The rise of remote work has given birth to a new lifestyle for many employees around the world: the digital nomad. These tech-savvy freelancers can decide where and when they work, preferring shorter-term gigs to the regular 9 – 5. Using data collected from 90,000 Instagram posts tagged #digitalnomad to see where today’s itinerant freelancers recommend, a study by Resume.io found extra data on the top cities in the world and looked into points such as the cost of living, world happiness report and grocery index of each city.
So, where are these new digital workers heading to? And which African cities have the best facilities for remote workers?
Let’s look at the 5 best cities in Africa for remote workers
Cape Town – South Africa
Cost of living index: 41.85
Groceries index: 35.58
Happiness index score: 5.265
Best co-working space: 88mph
Cape Town is the number one location for digital nomads in Africa, according to the amount of related Instagram posts. Most tourists to Cape Town receive a 3-month visa, which can be extended to 6 months. The best neighbourhood to stay in is Gardens, and the cost of living index for the city is 41.85. The city also has great leisure activities on offer, including hiking and other outdoor pursuits.
There are also plenty of working spaces and great cafés to work from. With vineyards not far away, travellers can expect cheap artisanal wines at the local bar.
Marrakech – Morocco
DigitalNomad Photo-Gallery-Africa 2-Marrakech
Cost of living index: 41.28
Groceries index: 32.93
Best co-working space: Creative Lab
With the opportunity to stay in luxury at one of the many riads found in Marrakech, it’s no wonder digital nomads are visiting. The city was awarded 13th place in Tripadvisor’s popular destinations category, yet digital nomads might struggle with the internet as the average download speed is only 6.55 Mbps in Morocco.
Nairobi – Kenya
Cost of living index: 37.20
Groceries index: 33.75
Happiness index score: 5.150
Best coworking space: Nairobi Garage
With over 30 co-working spaces to choose from and 200 plus grassroots social enterprise startups, the remote working infrastructure is really taking off in Nairobi. Hiking trails and safaris keep nomads busy during their downtime. Another positive for digital nomads is the cost of living, with an index of 37.20 and a groceries index of 33.75, making staying here very addictive.
Zanzibar – Tanzania
Internet speed: 4.54 Mbps
Low living costs, good food and warm weather all year round make for a digital nomads dream. There are markets full of fresh fruits and charming stone buildings everywhere. Nomads can pick a café or hotel to work from and then enjoy the white sandy beaches. The downside is the slow internet speed that averages 4.54Mbps.
Cairo – Egypt
Cost of living index: 32.01
Groceries index: 26.58
Happiness index score: 4.088
Best co-working space: The District
Cairo is inexpensive with a good metro system, and there is a big start-up scene compared to the rest of Egypt. A plus for nomads, the city has one of the lowest living costs in this list, with an index score of 32.01. Although the internet has improved a lot in recent years, it is still on the slow side with download speeds of 4.71Mbps.
