensive in the tourist resorts, you can rent a two-bed apartment for less than €1,000 per month in lively Faro or Lagos. On the island of Madeira, where it’s even warmer, there’s an official scheme to attract workers to the “digital village” of Ponta do Sol with free workspace in the middle of a historic village trimmed by a bar-lined beach. Participants can book fully-furnished flats with paid utilities for mid-term stays through a dedicated channel. A rather luxurious one-bed flat with a roof terrace and hot tub in Ponta do Sol costs from around £1,200. 

2. Mauritius

A beach in Mauritius's Black River District


A beach in Mauritius’s Black River District


Credit: Alamy

You might imagine life in a tropical paradise would be pricey, but Mauritius has the lowest cost of living of any of the places on our digital nomad list, as well as some of the most reliably lovely weather – in January, temperatures hit 30C and there’s lots of sunshine (just be primed for tropical showers as this is the rainy season). 

Though the island doesn’t have a dedicated digital nomad scheme, its free Premium Visa for visits of more than six months is easy to apply for online and open to remote workers and retirees. Applicants need to demonstrate that they have already booked flights and accommodation and have enough funds for their stay (around £1,500pp per month).

What it costs to get to Mauritius (from £800 return for direct flights) is offset by good value houses and apartments in some seriously scenic locations. In the popular surf town of Tamarin Bay, expats hang out on a broad sweep of photogenic public sand before heading home to one of the gated communities outside the centre, where sprawling, three-bed villas with private pools cost around £2,500 per month (more modest apartments are half that price).  

Meanwhile, if typing by the pool feels too isolating, there are a surprising number of good value shared workspaces, including The Hive which has four outposts dotted around the island and costs £55 per month to join. The one downside? A four-hour time difference might make end-of-day Zooming tiresome.

3. Spain

Barcelona remains a popular spot with digital nomads


Barcelona remains a popular spot with digital nomads


Credit: Alamy

Approved by the Spanish parliament and expected to come into force in January 2023, Spain’s digital nomad scheme has attracted much attention. It’s no wonder: the country has a better quality of life than the UK according to Numbeo’s respected index (coming in at number 15 as opposed to the UK’s 20). It also had the 11th highest fixed broadband speeds in the world in October 2022 according to speedtest.net (much higher than the UK, which came in 56th place). And then there’s the 325 days of sunshine in the south and balmy year-round temperatures of the Canaries. 

Conditions for the scheme are expected to be tougher than most. It’s thought that applicants will need to prove that they’ve worked remotely for a year and that their salary meets the income threshold (expected to be between €2,000 and €3,000). They may also need to pay some tax in Spain. “When this is ratified in 2023, we’ll have a better idea,” says Gizane Campos of migration consultancy firm Global Citizen Solutions. “A whole framework of regulations has to be put in place.”

Luckily, Spain’s significantly lower cost of living (Expatistan estimates this to be €3,095 per month for a family of four, as opposed to £4,156 in the UK) means savings could still be made, notably in terms of accommodation costs. Kuhamia.com currently has a characterful two-bed house with a pool in rural Tenerife available for €850 per month, while two-bed apartments in Barcelona start from around €950 and sprawling country houses on the Costa del Sol are €3,000 upwards. 

You might get more of a bargain if you head somewhere remote. In a bid to attract foreigners to lesser-visited regions, 30 villages have signed up to the Red Nacional de Pueblos Acogedores (or National Network of Welcoming Villages) and each has an official host to help digital nomads settle in. Among them is the whitewashed mountain town of Tejeda in Gran Canaria, a winding hour’s drive away from the capital. With squares bordered by almond trees and cafe-filled lanes as well as plenty of hiking trails, it has two-bed houses for rent from around £500 per month through Idealista.

4. Greece

Athens is home to a lively late-night cafe culture


Athens is home to a lively late-night cafe culture


Credit: Alamy

Whether you identify with Shirley Valentine or Pierce Brosnan in Mamma Mia!, the chance for an extended stay in Greece is probably an appealing one and remote workers can fulfil their own filmic fantasies thanks to its Digital Nomad Visa scheme. 

Don’t imagine you’ll make huge savings on staying in the UK though: Greece’s cost of living is only marginally cheaper than Britain’s (it comes 46th in Numbeo’s index) and fuel and food prices are noticeably high in more touristy areas. 

This may partly explain why the Greek Digital Nomad Visa (valid for stays of more than 90 days and costing £64.50) has one of the highest salary requirements of all: €3,500 per month after tax, plus an extra 20 per cent for a dependent spouse and 15 per cent for each child. You’ll also need to leave plenty of time before you head off into the Grecian sunset. Applicants must book and attend appointments at the visa application centre and approval can take more than two weeks.

One final note of caution: watch where you land. This is a large country and in the north, towards Albania and Macedonia, temperatures often hover just above freezing in winter while Corfu can get very rainy. Meanwhile, some of the sunnier Greek islands are savouring the off-season. The Telegraph’s Greek travel expert Heidi Fuller-Love cautions: “Many Greek islands go dark in winter with only a handful of tavernas and hotels still offering their services (and this year with the energy crisis, this is even more noticeable). Although a crowd-free Santorini caldera does have its charms, if you want nightlife and plenty of local vibe head for main towns Athens and Thessaloniki, or stick to cities in the bigger islands such as Crete or Rhodes.”

5. Saint Lucia

Winter temperatures that never dip below 22C in Saint Lucia


Winter temperatures that never dip below 22C in Saint Lucia


Credit: Alamy

Worried you don’t make the salary threshold for remote working? There’s no lower limit to St Lucia’s digital nomad scheme so even interns can apply. Prospective long-stayers need to pay the $75 application fee and produce proof of a return ticket and booked accommodation.

Don’t expect to find much in the way of a coworking scene. The island’s visa is so under-the-radar that it doesn’t register on Nomad List (a website that reviews digital nomad destinations). However, if you fancy mixing some impressively wild scenery and beaches with a spot of home-working, Saint Lucia’s Live It scheme gives long-stay visitors the chance for a more immersive stay, with activities including learning to cook creole food and hiking the Pitons. Should you succumb to island fever, the visa is multiple entry and has no residential status for tax purposes, which means you can fly back and forth too (although costs may be prohibitive). 

High season brings a buzz in winter, helped by temperatures that never dip below 22C and often reach 30C. Though the weather may prove a distraction, the internet shouldn’t. With the 39th fastest fixed internet in the world, St Lucia’s connection is better than the UK’s. 

The one downside to this island bliss is the price and availability of accommodation. Many expats choose to live in the capital Castries, where even a room in a shared house can cost £700 excluding bills. Meanwhile, two-bed apartments in one of many gated, seaview condo developments around the island come in at £1,500 plus. 


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