The Cheapest Digital Nomad Visas In the World By Income Requirement
55 countries now offer a dedicated digital nomad or remote-work visa, letting you live there legally while earning from a business or employer abroad. The catch is the income you must prove: requirements run from about $883 a month at the low end to over $8,333 a month for the strictest programs. The table below ranks every one by that threshold, alongside the top income-tax rate, cost of living, and internet speed you would actually be living with.
The cheapest digital nomad visas by income requirement are Albania ($883/mo), Colombia ($1,313/mo), Ecuador ($1,446/mo), El Salvador ($1,460/mo) and Brazil ($1,500/mo). A handful of countries, including Thailand and Uruguay, publish no monthly threshold at all.
| Country | Min. income / mo ▲ | Top income tax | Cost of living | Internet (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albania+ entrepreneurUnique Permit (Type D visa)Europe | $883 | 23% | 36 | 76 |
| Colombia+ entrepreneurDigital Nomad Visa (Visa V Nómada Digital)Americas | $1,313 | 39% | 30 | 135 |
| Ecuador+ entrepreneurVisa Nómada (Temporary Residence Visa for Remote Workers - Rentista Trabajador Nómada)Americas | $1,446 | 37% | 34 | 85 |
| El Salvador+ entrepreneurVisa Digital Nómada (Digital Nomad Visa)Americas | $1,460 | 30% | 43 | 75 |
| Brazil+ entrepreneurDigital Nomad Visa (VITEM XIV)Americas | $1,500 | 27.5% | 38 | 220 |
| Mauritius+ entrepreneurPremium Travel VisaAfrica | $1,500 | 20% | 38 | 69 |
| Cabo VerdeRemote Working ProgramAfrica | $1,615 | 27.5% | 47 | 20 |
| Georgia+ entrepreneurRemotely from Georgia Program (Remote Work Visa / Visa-Free Residence for Remote Workers)Europe | $2,000 | 20% | 33 | 45 |
| Malaysia+ entrepreneurDE Rantau Nomad PassAsia-Pacific | $2,000 | 30% | 34 | 130 |
| GuatemalaResidencia Temporal para Nómadas DigitalesAmericas | $2,000 | 7% | 38 | 93 |
| PhilippinesDigital Nomad VisaAsia-Pacific | $2,000 | 35% | 35 | 100 |
| NamibiaDigital Nomad VisaAfrica | $2,000 | 37% | 31 | 14 |
| Italy+ entrepreneurDigital Nomad Visa / Digital Nomad and Remote Worker VisaEurope | $2,066 | 43% | 62 | 95 |
| Spain+ entrepreneurInternational Teleworker Visa (Digital Nomad Visa, Startups Law)Europe | $2,500 | 47% | 48 | 230 |
| Bulgaria+ entrepreneurDigital Nomad Residence PermitEurope | $2,790 | 10% | 42 | 127 |
| Moldova+ entrepreneurDigital Nomad VisaEurope | $2,970 | 12% | 36 | 106 |
| Turkey+ entrepreneurDigital Nomad Visa / Short-Term ResidenceEurope | $3,000 | 40% | 31 | 69 |
| Panama+ entrepreneurShort-Stay Visa for Remote WorkersAmericas | $3,000 | 25% | 45 | 219 |
| Costa Rica+ entrepreneurDigital Nomad Visa (Estancia de Nómada Digital)Americas | $3,000 | 25% | 49 | 90 |
| Kazakhstan+ entrepreneurNeo Nomad Visa (B12-1)Asia-Pacific | $3,000 | 15% | 30 | 88 |
| Czechia+ entrepreneurDigital Nomad Program (Long-Term Visa/Permit - Zaměstnání/Self-Employment)Europe | $3,100 | 23% | 45 | 70 |
| South Africa+ entrepreneurRemote Work Visitor's VisaAfrica | $3,210 | 45% | 30 | 50 |
| Hungary+ entrepreneurWhite Card (Residence Permit for Digital Nomads)Europe | $3,300 | 15% | 47 | 141 |
| Taiwan+ entrepreneurDigital Nomad Visa (or Employment Gold Card as nomad-adjacent alternative)Asia-Pacific | $3,333 | 40% | 59 | 170 |
| United Arab Emirates+ entrepreneurVirtual Working Programme (Residence Visa for Working Outside UAE)Middle East | $3,500 | 0% | 55 | 300 |
| Slovenia+ entrepreneurTemporary Residence Permit for Digital Nomads (DNV)Europe | $3,650 | 50% | 77 | 120 |
| Greece+ entrepreneurDigital Nomad Visa / Digital Nomad Residence PermitEurope | $3,800 | 44% | 47 | 93 |
| Cyprus+ entrepreneurDigital Nomad VisaEurope | $3,815 | 35% | 59 | 142 |
| Croatia+ entrepreneurDigital Nomad Residence Permit (D Visa)Europe | $3,949 | 33% | 52 | 113 |
| Portugal+ entrepreneurD8 Digital Nomad Visa (Autorização de Residência para Atividade Profissional Remota)Europe | $3,975 | 48% | 49 | 170 |
| MaltaNomad Residence PermitEurope | $4,005 | 35% | 68 | 135 |
| BarbadosWelcome StampAmericas | $4,167 | 28.5% | n/a | 72 |
