Nomad Cities With Reliable Internet: 50 Family Bases Ranked (2026)

The Night Our Internet Went Out

We’re writing this from Ninh Binh in northern Vietnam, where the internet taught us a lesson. 🌧️

One evening a storm rolled through and took our Wi-Fi with it. Our mobile data couldn’t pick up the slack either. We’re staying a bit out of town, and we’ve also had a few power cuts here. Luckily our accommodation seems to have a generator, and the internet was back later that night.

We survived, and went to bed early. But we couldn’t do that every day. Marty’s job depends on a good connection, and without internet we can’t even order a Grab, the app we use for taxis and food delivery across Southeast Asia.

Honestly, internet hadn’t been a big priority when we chose where to stay. We assumed most places would be fine, and if not, we’d find an internet café. It’s probably not the smartest plan, and we’re learning quickly how much it matters. That’s why we built this guide. (Our slower days in Ninh Binh are in our Homeschooling on the Move guide.)

About this list: we haven’t worked from all 50 cities. We lived in Da Nang this year and are in Ninh Binh now. Before the kids, Marty and I travelled through Thailand, Ho Chi Minh City, Spain and Portugal. Everything else is researched from the sources we link below.

The short answer:

• Tier 1 cities (like Singapore, Tallinn and Lisbon) handle two working parents and online school with little planning.
• Where you stay matters as much as the city. An apartment out of town can behave like a Tier 3 city, even in a Tier 1 country.
• Wi-Fi and mobile data can fail together in a storm or power cut, so know your plan B before you need it.

What We’re Learning About Internet and Choosing a Base

Our Ninh Binh night changed how we’ll book from now on. Here’s what we’ll check before our next stays in Hanoi and, next year, Hoi An.

• Ask for a recent speed test. Upload speed matters most for video calls. Our internet guide for nomad families explains what to look for.
• Ask about backup power. A generator kept our lights on. It’s worth asking whether it also runs the router.
• Think about location. Staying out of town is peaceful, but repairs can take longer and mobile signal can be weaker.
• Know your plan B. Find the nearest coworking space or reliable café before you need it, not in the middle of a deadline.
• Check the season. Storm seasons bring more outages, so a big work week might suit the dry months better.
• Download what you’d miss. Offline maps, your accommodation address and important documents are worth saving to your phone.

How We Rank the Cities

Most internet rankings only look at download speed. For a family, that’s half the picture. A fast connection doesn’t help if the power drops mid-call.

We sort each city into one of four tiers based on four things:

• Home internet: typical fixed broadband speed and how widely fibre is available.
• Mobile backup: how well mobile data covers you when the Wi-Fi fails.
• Power reliability: how often outages happen, based on reported incidents.
• Coworking: whether there’s a reliable desk, ideally with backup power, nearby.

What we don’t count here: cost, visas and community. They matter enormously, but they have their own guides. See our cost of living comparison of 50 nomad destinations and our worldschooling hubs directory.

The four tiers:

• 🟢 Tier 1: work with confidence
• 🟡 Tier 2: reliable, with a backup
• 🟠 Tier 3: workable with preparation
• 🔴 Tier 4: plan carefully

A note on the numbers: speed figures come from different testers. Some are city averages and some are national, so each one shows its source and period. Where we couldn’t find a clear, dated figure, we describe the connection instead. Always check the connection in your exact building.

Sources: Speedtest Global Index, TestMy.net, SpeedGEO, the IEA’s Electricity 2026 reliability chapter, WhereNext’s coworking city ranking and Nomads.com community data. Tiers reviewed: September 2026.

🟢 Tier 1: Work With Confidence

Fast home internet, strong mobile backup, reliable power and plenty of coworking. Two parents on calls and a child in an online lesson should be fine here, as long as your building is well connected.

Singapore 🇸🇬

🟢 Tier 1
Home internet: Among the fastest in the world (Speedtest Global Index)
Mobile backup: Excellent 5G across the city
Power: Outages are very rare
Coworking: A large, professional scene

Singapore sets the benchmark for remote work infrastructure. Fibre is fast almost everywhere, mobile coverage is close to universal and power cuts are rare.

The trade-off is cost. It’s one of the most expensive bases on this list, so compare budgets before you commit.

Read our Singapore guide for nomad families.

Tallinn, Estonia 🇪🇪

🟢 Tier 1
Home internet: Fast, consistent fibre
Mobile backup: Strong 4G and 5G
Power: Outages are uncommon and short
Coworking: Modern spaces in a compact city

Estonia runs almost all of its government services online, and that digital mindset shows. Tallinn’s connection is known for being consistent rather than record-breaking.

The compact, walkable centre makes it easy to reach a coworking desk. Winters are long and dark, which matters more for families than the Wi-Fi.

