Is This the Best Place to Live and Work Remotely?

Inspiration is very important for a digital nomad. Here is a shot of the coastline from Isla de Ons.

When people think of locations to live the digital nomad dream, places like Thailand and Bali are consistently listed in the top ten. Spain is often not far behind as well as Portugal, but very rarely will we see Galicia get a mention as it is often overlooked in place of Barcelona or Madrid.

While the digital nomad lifestyle may look glamorous on Instagram, in reality, it is tough work.

That’s why it is essential to choose a location that allows you to explore your creative freedom and earn decent money while also adding to your savings. For these reasons, we believe Galicia is soon to be one of the top digital nomad locations of the world.

Galicia is a province situated in the north-west of Spain, right above Portugal. If you are looking to find a peaceful community to live in for work, this could be your perfect fit. Known for its beautiful landscapes and great food, Galicia is one of the top places to move to in Spain and an appealing destination for digital nomads and remote workers.

Let us take you through the top 9 reasons why Galicia is a Digital Nomad’s dream location and what to consider before you make a move.

1. Beautiful Landscapes

A view of the landscape in Illa de ons in the province of Pontevedra. Inspirational landscapes are very important for digital nomad.
Isla de Ons in the province of Pontevedra.

In Galicia, the geography is very diverse. This means there will always be something for everyone. The coast is divided into rías altas (upper coastline) and rías baixas (lower coastline).

The long stretching coastline offers some great cities and unique villages bathed in wonderful beaches. Some of the most well-known coast cities are A Coruña or Vigo. They are more cosmopolitan and lively with A Coruña being the location of Inditex (Zara, Massimo Dutti, Pull & Bear etc.)

However, there are also mountain-based spaces in the interior. In these places, you will get some snow during the winter months.

If you’re looking for inspiration and an incredible natural landscape to clear your mind and enjoy outdoor activities in your off-time Galicia has all that and more. This is an important factor for the digital nomad life. To be based in an inspiring location with plenty of outdoor options to detach and escape into the wilderness.

2. Low-cost living (A Digital Nomad’s Dream)

In comparison to other communities and cities around Spain, it is very cheap to live here. Many villages in Galicia can offer a European countryside digital nomad lifestyle, for way less than Italy, France, and other larger Spanish cities. This includes the added bonuses of hiking spots, stone homes, and beautiful gardens for a portion of the price. It’s a great place to set-up for a long-term arrangement if your visa allows it.

The cost of living in Galicia is roughly %19.97 lower than Madrid and rent is %59.18 lower than Madrid according to general data. If you’re flat-sharing, you can easily find an apartment that will set you back less than 180 euros per month (this is in the city!).

Eating out is also incredibly inexpensive. You can find a daily menu (fixed) from 8 euro to 20+ euros which will include a dessert, drink, and tasty Galician bread. Local markets also serve as a great way to purchase your weekly goods for a fraction of the cost. The is a high importance placed on fresh produce, and many of the markets will sell D’aldea (from the village)

For a digital nomad, this is an incredibly important factor to consider when making a move to a foreign country. Without a healthy lifestyle and routine, the work drags behind, and productivity can be impacted.

3. Peace and Quiet

Offering both bustling and vibrant cities as well as quiet and green towns Galicia offers everything and more to the incoming digital nomad.
City living or country lifestyle. It’s up to you!

In the same theme as that of the European countryside lifestyle, the rhythm of living here is chilled. You will undoubtedly feel less pressure in your day to day life, in contrast to other western countries like the UK.

Of course, if you’re after a fast-paced and dynamic city such as A Coruña you’ll find that it is still very affordable with a little more hustle and bustle.

4. Access to Work as a Digital Nomad

Cities in Galicia have excellent access to new forms of work, including freelancing jobs and internet-based careers. This feature will always be better in cities, considering communications are still better in urban locations. However, Galicia is improving every year, growing its ability to offer this type of “digital nomad” job to more. Co-working spaces are beginning to pop up around the bigger cities. The local cafe, however, remains the favorite working location and many have no problems with you spending hours inside one coffee spot. This is quite common.

There are heaps of great ways to supplement your income as a digital nomad, including private English classes, working at an English academy, or offering freelance translation services. This is especially important now during the economic uncertainty caused by Covid-19.

5. Tourism

Begoña Castro.

In Galicia, there’s always something to do or see around. Thanks to a healthy culture department, Galicia offers many free guided visits to monuments and museums. There is a significant presence of prehistoric monuments, architecture, and art in almost every city.

