- The Digital Nomad
- Posts
- Most liveable cities | Gisborne | Running Remote Teams | Issue #0044
Most liveable cities | Gisborne | Running Remote Teams | Issue #0044
If you HAD to settle down - and maybe some of you have - the most liveable city rankings are out. Our guess is that for nomads the usual metrics that make up these lists don’t factor quite so highly - something to do with adapting and learning to love the challenges of far flung places, perhaps.
It’s an interesting list though in the case that the time is coming for a period of settling down!
What else this week?
👩💻 If you have a remote team, this is who you need to follow
🇳🇿 Perhaps one of the most beautiful nomad-hubs-in-waiting
🥇 Safety Wing are offering up a free trip to Mexico
🚶🏻♀️ Find your perfect city stroll
Have you been forwarded The Digital Nomad by a friend? If so, don’t miss out on future issues and get it every Tuesday.
In fact, we bet you have friends who are digital nomads. Help us reach a few more and forward this newsletter to them in case it might help them out too. Thanks!
NEWS
Are you choosing the most liveable cities?
On the face of it, as nomads it perhaps doesn’t matter too much if a city is liveable or not. You might only be there for a few days, maybe weeks - and then move on.
However, a few weeks is still a decent stretch to be somewhere so knowing you’ll be able to do the normal day-to-day stuff easily counts for something. The Global Liveability Rankings are out for 2025, and here’s a good run-down of the results.
It is unlikely you’ll ever consider some of the ones that rank as least liveable anyway (though some of you like a challenge!), but there are some interesting entries at the top of the list that might just inspire…
WHAT ELSE…
⏰ The US are early starters According to Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Index, 40% of US workers login before 6am! That’s a bit early for us…
🏷️ Prices could go up in Japan From July dual pricing is coming in for the Yoshida Trail, but it’s the start of more moves to charge locals and tourists differently.
✈️ New routes, every week?! After reporting a loss of some routes, there are new ones popping up more than you think. Here’s where to find them.
🌮 Win a free trip to Mexico Safety Wing have a competition going on to win a week in Mexico next month. Free to enter, just create an account.
GET CONNECTED
Find WhatsApp & FB groups in your current or next nomad destinations here:
If you are in a nomad hotspot then help another nomad out and share any communities you are in, run, or know of with this quick form.
BUSINESS
Running a remote team is it’s own challenge
Luckily, there are people that know a thing or two about it that can save a lot of time, hassle and money. The additional challenges of what can already be a tricky role will sometimes catch you out.
Samantha Scott - who runs All Things Remote - is no stranger to the challenges and success it can bring. After 10 years in ops, helping build businesses for other people, she reached financial independence which gave her space to slow down.
As one of the most prolific nomads we have featured - always popping up in a different destination it seems to us! - she definitely knows what it takes to manage things on the road.
“I realised I didn’t have to keep saying yes to everything and that flexibility shaped how I work (and live) now. That’s where Balanced Living came in: a weekly note exploring slow mornings, small joys, and creating a life that actually feels good.”
“I’ve been living and working remotely since 2018, and now focus on building things I care about, working at a pace that suits me, and helping others design remote setups that support both their team and their lifestyle.”
Here are three bits of wisdom for remote leaders from Sam:
1. If your team is confused, it’s probably a documentation problem.
Stop relying on Slack for processes. Create a central workspace (Notion, Google Docs, whatever your preference) where people can find how things work. Clear documentation = faster onboarding, fewer bottlenecks, and less “hey, quick question…” messages.
2. Async only works when expectations are clear.
Don’t just say “we work async”: you need to define response times, workflows, and ownership. Use Loom for updates, Notion for project hubs, and a simple decision log to track what’s been agreed. Clarity beats speed.
3. Your team culture is your operating system.
Want better performance? Start with consistency. A weekly wins thread, monthly team retros, and clear decision-making frameworks do more for culture than any one-off, forced fun, socials ever will.
You can get a weekly note - from Sam through AllThingsRemote - with practical ideas and ways to get the most from your remote team by signing up here.
