Visa & residency 10 pts
4 points for a dedicated remote-work route, up to 3 for the verified maximum single authorization, 2 for verified renewability or multi-entry continuity, and 1 for officially documented requirements.
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Trader Travel
Where can a traveling trader actually work well?
Cheap rent and good weather are not enough. A useful trader destination also needs reliable connectivity, workable US-market hours, healthcare, legal stay options, payment infrastructure and access to the services the trader relies on.
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Country guides
Find a country. Read what matters.
Open a guide for stay options, local trading hours, everyday life and the limits of the research. Countries are listed alphabetically, not ranked.
25 of 25 guides shown
Published guides only| Country / region | Cost score | Research score | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
 Argentina South America | 13/15 | 80 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 Brazil South America | 14.5/15 | 81.25 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 Colombia South America | 14/15 | 75 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 Costa Rica Central America | 11/15 | 82 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 Croatia Europe | 12/15 | 78.5 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 Estonia Europe | 11.25/15 | 81.25 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 Georgia Europe / Caucasus | 14.25/15 | 71.25 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 Greece Europe | 12/15 | 77.25 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 Hungary Europe | 12.25/15 | 83 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 Indonesia Asia | 15/15 | 63.5 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 Japan Asia | 12.5/15 | 73.25 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 Malaysia Asia | 14.5/15 | 69.25 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 Malta Europe | 10.25/15 | 77.5 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 Mauritius Africa | 13.75/15 | 67.5 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 Mexico North America | 12.5/15 | 66.5 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 Panama Central America | 12/15 | 70.75 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 Portugal Europe | 11.5/15 | 88.75 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 Romania Europe | 13.75/15 | 76.25 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 South Africa Africa | 13.5/15 | 69 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 South Korea Asia | 11.5/15 | 76.5 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 Spain Europe | 11.5/15 | 81.75 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 Thailand Asia | 13.75/15 | 79.75 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 Turkey Europe / Asia | 13.5/15 | 65.25 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 United Arab Emirates Middle East | 9.75/15 | 75.25 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
 Uruguay South America | 11.75/15 | 78.25 / 100 10 categories assessed | Read guide |
No published guide matches these filters.
Try another country or city, choose all regions, or reset the filters. All published guides use the current 100-point research framework.
All 25 published guides use the completed 100-point research framework. Cost is based on a standardized cost-of-living-plus-rent benchmark; individual travel budgets can differ materially. Countries remain listed alphabetically, not ranked by recommendation.
Detailed comparisons & scoring
These tables retain the existing research. The guide-list search above does not filter these comparisons.
Practical living
Cost, internet, healthcare and safety benchmarks.
This table preserves the original detailed benchmark sample. Cost and healthcare now use the standardized inputs included in the completed 100-point scoring framework.
| Country | Living costs | Home internet | Mobile internet | Healthcare | Safety & stability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | 11.5/15 | Excellent · 360 Mbps | 209 Mbps | 7.25/10 | Very strong · global rank #7 |
| Spain | 11.5/15 | Excellent · 358 Mbps | 175 Mbps | 7.75/10 | Strong · global rank #27 |
| Croatia | 12/15 | Very good · 212 Mbps | 194 Mbps | 6.5/10 | Very strong · global rank #23 |
| Thailand | 13.75/15 | Excellent · 369 Mbps | 172 Mbps | 7.75/10 | More caution needed · global rank #101 |
| Malaysia | 14.5/15 | Very good · 248 Mbps | 212 Mbps | 7/10 | Very strong · global rank #12 |
Data & methodology
Living costs: The original Phase Two cost assessment was withdrawn. Cost scoring is now handled separately through the standardized 2026 Mid-Year Cost of Living Plus Rent benchmark in traderTravelCost.ts. City budgets may still be shown as practical examples but no longer control scoring eligibility.
Internet: Speedtest country median download figures are used as connectivity benchmarks. They do not guarantee latency, packet loss, Wi-Fi quality or power continuity at a particular property.
Healthcare: The original Phase Two healthcare rating was withdrawn. Healthcare scoring is now handled separately through traderTravelHealthcare.ts using the standardized Numbeo Health Care Index. Insurance and destination-specific access notes remain practical research rather than inferred healthcare points.