6. Cultural exchange

Galician culture is very original and different from others in Spain. This is like in every other historic province, such as Catalonia or País Vasco. During your stay, you will get to experience Spanish culture and the unique touches of the north-west community. In addition to this, your own culture is exciting to other people in Galicia!

A large part of the digital nomad experience is to meet new people and explore exciting destinations different from your home. In Galicia, you’ll find an incredible mix of Spanish, Celtic as well as some Viking history for good measure.

7. Food

A healthy diet and access to different dietary options is a very important consideration for a digital nomad. Here we have a plate of traditional Galician cuisine with meat, vegetables and potatoes.
Veg such as grelos (turnip tops) and garbanzos (chickpeas) are some of the more common ingredients in Galician cuisine.

While not one of the primary considerations for digital nomads when choosing a location, food definitely should be. Maintaining a diet high in vitamins to sustain extended work hours, play, and an irregular schedule is incredibly important.

Seafood is a regular part of the Galician menu. It is also common to eat vegetables because the land is very fertile, enhancing the quality of the products. Another particular detail is that there is little to no fast food, meaning almost all restaurants offer quality produce. It’s also important to note that vegan and vegetarian options are easy to find in many places. With endless possibilities for fresh fruit and veg as well as several grains and protein options, the Spanish and particularly Galician diet is incredibly healthy and nutrient-rich.

8. The People

Galicians are a very warm and welcoming community. They are also very selfless, meaning they’ll give you the best treatment they can to make you feel well received. They always have your best interests at heart and want you to have a good time! The people will happily show you around the region and share secret beaches and surf spots (once you get to know them).

9. Gateway to Other Cities

Santiago de Compostela train station is very easily navigated and offers quick lines to major Galician cities.

Galicia is situated on the top west point of Spain. This means Portugal is 2 hours away by bus, and other Spanish cities like Oviedo or León are also close if you’re looking to explore.

The connection can be a little bit difficult in some cases, as mentioned below.

A Few Things to Consider

There’s a Difficult connection to Main Spanish Cities

Even though Galicia is close to many beautiful cities in Spain, Madrid and Barcelona are pretty far away if you’re driving. Flights are always an option, and there are regular flights from Santiago. It’s also possible to bus to Porto and take a trip from this Portuguese airport.

Some Problems May Arise With the Language Barrier

Knowing Spanish is necessary to live and work in Galician companies. It will get you by perfectly, but learning Galego (Galician) is essential if you’re trying to work in public settings like education or health. Learning Galego will also make you earn points with locals, and help you understand other languages like Portuguese!

Of course, as a digital nomad, learning another language is a great way to boost your client base and make connections in untapped areas. Spanish is straightforward to pick up and a little can get you a long way.

There’s Still Little Diversity

Galician cities are usually not very diverse as they have been quite isolated from progress in past history. This means most of the people are white and are descendants of other Galician people. Nonetheless, this has been changing in recent years. The communities are starting to see variety in ethnicities, religions, and cultural backgrounds. This explains how Galician people are not afraid of other communities, they just hadn’t had a chance to be open to them yet. This is perhaps also a generational thing with Galicia having one of the highest proportion of elderly citizens.

Working Rights and Visas for Digital Nomads

If you’re traveling to Spain, it will most probably be on a tourist visa, meaning you will be unable to work. This can be a big hassle for workers from outside the EU, and the non-lucrative visa has some complicated steps to follow before it is granted. To give you a quick example, you will need proof of funds and medical insurance.

We’ll dive into working visas in a different blog so rest assured!

We would recommend a slightly different approach. Dan and James both work at English academies with heavily reduced hours 16 and 12 respectively. This grants them their working rights, NIE (national id card) as well as access to the healthcare system. Most importantly, they have more than enough time to work on their digital projects while still receiving a base salary to cover expenses. You don’t even need to teach English! Many academies in Galicia are starting to offer more classes in Mandarin Chinese, Korean, and many other languages from Asia and across the globe.

In a few words, Galicia is magical and peaceful. This community can be perfect for someone who is trying to get away from a busy lifestyle and is open to experience a new culture. With great food, landscapes, and art, Galicia should be recognized as a beautiful province that has many features to discover for a remote worker looking to settle in a Spanish city (with a unique culture) for a while.

Let us know what you think and what you look for in a digital nomad location!