Remember when everyone was obsessed with Bali, Chiang Mai, Lisbon, and Medellín?

For a while, these places were practically synonymous with digital nomad life. Cheap, beautiful, Wi-Fi-friendly. But things change.

In the last couple of years, there’s been a clear shift. Nomads are ditching their old favorites — not because the beaches got uglier or the food got worse, but because prices soared, locals pushed back, or governments made it harder to stay.

Let’s look at 5 once-booming nomad hotspots that are now losing favor — and where everyone seems to be going instead.

1. Portugal vs. Georgia

I remember when Lisbon was the darling of digital nomads.

Gorgeous cobblestone streets, affordable wine, surf-able coast – what wasn’t to love?

But fast forward a few years, and the gloss has faded.

Portugal’s capital went from cheap and cheerful to pricey and stressful in record time. Housing costs have doubled since 2018, with average one-bedroom rents jumping 17% in a single year.

Suddenly, that hip Lisbon loft feels as out of reach as San Francisco. And it’s not just the cost: locals have grown resentful, seeing foreigners with salaries twice their own driving up prices.

Honestly, I can’t blame my fellow nomads for feeling like the sunset in Portugal came a bit sooner than expected.

Meanwhile, Georgia (the country, not the U.S. state) has swooped in as an unlikely hero.

When I first touched down in Tbilisi, I was struck by how authentic it felt – old-world charm blended with modern cafés and coworking spaces. But the real kicker? It’s shockingly affordable. You can live well in Tbilisi for roughly $700–$1,000 a month, a budget that would barely cover a shoebox in Lisbon these days.

My money goes further on everything from market veggies to gym memberships (crucial for my daily workouts). The city’s got a budding expat/nomad scene too, which means instant community – think weekly meetups in medieval-style wine bars.

And visas?

Georgia basically says, “Come on in and stay a while!” Most of us get a full year visa-free to roam and work. No paperwork nightmares, no 90-day ticking clock. It’s a breath of fresh Caucasus mountain air.

2. Thailand vs. Malaysia

“Is Thailand losing its touch?” If you asked me that a few years ago, I’d have laughed. Thailand – especially Chiang Mai and Bangkok – was the nomad’s paradise.

I spent some of my best early nomad years in Chiang Mai’s cozy cafes and Bangkok’s buzzy coworking spaces. But 7 years (and countless visa stamps) later, I see the cracks forming. The once easy-going Thailand now greets long-term visitors with visa mazes and crackdowns on border runs.

Yes, they rolled out a new “digital nomad” visa, but it’s a bit of a cruel joke: steep income requirements and only a half-year stay per entry.

Many of my friends have grown tired of hopping in and out just to legally reset their stay. And on the ground, the scene’s gotten… crowded.

The secret of Chiang Mai is out – the cute Nimman neighborhood I adored is now teeming with Instagrammers, and the city’s charm has given way to congestion and slower Wi-Fi for all.

Don’t even get me started on Bangkok traffic – I’ve spent days of my life stuck on Sukhumvit Road.

So, where are we going instead?

Enter Malaysia, Thailand’s understated neighbor that’s suddenly buzzing on the nomad radar.

I’ll be honest – I overlooked Kuala Lumpur (KL) for years, but on a recent visa run, I gave it a shot, and wow. KL is like Bangkok’s cleaner, quieter cousin.

The city is cosmopolitan and surprisingly well-organized: modern trains and MRTs, actual sidewalks (what a concept!), and motorbikes that don’t swarm you at every turn.

English is widely spoken, the food scene is wild, and you can get a full apartment with a pool for way under $1000. You get 90 90-day visa-free, and they even launched a real nomad pass.

Easy, affordable, chill.

3. Bali vs. Da Nang

I have a soft spot for Bali – it was one of my first long-term stops after I escaped the cubicle. I’d start my day with a sunrise surf in Canggu and end it with a laptop on a terrace overlooking rice paddies.

Paradise, right?

Bali is still stunning, no doubt.

But prices have exploded.

Rents have skyrocketed – even local news notes a 15% jump in Denpasar city last year, with way bigger spikes in nomad magnets like Canggu and Ubud.

A friend of mine joked (with a grimace) that her Bali expenses now rival her life back in Moscow. Ouch.