| Mexico+ entrepreneurTemporary Resident VisaAmericas | $4,400 | 35% | 43 | 90 |
| Andorra+ entrepreneurResidència per a nòmada digitalEurope | $4,589 | 10% | 62 | n/a |
| Latvia+ entrepreneurRemote Work Visa (Type D)Europe | $4,834 | 33% | 50 | 191 |
| Estonia+ entrepreneurDigital Nomad Visa (Type D Long-Stay Visa / Visa for Teleworking)Europe | $4,860 | 22% | 53 | 85 |
| Indonesia+ entrepreneurE33G Visa (Rumah Kedua Pekerja Jarak Jauh / Second Home Visa for Remote Workers)Asia-Pacific | $5,000 | 35% | 30 | 31 |
| South Korea+ entrepreneurDigital Nomad (Workcation) Visa - F-1-DAsia-Pacific | $5,500 | 45% | 60 | 145 |
| Japan+ entrepreneurDesignated activities (Digital Nomad)Asia-Pacific | $5,556 | 45% | 38 | 199 |
| Romania+ entrepreneurDigital Nomad Visa (Long-Stay D Visa)Europe | $6,000 | 10% | 37 | 218 |
| Lithuania+ entrepreneurNational Visa Type D (Remote Work)Europe | $6,255 | 32% | 48 | 200 |
| IcelandLong-term Visa for Remote WorkersEurope | $7,800 | 46.29% | 89 | 404 |
| Cayman Islandsclosed+ entrepreneurGlobal Citizen Concierge ProgramAmericas | $8,333 | 0% | n/a | n/a |
| Thailand+ entrepreneurDestination Thailand Visa (DTV) - Workcation CategoryAsia-Pacific | no minimum | 35% | 38 | 237 |
| Montenegro+ entrepreneurTemporary Residence Permit for Digital NomadsEurope | no minimum | 15% | 39 | n/a |
| Argentina+ entrepreneurVisa Nómada DigitalAmericas | no minimum | 35% | 35 | 100 |
| Chile+ entrepreneurTemporary Residency Visa (Residencia Temporal) / Rentista CategoryAmericas | no minimum | 35.5% | 38 | 348 |
| Uruguay+ entrepreneurResidencia Provisoria - Nómadas Digitales (Provisional Residence for Digital Nomads)Americas | no minimum | 36% | 56 | 194 |
| The Bahamas+ entrepreneurBEATS (Bahamas Extended Access Travel Stay)Americas | no minimum | 0% | 75 | 90 |
| Curacao+ entrepreneurDigital Nomad Visa (@Home in Curacao)Americas | no minimum | 46.5% | 70 | 85 |
| Sri LankaDigital Nomad VisaAsia-Pacific | no minimum | 36% | 34 | 32 |
| Bhutan+ entrepreneurDigital Nomad Visa (Gelephu Mindfulness City)Asia-Pacific | no minimum | 30% | n/a | n/a |
| Kyrgyzstan+ entrepreneurDigital Nomad Visa (DN) / Цифровой кочевникAsia-Pacific | no minimum | 10% | 21 | 85 |
| Kenya+ entrepreneurClass N Permit (Digital Nomads)Africa | no minimum | 35% | 28 | 15 |
| Seychellesunclear+ entrepreneurWorkcation Permit (Unofficial designation; formal permit category unclear)Africa | no minimum | 30% | 65 | 50 |
Minimum income is the monthly figure required to qualify, converted to USD. Cost of living is a Numbeo-style index (lower is cheaper). n/a means no published threshold or the program uses savings instead of income.
What a digital nomad visa actually gets you
A digital nomad visa is a temporary residence permit for people who work remotely for clients or an employer outside the host country. It is not a work permit for the local job market, and it is not citizenship. Most run for one to two years and are renewable, and a growing number, such as Portugal and Spain, can lead to permanent residence if you stay long enough. If your goal is a second passport rather than a place to base yourself, look at citizenship by investment instead.
Income requirement is only half the story
Two countries can ask for the same monthly income and be very different places to run a one-person business. Some tax your worldwide income the moment you become resident; others exempt foreign earnings entirely. A low threshold in an expensive city can cost you more than a higher threshold somewhere cheap. That is why the table pairs each income figure with the top income-tax rate, a cost-of-living index, and typical broadband speed, and why every country links to a full profile covering tax residency rules, social security, and business setup.
Informational only. Nothing here is tax, legal, or financial advice. Tax rules change often and vary by personal circumstance. Verify every figure against an official source and a qualified adviser before acting. Figures are re-expressed from public sources and cited per country.