Safety: The Global Peace Index is used as a broad national stability and peacefulness benchmark. It is not a destination-specific travel advisory.
Separate practical check:
property-level electricity reliability is not inferred
from the network-connectivity score.
Everyday usability
How easy is it to function day to day?
Language, digital public services and banking infrastructure can make a major difference when living abroad for weeks or months.
| Country | English | Digital public services | Banking infrastructure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | Excellent · benchmark 612 | Good · global rank #49 | Widespread · 91% adults with an account |
| Spain | Good · benchmark 540 | Excellent · global rank #17 | Very widespread · 98% adults with an account |
| Croatia | Excellent · benchmark 617 | Very good · global rank #32 | Widespread · 93% adults with an account |
| Thailand | Basic · benchmark 402 | Good · global rank #52 | Widespread · 92% adults with an account |
| Malaysia | Very good · benchmark 581 | Good · global rank #57 | Strong · 89% adults with an account |
Important:
strong banking infrastructure does not
automatically mean that a short-term foreign
visitor can open a local bank account.
Data & methodology
English: EF EPI 2025 is used as a comparable national adult English-proficiency benchmark. It does not measure English availability in a specific neighborhood, hospital, landlord relationship or government office.
Digital public services: The United Nations E-Government Development Index is used as a broad proxy for digital public infrastructure and online public-service maturity. It is not a coworking-space or private-sector infrastructure score.
Banking infrastructure: Global Findex account ownership is used only as a national financial-inclusion benchmark. It measures resident financial-account penetration and is not evidence that a foreign visitor can open a domestic account.
Taxes & longer stays
When can a longer stay affect tax residency?
A remote-work visa and tax residency are not the same thing. The table shows the countries for which tax-residency complexity is included in the completed 100-point score.
| Country | Current rule summary | Rule complexity | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | More than 183 days in Portugal, consecutive or interrupted, during any 12-month period beginning or ending in the relevant tax year. | Moderate | 8/10 |
| Spain | More than 183 days in Spain during the calendar year. | More complex | 6/10 |
| Croatia | Croatian tax residence is based on residence or habitual residence rather than only a simple annual day counter. | More complex | 6/10 |
| Thailand | More than 180 days in Thailand during a tax calendar year. | Relatively straightforward | 10/10 |
| Malaysia | 182 days or more of physical presence is the principal Malaysian residence test, but it is not the only statutory test. | Complex | 4/10 |
| Estonia | Estonian tax residence can arise when a person's place of residence is in Estonia or when the person is present for at least 183 days during twelve consecutive calendar months. | Moderate | 8/10 |
| Greece | Greek tax residence can arise through permanent or principal residence, habitual abode, the centre of vital interests, or physical presence exceeding 183 days during a twelve-month period. | More complex | 6/10 |
| Hungary | Hungarian residence rules can depend on a permanent home, the centre of vital interests and habitual residence rather than a single day-count rule alone. | More complex | 6/10 |
| Romania | Romanian tax residence considers domicile, permanent-home and centre-of-vital-interests factors in addition to presence exceeding 183 days during a twelve-month period. | More complex | 6/10 |
| Malta | Presence in Malta for more than 183 days establishes residence for that year, but residence may also arise from moving to Malta with the intention to establish residence. Ordinary residence is a further factual concept. | More complex | 6/10 |
| Georgia | Georgia generally treats an individual as tax resident for the current tax year when the person is physically present in Georgia for 183 days or more during any continuous 12-calendar-month period ending in that tax year. Specific statutory exceptions and special residency routes can still apply. | Relatively straightforward | 10/10 |
| Turkey | Türkiye generally treats individuals with a residence in Türkiye or those staying continuously for more than six months during a calendar year as resident. Temporary departures do not normally interrupt the period, while statutory exceptions exist for certain foreigners staying for temporary assignments, study, treatment or travel. | Moderate | 8/10 |
| United Arab Emirates | UAE domestic tax-residency rules include physical-presence thresholds of 183 days and, subject to additional conditions, 90 days. Permanent residence, usual residence and the centre of personal and financial interests can also matter. | More complex | 6/10 |