The Balinese “soul” – that spiritual calm I fell in love with – feels harder to find amid the influencer crowds and construction noise. Even local officials have started speaking out about how Westernized, crowded, and expensive Bali has become, saying the island’s original soul has been “forever changed” by this boom.

In short, Bali’s honeymoon with digital nomads seems to be ending. I still adore the island, but many of us are quietly eyeing the exits, asking: “Where’s the next Bali – without the baggage?”

Da Nang, Vietnam is where a lot of us are going instead.

It’s a clean beach city with great internet, low costs, and a fast-growing nomad scene. I found a modern riverside apartment for $400, joined a gym, and ate better than ever.

Vietnam also now offers a 90-day e-visa — no more sketchy border runs. It’s relaxed, scenic, and authentic.

4. Medellín vs. Mexico City

Back in the day, Medellín, Colombia, was the Latin American digital nomad hub.

I remember arriving in Medellín around 2018 and being floored by the spring-like weather, the green Andes mountains, and the insanely affordable lifestyle. El Poblado’s cafés were filled with founders and freelancers, and the city gained an almost mythical status among remote workers.

But here’s the thing about “up and coming” destinations: they often peak and then plateau.

Lately, Medellín has been losing some of its shine.

Crime headlines have scared a lot of people – in expat circles, I’ve heard one too many stories about mugged phones or worse. Statistically, the city’s seen an uptick in incidents targeting foreigners, and safety is back on the nomad checklist of concerns (never a good sign).

Beyond that, the massive influx of nomads and expats put pressure on the housing market. Rents in trendy areas climbed, pricing out many locals and stretching nomad budgets too.

At one point, Medellín had one of the highest concentrations of digital nomads anywhere – about 263 nomads per 100,000 residents – and you could feel it.

It’s still a beautiful city (I’ll never forget those salsa nights in Laureles), but many nomads I know are saying hasta luego to Medellín in search of a place that’s a better mix of safety, affordability, and fresh opportunity.

A lot of those folks (myself included) have set their sights on Mexico City.

It’s massive, diverse, and full of creative energy. I’ve met developers, artists, startup founders — all building cool stuff. Living costs are reasonable, Wi-Fi is excellent, and the food is next level.

Plus, you get a six-month tourist visa just by showing up. That kind of flexibility is rare.

5. Spain vs. Turkey

When Spain launched its digital nomad visa, people were excited… until they saw the 24% tax rate.

Yep, before you’ve even unpacked your laptop, a quarter of your income is gone to the taxman.

For a lot of nomads who are used to bouncing between low-tax jurisdictions or living on tourist visas under the radar, that was a deal-breaker. And it’s not as if Spain is cheap enough to cushion that blow – big cities like Barcelona and Madrid have sky-high rents.

In fact, Spain’s facing a housing crisis of its own.

Local salaries aren’t keeping up, and locals have taken notice of foreigners pushing up demand. Earlier this year, massive protests erupted in Spain as residents blamed an influx of tourists and digital nomads for soaring housing costs and rental shortages.

I saw news footage of people chanting “Spain is not for sale” – a clear sign that the warm welcome is wearing thin. As an outsider, you start to feel a bit unwelcome when an entire crowd is essentially telling you to go home.

Personally, I felt Spain’s message to nomads was mixed: “Come spend your money here… but also, pay these taxes, and don’t upset our housing market, and maybe don’t stay too long.” It made me hesitate to set up shop there.

Beautiful country, amazing culture, but for now a lot of us are saying, “Gracias, pero no gracias,” and looking elsewhere.

Turkey, surprisingly, is becoming the fallback option.

Istanbul is electric — east meets west, ancient meets modern. The Turkish lira has tanked, which sucks for locals but makes life very affordable if you earn in dollars or euros.

I rented a Bosphorus-view apartment for a third of what I’d pay in Spain. One-year residence permits are straightforward. No drama, just opportunity.

The bottom line

I’ve said it before, but digital nomad life is all about adapting. The destinations that worked five years ago aren’t always the ones that work now — and that’s okay.

What I’m seeing now is a smarter, more intentional wave of nomads. We’re going where we’re welcomed, where the lifestyle actually supports remote work, and where our dollars stretch further. Less hype, more substance.

The new hotspots aren’t always the flashiest, but they work. They offer community, affordability, and room to breathe.

And honestly?

That sounds like a better version of “freedom” than another overpriced smoothie bowl in Canggu.