Find Sam on LinkedIn, Instagram, and by subscribing to Balanced Living.
We love to feature nomads and what you do that can help the rest of us. Fill out this form and tell us about your thing!
 | We use FATHOM when we interview digital nomads as it records and summarizes calls and meetings seamlessly. Get a FREE MONTH with this link. |
POLL
We’ve picked another question from our Nomadicards deck. Not everyone knows the answer to this one, for sure!
Are you planning to settle somewhere permanently anytime? |
Download a pdf of Nomadicards on their website, or perhaps find a deck at a nearby coliving space. Thanks to Francesco for sharing his work with nomads!
SPONSOR THE DIGITAL NOMAD
We would love to hear from you if you have a product or service that would benefit digital nomads around the world. Get more eyes on your thing for as little as $50.
TRAVEL
Will this become the nomad destination they want it to?
It’s becoming increasingly common for cities and countries to find ways to attract nomads. There isn’t a shortage of places now hoping to become the next nomad hub.
New Zealand hasn’t been on the lips of many for the last few years, but their new, basically open-door policy with regards working on a tourist visa means it’s a more viable option. Incidentally, NZ has - for the third year in a row - ranked #1 in Remote’s Global Work-Life Balance Index.
One city in particular is hoping to attract you. Gisborne is marketing themselves as the perfect nomad destination, and with it’s coast, surf, chilled vibe…they’ve got a point.
Check out what their doing in trying to become New Zealand’s answer (or antidote) to Canggu.
BRAIN FOOD
Read - Does the air con in your cowork, hotel, airbnb, etc. make you sick?
Test - Are you better than average?
Travel - Bali’s better than this, surely.
Useful - Find out what Google knows, and have it removed if it bothers you.
If you have any recommendations we can share here, let us know.
MAKE DIGITAL NOMAD LIFE EASIER
Resources that are actually helpful
Check out our new resources page for the longer list and a range of discounts across useful digital nomad products, services and events.
Get your free guide for Digital Nomad Insurance from Nomads.Insure.
Solis 5G and Lite models have all been discounted by 15%. A great time to grab your portable WiFi kit.
Onward Ticket is a nomad staple for getting into some countries. If you need proof of exit from your next destination, there is no better option.
Global Nomad Pass - get deals around the world and support local businesses while you’re at it. 10% OFF with this link.
Make.com is the go-to for automating processes in your business - or just your life!
Splitwise is a simple way to split bills when you’re out at nomad dinners.
GetNomad is a global eSIM provider. Get 10% off clicking here.
73% off and free months when you sign up to NordVPN with this link.
Blotato - social media AI designed by one of AI’s big thinkers.
Check out resources page, which includes finding cafes to work from, VPN deals, nomad insurance and tools and services for your business.
Do you like the look of The Digital Nomad? You can easily build a great-looking newsletter of your own with beehiiv, even on their free plan.
THE LIST
Do you love to experience cities from street level?
Europe dominates this list (if you’ve been to most Asian cities, you’ll know why!), but if you’re someone who likes to walk around cities you stay in - this could be a good guide to influence where to head.
Here’s the top ten from Guruwalks top 100 walkable cities:
1. Rome | 6. Lisbon |
2. Budapest | 7. London |
3. Madrid | 8. Florence |
4. Prague | 9. Amsterdam |
5. Barcelona | 10. Berlin |
Africa, the US and Asian cities don’t start appearing until the 20’s in their list. See the full list here.
TRIVIA
Work-life balance
We mentioned the 2025 Global Work-Life Balance Index earlier. Can you pick the countries that ranked in the top 5 (we’ve given you oneQ!) from this list?
Germany
Spain
Japan
New Zealand
Finland
Ireland
UK
Belgium
Norway
USA
Answer below
COFFEE BREAK
🚀 History - It’s Wimbledon next week, but this famously happened on this day in ‘81.
🍽️ Eating - The 50 best restaurants in the world has been named for 2025.
🧮 Play - Crosswords, but with math.
WHAT DID YOU MISS?
TRIVIA ANSWER
New Zealand, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Norway