Skopje, 10 October 2023 (MIA) – Skopje ranks as the cheapest European capital for digital nomads, according to Norton Finance, a provider of credit, which conducted research on the most favorable European capitals for digital nomads.

The city is a notoriously good-value tourist destination, popular for its archaeological sites and street food. The value of public transport is one reason why Skopje scores so well, as a monthly public transport pass is an enormous eight times cheaper than the London equivalent.

The pandemic has undoubtedly had a profound impact on our work and travel habits, the most obvious change being the widespread adoption of remote work. This change has led to a particular lifestyle where working from different countries has become a widespread choice.

The type of work you do, how much money you make, and how flexible your position is will all affect where and how much you can travel.

The list of countries offering digital nomad visas is only growing, but each one has different requirements, so if you’re considering upping sticks and working overseas, the choice can be pretty overwhelming.

Although it obviously depends on where in the world you are traveling from, the other criteria provide a fairly thorough analysis of how affordable a city is, with Skopje in North Macedonia coming in at number one.

Ranking in second place is Sarajevo, the charming capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. A one-bed flat in the city centre averages at a crazy-affordable €275 (£238, $289) per month. Chisinau in Moldova is ranked third on Norton Finance’s list, where a pint costs a measly €1.30 (£1.12, $1.37).

Here are the top 10 cheapest European capitals for digital nomads:

-    Skopje, North Macedonia
-    Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
-    Chisinau, Moldova
-    Sofia, Bulgaria
-    Bucharest, Romania
-    Belgrade, Serbia
-    Budapest, Hungary
-    Warsaw, Poland
-    Vilnius, Lithuania
-    Riga, Latvia

Travel experts at the company evaluated 184 countries and ranked them based on average rent, utilities, transport, food, gym and internet costs, as well as the cost of return flights from the UK.

Photo: MIA archive