| Indonesia | Indonesia can treat an individual as a domestic tax subject when the person resides in Indonesia, spends more than 183 days there during a twelve-month period, or is present during a tax year and has an intention to reside there. Residence, habitual activity and documentary evidence can therefore matter in addition to day count. | More complex | 6/10 |
| Japan | Japan generally treats an individual as resident when the person has a domicile in Japan or has maintained a residence there continuously for at least one year. Domicile means the person's principal base of living and is determined from objective facts such as housing, occupation, assets and family circumstances. | More complex | 6/10 |
| South Korea | South Korea generally treats an individual as resident when the person has a domicile in Korea or a place of residence there for at least 183 days. Objective living circumstances such as family, occupation and assets can also determine whether a Korean domicile exists. | More complex | 6/10 |
| Mexico | Mexican tax residence is closely connected to having a home in Mexico. When an individual also has a home in another country, the centre of vital interests becomes relevant, including where more than half of annual income arises and where the person's principal professional activities are located. | More complex | 6/10 |
| Costa Rica | Costa Rica generally treats an individual as tax resident after more than 183 days of continuous or intermittent presence during the relevant fiscal period. Certain short absences can count toward the period unless tax residence in another country is demonstrated. | Relatively straightforward | 10/10 |
| Panama | Panama generally treats an individual as tax resident after more than 183 days of physical presence during the current fiscal year or the immediately preceding year. Tax residence can also arise through permanent housing in Panama combined with personal or economic connections establishing a centre of vital interests. | Moderate | 8/10 |
| Colombia | Colombia generally applies a more-than-183-day presence test within any consecutive 365-day period. The legislation also contains additional residence criteria, particularly for Colombian nationals, involving family residence, income sources, assets and other connections. | More complex | 6/10 |
| Brazil | Brazilian tax residence can arise through permanent residence, certain immigration or employment circumstances, or after reaching 184 days of presence, consecutive or not, within a twelve-month period. The applicable trigger can therefore depend on both immigration status and physical presence. | More complex | 6/10 |
| Argentina | Argentina uses different residence rules depending on nationality and immigration status. Foreign nationals can become tax resident through permanent residence or after remaining in Argentina with temporary authorisations for twelve months, subject to the applicable absence rules. | More complex | 6/10 |
| Uruguay | Uruguayan tax residence can arise after more than 183 days of physical presence during the calendar year, but personal or vital interests and other statutory residence criteria can also establish residence. Sporadic absences can be included in the day-count calculation under the published rules. | More complex | 6/10 |
| Mauritius | Mauritius can treat an individual as resident through domicile unless the permanent place of abode is outside Mauritius, through at least 183 days of presence in the income year, or through an aggregate of at least 270 days during the two preceding income years. | Complex | 4/10 |
| South Africa | South Africa determines individual tax residence first through the ordinarily-resident test and, if that does not apply, through a multi-year physical-presence test. The latter requires more than 91 days in the current year, more than 91 days in each of the five preceding years and more than 915 days in total during those five preceding years. | Complex | 4/10 |
Remember:
visa status does not by itself decide
where you are tax resident. The score measures
rule complexity, not tax rates or personal tax liability.
Tax-residency methodology
This section records domestic tax-residence triggers from official tax or government sources. It does not determine an individual's final tax residence.
Immigration residence, digital-nomad permission and tax residence are separate legal concepts. Holding a visa does not by itself settle tax residence.
Where two countries both consider an individual resident, an applicable double-taxation agreement may contain tie-breaker rules.
Tax-residency complexity measures how complicated the domestic residence rules are to interpret. It does not reward low taxes, estimate an individual's tax liability or provide personal tax advice.
Completed score
100-point country comparison.
