🇪🇷 Eritrea

Eritrea features low day-to-day cost metrics across local markets and basic accommodation. Remote workers in Asmara keep baseline monthly expenditures low by choosing local residential housing and purchasing fresh regional produce.

Score is based off objective cost-of-living data with World Bank and C2ER Cost of Living Index. The limitation of this data is that it tracks spending of locals, which will be far less than travelers. We applied a nomad-realistic monthly cost estimate to make the amount more accurate. Prices displayed in USD.

World Bank figures reflect national average consumption, which can run high in countries with large wealth gaps (e.g. the US) — the nomad estimate aims to correct for this. Likewise, lower CoL countries will have very low local spending figures, and will not reflect the spending patterns of travelers or nomads.

Sources: C2ER Cost of Living Index · World Bank ICP 2021 · Independent nomad cost estimates

Eritrea is lacking official internet performance data, and internet access remains limited and tightly controlled despite recent network investment; Asmara is the only realistic base for travelers needing connectivity.

Blends download speed (Ookla Speedtest Global Index) with upload speed and latency (Cloudflare Radar). Speeds are scored between 10 Mbps (0) and 200 Mbps (100); latency counts the opposite way — lower is better. A missing metric doesn't penalize a country, it's scored on whatever data is available.

A national average — city and neighbourhood speeds vary, especially outside major hubs.

Sources: Ookla Speedtest Global Index · Cloudflare Radar

Eritrea has low everyday crime but is one of the most closed and tightly controlled countries in the world, with severe restrictions on internet access, movement and independent journalism; the practical barriers to living or working there as a nomad are political and bureaucratic rather than criminal.

Blends three published safety indices: the Global Peace Index, the WJP Rule of Law Index (Order & Security factor), and the Gallup Global Law and Order Index. Each is rescaled 0-100 and combined with weights favoring GPI and Gallup slightly over WJP. Not every country is tracked by all three — the blend adjusts to whichever are available (weights are renormalized) rather than penalizing a country for a missing source, though a country tracked by fewer sources carries lower confidence.

As this is national average data, be aware that safety varies significantly by city and region within a country.

Sources: Global Peace Index (Institute for Economics & Peace) · WJP Rule of Law Index (World Justice Project) · Gallup Global Law and Order Index

Asmara's UNESCO-listed 1930s Italian Art Deco architecture is a genuinely jaw-dropping time capsule, unlike almost anywhere else in the world. Severe restrictions on movement, near-nonexistent internet, and pervasive surveillance make this a fascinating but tightly controlled destination for the determined rather than a nomad base.

A weighted blend of published indices: the World Economic Forum's Tourism Development Index (weighted highest — the strongest predictor of appeal), Numbeo's Quality of Life Index, the World Happiness Report, Gallup's day-to-day enjoyment data, the EF English Proficiency Index, and a public transit assessment covering both within-city and between-city transport. Not every country is scored on all six — the blend adjusts to whichever are available rather than penalizing a country for a missing one.

Sources: WEF Tourism Development Index · Numbeo Quality of Life Index · World Happiness Report · Gallup · EF English Proficiency Index · Public transit assessment

Visa and immigration laws are rapidly changing, always double-check official sources. Tax figures are estimated only — actual liability depends on your residency status, income structure, and tax treaties. Consult a tax professional prior to travel.