Remote working has become the new normal to many over the last year. However, working from home can feel both isolating and claustrophobic– especially if you don’t have a garden or balcony for some fresh air.
Whether you’re looking to escape your flat for a week or want to travel while working remotely, Small Business Prices has conducted a new study to find the world’s ultimate secluded areas for remote working.
The study has analysed some of the most beautiful towns and villages across the UK, US and Europe and measured them against a series of metrics. The metrics used in this research include the average monthly cost of rent and the daily Airbnb rate, the number of WiFi spots and cafes with WiFi, distance to the nearest airport as well as the distance to the sea and the number of greenspaces for UK locations.
Please find the full study here.
Best secluded areas for WiFi
Fast, reliable WiFi is key to maintaining productivity while working remotely. To find the top locations that score the highest for WiFi, the study analysed all locations according to the average upload and download speed for mobile and broadband, the number of WiFi spots and cafes with WiFi.
- Best overall: Interlaken, Switzerland ranks as the best location overall for all WiFi metrics, scoring the highest in the study for the number of WiFi spots (2,596), mobile upload speed (20 Mpbs) and broadband download speed (166 Mpbs).
- Best for broadband upload speed: Albarracin, located in the hills of east-central Spain, has the fastest broadband upload speed in the study at 126 Mpbs, and also offers good download speeds at 142 Mpbs.
- Best for cafes with WiFi: For those who prefer working from a cafe, the countryside village of Lymm in Cheshire, England has nine local cafes with WiFi to choose from– the highest number out of all locations in the study.
Top 5 cheapest areas to work remotely
In addition to analysing each location on metrics for seclusion, the study also finds the most affordable locations for those looking to vacate and work on a budget.
Whether you’re planning on renting a temporary home for a while or just want to book an Airbnb for the week, these are the cheapest secluded areas to visit in the study:
| Rank | Overall cheapest (Average of rent + Airbnb) |
Cheapest monthly rent | Average monthly rent (£) | Cheapest Airbnb daily rate | Average Airbnb daily rate (£) |
| 1 | Hvar, Croatia | Hvar, Croatia | £185 | Kotor, Montenegro | £55 |
| 2 | Český Krumlov, Czech Republic | Český Krumlov, Czech Republic | £206 | Barrow/Utqiagvik, Alaska, USA | £59 |
| 3 | Bled, Slovenia | Bled, Slovenia | £225 | Fairfield, Iowa, USA | £60 |
| 4 | Fairfield, Iowa, USA | Fairfield, Iowa, USA | £341 | Český Krumlov, Czech Republic | £65 |
| 5 | Kotor, Montenegro | Kotor, Montenegro | £368 | Hvar, Croatia | £69 |
^ To find USD value, multiply by 1.32. To find value in Euros, multiply by 1.12
Hvar, Croatia ranks as the overall cheapest option in the study, offering the lowest average price for monthly rent and a night at an Airbnb combined. The quaint town, located on an island, also sees the lowest monthly rent out of all locations– making it perfect for a longer stay.
If you’re looking for a place to visit for just a week or two, the coastal town of Kotor, Montenegro offers the cheapest average daily Airbnb rates for just £55 a night.
Therapist Sally Baker comments on the importance of prioritising time outdoors when working remotely: “Those who have the room to set up a separate work area and a balcony or garden for taking a break in are in the best position for protecting their mental health. For others with less physical space and less advantages circumstances, remote working can feel more stressful and oppressive, which will impact negatively on their mental health.
Without their own dedicated private outdoor space, remote workers will need to incorporate time outside into their daily schedule. Plus, Vitamin D is only produced while outside, preferably in sunshine, and is essential in helping to ward off depression.”
To explore more of the top secluded areas to work remotely around the world, visit the full research on Small Business Prices.
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