Belfast ranks third: The world’s 20 best cities for British digital nomads revealed

Since the end of the pandemic there has been a shift in the mentality for many desk workers in the UK, a recent study found that 43% of Brits said they would NOT apply for an advertised job if the description didn’t explicitly state that it was flexible and 37% of Brits asked said they would like a hybrid role so that they could work while they travel for a portion of the year.

The mentality that the office can be anywhere and working from anywhere has grown in popularity, UK Google searches for “Digital Nomad Visa” have increased by 130% over the past 12 months.

But where are the best cities in the world to work remotely as a Brit? A recent study by computing and tech retailer Currys, analysed 292 cities around the world and ranked them on their monthly rent, basic utility price per month, broadband speed, their safety index, and the length of stay allowed for UK citizens all out of 10 to give a total score out of 50, the highest score being the best locations for digital nomads from the UK.

Belfast has cheap monthly utilities, fast broadband and there's no extra paperwork fuss

In third place was the only UK city to make the top 20, Belfast in Northern Ireland scored 35.77 out of a possible 50. Although the rent was middle of the range at £652 per month average for a 1-bed apartment, the cheap monthly utilities, fast broadband and of course the ability to stay up to a year as a UK resident, as it is a UK city, makes it an attractive prospect for those looking to get away form the mainland. However, the safety index score of just 45.5 out of 100 from Numbeo, may mean it isn’t the place to pick if you are a solo traveller.

South American cities top the list

When looking at the highest scoring city by country it was found that Lima, Peru was the place for these working from anywhere types to go, scoring 38.66 out of 50. With an allowed stay of 183 days in Peru with no visa required it is easy for Brits to visit and stay for a period, the rent was a little higher than some of the other South American cities that made the top 10 at around £263 per month for a 1 bed apartment outside the city centre, but that is nothing on some UK and Canadian locations which average over £1000 a month.

Aside from this, Lima is warm all year-round (average temperature is 24°C, and February is the hottest month), and has beautiful beaches along the Pacific coast and is a vibrant and exciting city filled with history and culture.

Recife, Brazil ranked highest in 2nd place overall with 37.22 out of 50. Known as the ‘Venice of Brazil’ thanks to its network of canals and bridges, it has great beaches too and is both a cultural and naturally beautiful gem. It scores highly for affordability and is a very safe place to spend your time.