Welcome back to Nomad Narratives. Today we’re unpacking the dark side of the digital nomad dream. Sophie Rucker left her London life in early 2020 and set up shop in Bali as a freelance communications strategist. She loved the freedom—but quickly discovered a bias against remote workers in exotic locales. “It grinds my gears,” she says, when clients assume she isn’t doing “serious work” from an island.

New research from Dutch neobank Bunq surveyed 5,000 European nomads and found only one in five believe the lifestyle boosted their careers. Hidden costs—local taxes, visas, medical bills—have 17 percent feeling less financially secure. Accommodation surged by hundreds of euros a month, and daily living expenses rose across the board.

Visa rules are another puzzle. Some nomads spend more time arranging border runs than actual work. As anthropologist David Cook warns, “It’s not for everyone…successful long-term nomads need to be disciplined, resilient and self-motivated.”

Yet the lure remains strong. Whether housesitting through Nomador or e-residency in Estonia, nomads adapt. Sophie thinks Bali is worth every penny: “Why should it be any cheaper than where I started?”
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