Digital nomad cities are increasingly being judged on more than internet access, and a new ranking puts Seoul, Tokyo, Hanoi, Taipei and Osaka at the top of the list, with Barcelona and Madrid the only European cities to make the global top 10.
The study, conducted by independent VPN review platform VPN JPN, examined 104 major cities to assess how suitable they are for people who work remotely while living away from their home country. The ranking considered the availability of places to work, entertainment and cultural venues, internet speeds, affordability and the number of days with weather considered comfortable for working.
The researchers initially looked at 150 of the world’s largest cities using the United Nations’ Degree of Urbanisation definition. Forty-six were later excluded for various reasons, leaving 104 cities in the final comparison. Each city received an overall score out of 100.
Japan was particularly prominent, with Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya all appearing in the top 10. Spain was the only European country with two cities in the leading group, as Barcelona ranked sixth and Madrid seventh.
Seoul took the top position with a score of 73.60. The South Korean capital recorded 59.67 places to work per square kilometre, along with 172.94 going-out options and 10.74 cultural venues per square kilometre.
Its internet performance also helped it stand out. Seoul recorded an average national download speed of 69.27 Mbps, the fastest among the 10 highest-ranked cities.
Affordability was measured against a United States baseline of 100. Seoul received a score of 63.99, indicating that its prices were about 36 per cent below that benchmark.
Tokyo followed closely in second place with 72.61. The Japanese capital had 56.43 places to work per square kilometre and an affordability score of 65.66, making it somewhat more expensive than Seoul under the study’s measure.
Where Tokyo gained ground was in its choice of activities outside working hours. The city recorded 395.12 going-out venues per square kilometre, the highest figure among the top 10. It also had 12.71 cultural venues per square kilometre.
Hanoi ranked third with a score of 71.86. The Vietnamese capital had the highest concentration of places to work among the top 10, with 96.88 per square kilometre. Its prices were also almost 71 per cent below the US benchmark.
Weather was another advantage. Hanoi recorded 180 comfortable working days, compared with 105 in Seoul and 103 in Tokyo. Its weakness in the study was internet performance, with a national download speed of 16.12 Mbps.
Taipei came fourth with a score of 70.98. The Taiwanese capital recorded 48.24 places to work per square kilometre and 295.77 going-out venues. It also had 10.71 cultural venues per square kilometre, while its prices were around 57 per cent below the US benchmark.
Osaka completed the top five with a score of 70.15. Japan’s third-largest city by population recorded 350.27 going-out options per square kilometre and 45.80 places to work. Its strong showing helped give Japan three cities in the top five and three in the overall top 10.
Barcelona was the highest-ranked European city, taking sixth place with a score of 68.11. It had fewer work locations than the Asian cities above it, but Spain recorded the fastest national upload speed among the top 15 cities, at 36.71 Mbps.
Barcelona also performed well outside working hours, with 104.83 going-out options and 8.97 cultural venues per square kilometre. The city recorded 164 comfortable working days during the year.
Madrid followed in seventh place with a score of 66.67. The two Spanish cities shared the same national scores for internet performance and price levels, so the difference came from their individual city-level figures.
Barcelona recorded slightly more places to work, going-out options and cultural venues per square kilometre. It also had 43 more comfortable working days than Madrid, according to the study.
Sao Paulo also scored 66.67, placing eighth. The Brazilian city stood out for its climate, recording 252 comfortable working days, the highest figure among the top 10. Its prices were also around 53 per cent below the US benchmark.
Nagoya brought Japan back into the ranking at number nine, with a score of 64.97. The city benefited from Japan’s strong national internet performance, with download speeds of 58.72 Mbps and upload speeds of 33.07 Mbps.
Nagoya recorded 23.45 places to work and 144.32 going-out options per square kilometre. Weather was less favourable by the study’s definition, however, with only 83 comfortable working days, the lowest figure among the top 15 cities.
Ho Chi Minh City completed the top 10 with a score of 64.28, giving Vietnam two cities in the leading group. It recorded 56.73 places to work per square kilometre, close to Seoul’s figure, while prices were around 70 per cent below the US benchmark.
The ranking highlights how different cities can appeal to remote workers for different reasons. Some perform strongly because of their work infrastructure and internet connections, while others benefit from lower prices, a larger supply of cultural and entertainment venues or more days with suitable weather.
For digital nomads deciding where to spend an extended period, those differences can matter as much as the headline ranking itself. The study’s results show that the strongest destinations are not necessarily defined by a single factor, but by the combination of conditions that shape everyday life while working abroad.