Read our Tallinn guide and our Estonia guide.

Lisbon, Portugal 🇵🇹

🟢 Tier 1
Home internet: Fast fibre in most apartments
Mobile backup: Strong 4G and 5G from MEO, NOS and Vodafone
Power: Very reliable, apart from the rare Iberian blackout on 28-04-2025
Coworking: One of Southern Europe’s largest scenes

Lisbon pairs fast fibre with a big coworking scene, so a reliable desk is never far away. The April 2025 Iberian blackout was Europe’s largest since 2003, according to the IEA, but it was a one-off rather than a pattern.

Older buildings vary a lot, so ask for a speed test from the flat itself.

Read our Lisbon guide, or compare it with the south coast in Algarve vs Lisbon.

Barcelona, Spain 🇪🇸

🟢 Tier 1
Home internet: Fast fibre across the city
Mobile backup: Strong 5G in the city and along the coast
Power: Very reliable, apart from the rare Iberian blackout on 28-04-2025
Coworking: One of Europe’s densest scenes

Spain has some of the fastest home broadband in Southern Europe, and Barcelona makes the most of it. You’re rarely more than a short walk from a coworking space.

Louie would happily choose it for FC Barcelona alone. ⚽ For working parents, the fibre and the coworking choice are the real draw.

Read our Barcelona guide and our Spain guide.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 🇲🇾

🟢 Tier 1
Home internet: 107 Mbps average Wi-Fi (TestMy.net, April 2026), faster in fibre-connected condos
Mobile backup: Strong 4G and growing 5G from Maxis and CelcomDigi
Power: A reliable grid
Coworking: A large, well-priced scene

Kuala Lumpur offers much of Singapore’s reliability at a lower cost. Fibre-connected condos are common, and there’s plenty of coworking choice.

Neighbourhoods in the Malaysian capital differ a lot in feel. Choose your area first, then check the building’s connection.

Read our Malaysia guide.

Budapest, Hungary 🇭🇺

🟢 Tier 1
Home internet: Fast, affordable fibre
Mobile backup: Strong 4G and 5G
Power: A stable EU grid
Coworking: A solid scene in the central districts

Hungary has some of Central Europe’s fastest home broadband, and Budapest gets the best of it. Coworking spaces cluster in the central districts.

Prices for a good desk are lower than in most Western European capitals.

Read our Budapest guide.

Bangkok, Thailand 🇹🇭

🟢 Tier 1
Home internet: Fast fibre in most modern condos
Mobile backup: Fast, cheap data from AIS and True
Power: Short, local outages now and then
Coworking: One of Asia’s biggest scenes

Bangkok has fast, affordable fibre and more coworking spaces than you’ll ever need. Local SIMs are cheap and easy to buy at the airport or any convenience store.

We’re heading there after Chiang Mai this Christmas, so we’ll add our own notes after that.

Read our Bangkok guide, or see how the two countries compare in Thailand vs Vietnam with kids.

Penang, Malaysia 🇲🇾

🟢 Tier 1
Home internet: Fast fibre in George Town and the main residential areas
Mobile backup: Good coverage across the island
Power: A reliable grid
Coworking: A smaller scene centred on George Town

Penang is compact, so mobile coverage stays strong even when you leave George Town for the beaches. The coworking scene is smaller than Kuala Lumpur’s but covers the basics.

It’s a calmer option for families who want Malaysia without the big-city scale.

Read our Penang guide.

Prague, Czech Republic 🇨🇿

🟢 Tier 1
Home internet: Fast fibre
Mobile backup: Strong 4G, with 5G expanding
Power: A stable EU grid
Coworking: A well-developed scene

Prague is compact, well connected and reliably powered. Cafés with decent Wi-Fi are easy to find, which helps on days you don’t need a full desk.

Coworking prices sit below most Western European capitals.

Read our Prague guide and our Czech Republic guide.

Dubai and Abu Dhabi, UAE 🇦🇪

🟢 Tier 1
Home internet: Among the fastest in the world (Speedtest Global Index)
Mobile backup: World-leading 5G
Power: Outages are very rare
Coworking: A large, professional scene

The UAE’s internet is among the fastest anywhere, and power cuts are rare. One catch for remote workers: calling on some consumer apps, such as WhatsApp voice and video calls, is restricted.

Check that your work tools are allowed before you arrive. It’s also one of the priciest bases on this list.

Read our Dubai guide.

🟡 Tier 2: Reliable, With a Backup

Good for most remote work. Expect the odd weak spot, usually storm-season power cuts, a smaller coworking scene or big differences between neighbourhoods. Keep a local SIM and know your nearest coworking space.