The completed 100-point score covers ten categories: visa & stay, safety, US-session trading hours, tax-rule complexity, everyday infrastructure, network connectivity, futures-provider access, financial-account access, living costs including rent and healthcare environment.
| Country | Visa & stay | Safety | Trading hours | Tax rules | Infrastructure | Connectivity | Market access | Banking | Cost | Healthcare | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | 10/10 | 10/10 | 10/10 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 13.5/15 | 10/10 | 4.5/5 | 11.5/15 | 7.25/10 | 88.75 /100 · completed framework |
| Spain | 8/10 | 8/10 | 10/10 | 6/10 | 4/5 | 11.5/15 | 10/10 | 5/5 | 11.5/15 | 7.75/10 | 81.75 /100 · completed framework |
| Croatia | 7/10 | 9/10 | 10/10 | 6/10 | 4.75/5 | 11/15 | 7.5/10 | 4.75/5 | 12/15 | 6.5/10 | 78.5 /100 · completed framework |
| Thailand | 8/10 | 5/10 | 4/10 | 10/10 | 2.75/5 | 14/15 | 10/10 | 4.5/5 | 13.75/15 | 7.75/10 | 79.75 /100 · completed framework |
| Malaysia | 9/10 | 9/10 | 2/10 | 4/10 | 3.5/5 | 12.5/15 | 3.25/10 | 4.5/5 | 14.5/15 | 7/10 | 69.25 /100 · completed framework |
| Estonia | 7/10 | 9/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 | 4.5/5 | 11/15 | 10/10 | 5/5 | 11.25/15 | 7.5/10 | 81.25 /100 · completed framework |
| Greece | 10/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 | 6/10 | 2.75/5 | 10/15 | 10/10 | 4.5/5 | 12/15 | 6/10 | 77.25 /100 · completed framework |
| Hungary | 9/10 | 9/10 | 10/10 | 6/10 | 4/5 | 13/15 | 10/10 | 4.25/5 | 12.25/15 | 5.5/10 | 83 /100 · completed framework |
| Romania | 8/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 | 6/10 | 2.75/5 | 13/15 | 7.5/10 | 3.5/5 | 13.75/15 | 5.75/10 | 76.25 /100 · completed framework |
| Malta | 9/10 | 9/10 | 10/10 | 6/10 | 4.75/5 | 11/15 | 7.5/10 | 4.75/5 | 10.25/15 | 5.25/10 | 77.5 /100 · completed framework |
| Georgia | 3/10 | 6/10 | 6/10 | 10/10 | 1.75/5 | 10.5/15 | 10/10 | 4/5 | 14.25/15 | 5.75/10 | 71.25 /100 · completed framework |
| Turkey | 5/10 | 4/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 | 2.75/5 | 12/15 | 0.75/10 | 4/5 | 13.5/15 | 7.25/10 | 65.25 /100 · completed framework |
| United Arab Emirates | 9/10 | 7/10 | 6/10 | 6/10 | 3.5/5 | 14.5/15 | 8.25/10 | 4.25/5 | 9.75/15 | 7/10 | 75.25 /100 · completed framework |
| Indonesia | 9/10 | 7/10 | 2/10 | 6/10 | 2.25/5 | 8.5/15 | 5/10 | 2.75/5 | 15/15 | 6/10 | 63.5 /100 · completed framework |
| Japan | 6/10 | 10/10 | 2/10 | 6/10 | 3.25/5 | 10.5/15 | 10/10 | 5/5 | 12.5/15 | 8/10 | 73.25 /100 · completed framework |
| South Korea | 9/10 | 7/10 | 2/10 | 6/10 | 4/5 | 14/15 | 10/10 | 4.75/5 | 11.5/15 | 8.25/10 | 76.5 /100 · completed framework |
| Mexico | 4/10 | 4/10 | 10/10 | 6/10 | 1.5/5 | 8.5/15 | 10/10 | 2.75/5 | 12.5/15 | 7.25/10 | 66.5 /100 · completed framework |
| Costa Rica | 9/10 | 7/10 | 10/10 | 10/10 | 3/5 | 12/15 | 10/10 | 3.5/5 | 11/15 | 6.5/10 | 82 /100 · completed framework |
| Panama | 8/10 | 6/10 | 10/10 | 8/10 | 2.25/5 | 11/15 | 4.25/10 | 3.25/5 | 12/15 | 6/10 | 70.75 /100 · completed framework |
| Colombia | 8/10 | 4/10 | 10/10 | 6/10 | 1.75/5 | 11.5/15 | 10/10 | 2.75/5 | 14/15 | 7/10 | 75 /100 · completed framework |
| Brazil | 9/10 | 5/10 | 10/10 | 6/10 | 2.5/5 | 14/15 | 10/10 | 4.25/5 | 14.5/15 | 6/10 | 81.25 /100 · completed framework |
| Argentina | 8/10 | 7/10 | 10/10 | 6/10 | 3.75/5 | 11.5/15 | 10/10 | 4/5 | 13/15 | 6.75/10 | 80 /100 · completed framework |
| Uruguay | 8/10 | 8/10 | 10/10 | 6/10 | 4/5 | 10/15 | 10/10 | 3.75/5 | 11.75/15 | 6.75/10 | 78.25 /100 · completed framework |
| Mauritius | 9/10 | 9/10 | 6/10 | 4/10 | 3.75/5 | 8.75/15 | 2.5/10 | 4.5/5 | 13.75/15 | 6.25/10 | 67.5 /100 · completed framework |
| South Africa | 8/10 | 5/10 | 8/10 | 4/10 | 4.75/5 | 9.5/15 | 5.75/10 | 4/5 | 13.5/15 | 6.5/10 | 69 /100 · completed framework |
Completed 100-point research framework.
