KAYAK reveals the best countries for travel and remote working in 2022

As more people embrace flexible working environments and set their sights on their next ‘workation’ (AKA, a vacation that blends leisure and remote working), KAYAK, the world’s leading travel search engine, reveals the best countries in the world to work remotely from, with Portugal topping the list. Georgia took 17th place in the big competition among 111 countries globally and landed on the 10th spot in the European ranking. 

KAYAK’s first Work from Wherever Index is the ultimate source for those looking to set up a new office away from home temporarily or for a longer period of time. To develop the index, KAYAK closely analysed 111 countries and ranked each against 22 factors across six categories: travel costs and accessibility; local prices; health & safety; remote working capabilities; social life; and weather. Ultimately, revealing the best countries that are easiest to work from while having a lot of fun in your off hours.

Georgia took 17th position in the global index and climbed quite high among European destinations taking 10th spot. In the big worldwide competition it has overtaken Estonia, Mexico, Indonesia, Australia and many other countries. Georgia performs especially well in such categories as ‘Travel and Local’ prices as it has one of the lowest costs of living, prices for accomodation, local transport and meals in restaurants. Also, this country offers digital nomad visas for those who are looking to stay there longer.

The top 10 best countries for combining productive working conditions and opportunities for travel adventures according to KAYAK are:

1. Portugal
2. Spain
3. Romania
4. Mauritius
5. Japan
6. Malta
7. Costa Rica
8. Panama
9. Czech Republic
10. Germany

Portugal was ranked the all-round best country to work remotely from worldwide, scoring high across the board in all categories, including great weather, high abundance of places for going out, low-crime rates, and relatively low cost of living. Portugal also offers a digital nomad visa, and many locals have a high English proficiency that attracts expats. Spain came in second place, largely due to its high quantity of restaurants and cafes per capita, paired with fast internet speed, plenty of co-working spaces and remote visas for freelancers. It also has a buzzing lightlife and is very LGBTQ+ friendly. Romania rounds up the top third place, primarily because it offers very attractive prices when it comes to long-term apartment rentals and local food.

Georgians can find the best ‘workation’ for their team’s time zone thanks to KAYAK’s new feature

In addition to the Work from Wherever Index, KAYAK features a new time zone map to help users quickly and easily find out the time differences for their trip – ideal for those looking to swerve 2am conference calls whilst working abroad. The time zone-focused rankings takes key factors and categories from the Work from Wherever Index into account but displays them according to your work country of origin – so the countries that have time zones closest to your own work time zone will be featured higher up on the list of country destinations. The map also provides information on the latest travel restrictions and local vaccination rates per country.

Before planning your journey, be sure to check the latest travel restrictions in your destination. KAYAK’s travel restrictions map provides real time updates on COVID-19 restrictions and entry requirements of individual countries around the world. 

All sources have been accessed and data retrieved between 1 September – 20 October 2021. The numbers collected are based on the latest available data. For full details on the Travel and Work Index methodology, please visit kayak.co.uk/work-from-wherever/rank.