Chiang Mai, Thailand 🇹🇭

🟡 Tier 2
Home internet: Fast fibre in the city, slower outside it
Mobile backup: AIS and True, patchy in the hills
Power: Good in town, with short cuts in the wet season (roughly June to October)
Coworking: A big, affordable scene

Chiang Mai has been a nomad base for more than a decade, and the city’s infrastructure has kept up. Speeds drop in the surrounding hills.

For families, burning season air quality (roughly February to April) is a bigger issue than the Wi-Fi. We’re spending Christmas there, so we’ll add our own notes soon.

Read our Chiang Mai guide and Chiang Mai vs Bali.

Da Nang, Vietnam 🇻🇳

🟡 Tier 2
Home internet: 132 Mbps average (TestMy.net, May 2026)
Mobile backup: Viettel, Vinaphone and MobiFone
Power: Good, with storm outages in the wet season
Coworking: A small but growing scene

We spent a month in Da Nang in August and September 2026, and the internet was very good. When Marty wanted a proper desk, he worked from a coworking café we cover in our Da Nang guide.

Central Vietnam’s wet season runs roughly September to December. Storms can take out power and Wi-Fi together, as we found out later in Ninh Binh.

Read our Da Nang guide and our Vietnam guide.

Porto, Portugal 🇵🇹

🟡 Tier 2
Home internet: Fast fibre, the same networks as Lisbon
Mobile backup: Strong 4G and 5G
Power: Very reliable, apart from the rare Iberian blackout on 28-04-2025
Coworking: A smaller, growing scene

Porto shares Lisbon’s fibre and mobile networks, so the connection itself is just as good. The coworking scene is smaller.

For most families, choosing between Porto and Lisbon comes down to lifestyle and budget rather than internet.

Read our Portugal guide.

Taipei, Taiwan 🇹🇼

🟡 Tier 2
Home internet: 217 Mbps national average (Speedtest Global Index)
Mobile backup: Excellent 4G and 5G
Power: Stable, with typhoon season (roughly July to October)
Coworking: A large scene

Taiwan has fast, open internet with no firewall to work around. The weak spot in Taipei is typhoon season, which can bring short power and internet cuts.

Mandarin dominates outside central areas, so everyday admin takes more effort than in English-speaking bases.

Read our Taiwan guide.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 🇻🇳

🟡 Tier 2
Home internet: 112 Mbps average (SpeedGEO, April 2025 to March 2026)
Mobile backup: Viettel, Vinaphone and MobiFone
Power: Good centrally, with occasional outages in outer districts
Coworking: A large scene, including local chains

Marty and I passed through Ho Chi Minh City on our round-the-world trip, long before the kids and long before we worked online. Today it has fast, cheap fibre and a big coworking scene.

Quality varies between districts and buildings, so test before you sign a lease.

Read our Ho Chi Minh City guide.

Tbilisi, Georgia 🇬🇪

🟡 Tier 2
Home internet: Mostly fibre, often 50 to 100 Mbps at home and faster in coworking
Mobile backup: Strong 4G in the city
Power: Good centrally, variable in older buildings
Coworking: A small, affordable scene

Georgia’s fibre network is extensive, and Tbilisi’s central neighbourhoods are well connected. Older apartment blocks can have tired wiring and power fluctuations, so building choice matters.

Rules for longer stays in Georgia have changed recently, so check current details with official sources before you plan.

Read our Tbilisi guide.

Medellín, Colombia 🇨🇴

🟡 Tier 2
Home internet: Fast fibre in El Poblado and Laureles
Mobile backup: Claro and Movistar
Power: Short outages more often than in Europe
Coworking: A good scene in the main expat areas

Medellín’s fibre is strong in the neighbourhoods most families choose. Short power cuts are the main risk.

A coworking space with backup power helps on big work days. So does a small UPS (uninterruptible power supply), a battery box that keeps your router running through a short cut.

Read our Medellín guide and our Colombia guide.

Mexico City, Mexico 🇲🇽

🟡 Tier 2
Home internet: Fast fibre in Roma Norte, Condesa and Polanco
Mobile backup: Telcel is strongest, coverage varies
Power: Outages more often than in most Tier 2 cities
Coworking: A large scene

Internet in Mexico City is excellent in the right neighbourhood and patchy in the wrong one. Power cuts happen more often than in most cities in this tier.

Pick a well-connected area first, then a coworking space with backup power.

Read our Mexico City guide.

Valencia, Spain 🇪🇸

🟡 Tier 2
Home internet: Fast fibre
Mobile backup: Strong 5G in the city
Power: Very reliable, apart from the rare Iberian blackout on 28-04-2025
Coworking: A smaller scene than Barcelona

Valencia has the same fast Spanish fibre as Barcelona, with fewer coworking spaces. Connection-wise, it’s a strong Tier 2.