All ten categories are assessed using the published
methodology. Lower-confidence or fallback evidence is
labelled rather than silently treated as equivalent evidence.
How the scoring works
Scoring thresholds are fixed before the full 25-country dataset is completed. Countries are not scored relative to whichever countries happen to be in the current sample.
Safety 10 pts
Global Peace Index rank: top 10 = 10; top 25 = 9; top 50 = 8; top 75 = 7; top 100 = 6; top 125 = 5; top 150 = 4; lower = 3. If a country is not covered by the GPI, a documented government travel-advisory fallback may be used instead: Level 1 = 9, Level 2 = 7, Level 3 = 4, Level 4 = 1.
US futures time-zone fit 10 pts
Uses the latest local end of the main US cash session across relevant clock regimes: by 22:30 = 10; 00:30 = 8; 02:30 = 6; 04:30 = 4; 06:30 = 2; later = 1.
Tax-residency complexity 10 pts
Simple physical-presence rule = 10; day count plus a home test = 8; broader multi-factor or habitual-abode framework = 6; linked multi-year tests = 4. This scores rule complexity, not tax rates or tax burden.
English, digital services & workspace 5 pts
English usability contributes up to 2 points, digital public services up to 1 point and practical workspace access up to 2 points. EF EPI and UN EGDI are preferred for comparable national benchmarks, supplemented by documented workspace access. Transparent fallbacks are permitted where a benchmark does not cover a country.
Network connectivity 15 pts
Fixed broadband download contributes up to 6 points, fixed latency up to 3, mobile backup download up to 4 and mobile latency up to 2. Country-level Speedtest medians are preferred. A clearly labelled fallback may be used where the primary source has no mobile result.
Futures-provider market access 10 pts
Six researched futures prop-firm country policies are compared. A provider contributes 1 access unit when normal policy-level access is available, 0.5 when the published policy limits or separately reviews a later funded/live stage, and 0 when destination-based access is restricted. Units are converted to a 10-point score and rounded to the nearest 0.25 point.
Financial-account access 5 pts
World Bank Global Findex account ownership is converted directly to a five-point scale by dividing the percentage by 20 and rounding to the nearest 0.25 point. The measure describes the national financial-account environment and is not a guarantee that a foreign visitor can open a local account.
Living costs & rent 15 pts
Numbeo's Cost of Living Plus Rent Index is used as the standardized affordability benchmark. An index of 20 or lower receives 15 points. Above 20, one point is deducted per additional five index points. The result is rounded to the nearest 0.25 point.
Healthcare environment 10 pts
Numbeo's 0-to-100 Health Care Index is divided by 10 and rounded to the nearest 0.25 point. The benchmark covers perceived healthcare competence, speed, equipment, accuracy, waiting times, cost and convenience. Insurance eligibility and premiums are not inferred from this index.
Final framework:
100
points · 100 in the completed score
· 0 not assessed
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Research rule
No ranking from outdated nomad lists.
Visa rules, insurance obligations, tax-residency thresholds, costs and service restrictions can change. Time-sensitive fields therefore need source references and a last-verified date before they contribute to the final country score.
Tax and residency information is presented as general research context, not individualized legal or tax advice.