Many families choose it for the slower pace and lower costs.

Read our Valencia guide.

Cape Town, South Africa 🇿🇦

🟡 Tier 2
Home internet: Fibre in the City Bowl and Atlantic Seaboard, slower in outer suburbs
Mobile backup: Vodacom and MTN
Power: Much improved since load shedding eased in 2024
Coworking: A good scene, many with solar or generator backup

Power in Cape Town has improved a lot since the worst years of load shedding (scheduled national power cuts). Fibre is fast in the right areas but drops off in the outer suburbs.

Choose your neighbourhood with the connection in mind.

Read our Cape Town guide.

Málaga, Spain 🇪🇸

🟡 Tier 2
Home internet: Fast fibre, the same national network as Barcelona
Mobile backup: Strong 5G in the city
Power: Very reliable, apart from the rare Iberian blackout on 28-04-2025
Coworking: A smaller scene

Málaga uses the same Spanish fibre network as Barcelona and Valencia, so the connection is strong. We’ve moved it up to Tier 2 because its only real gap is a smaller coworking scene.

For most remote work, a good apartment connection will do the job.

Read our Málaga guide.

Cascais, Portugal 🇵🇹

🟡 Tier 2
Home internet: Fast fibre on Portugal’s national network
Mobile backup: MEO, NOS and Vodafone
Power: Very reliable, apart from the rare Iberian blackout on 28-04-2025
Coworking: A small scene

Cascais uses the same fibre and mobile networks as Lisbon, so connectivity isn’t the issue. The trade-off is fewer coworking spaces.

For a dedicated desk, the coastal train into Lisbon is the practical answer.

Weighing up Portugal? Read our Portugal guide.

Split, Croatia 🇭🇷

🟡 Tier 2
Home internet: 123 Mbps average (SpeedGEO, April 2024 to March 2025)
Mobile backup: 125 Mbps average mobile (SpeedGEO)
Power: A stable EU grid
Coworking: A small scene

Split’s connection is strong for most of the year. Summer is the catch: the city fills with visitors, and shared connections can slow down.

For a summer stay, budget for a coworking membership from the start.

Read our Split guide and our Croatia guide.

Algarve, Portugal 🇵🇹

🟡 Tier 2
Home internet: Fast fibre in towns like Lagos, Faro and Tavira, patchy in rural villas
Mobile backup: Good 4G and 5G along the coast
Power: Reliable in towns
Coworking: A limited scene

The Algarve is a region, not a city, and connectivity changes a lot from place to place. A town apartment in Lagos or Faro is usually well connected, while an inland villa may not be.

Our Tier 2 rating applies to the main towns. Base yourself in one if work matters.

Read our Algarve guide.

Plovdiv, Bulgaria 🇧🇬

🟡 Tier 2
Home internet: Fast fibre in the city
Mobile backup: Strong 4G and 5G
Power: A stable EU grid
Coworking: A small scene

Plovdiv’s infrastructure is better than its size suggests, with fast fibre and strong mobile coverage. The coworking scene is small, so you’ll rely more on your home connection.

It suits families who are happy to build their own routine rather than join a big nomad community.

Read our Bulgaria guide.

Muscat, Oman 🇴🇲

🟡 Tier 2
Home internet: 111 Mbps national average (SpeedGEO, 2025)
Mobile backup: 100 Mbps average, Omantel strongest (SpeedGEO)
Power: Very reliable
Coworking: A small scene

Internet and power in Muscat are better than many people expect. The coworking scene is small, so a good home connection matters more.

Oman has restricted calling on some consumer apps, so check your work tools before you go.

Read our Muscat guide.

Istanbul, Turkey 🇹🇷

🟡 Tier 2
Home internet: Fast fibre in well-connected areas, variable elsewhere
Mobile backup: Strong 4G and 5G, Turkcell leads
Power: Generally good, occasional outages in older districts
Coworking: A large scene

Istanbul’s infrastructure handles remote work well in most central neighbourhoods. The complication is access, as some websites and platforms have been blocked or slowed at times.

Check that the tools you rely on work in Turkey before you commit to a long stay.

Read our Turkey guide.

Phuket, Thailand 🇹🇭

🟡 Tier 2
Home internet: Fast fibre in residential areas, slower in busy tourist zones
Mobile backup: AIS and True
Power: Good, with wet season cuts
Coworking: A smaller scene than Bangkok

Phuket’s connection depends on where you stay. Quieter residential areas like Rawai and Cherng Talay tend to work better than busy Patong.

The coworking scene is smaller than in Bangkok or Chiang Mai.

Read our Thailand guide.

🟠 Tier 3: Workable With Preparation

Remote work is possible, but plan for it. A coworking membership with backup power and a mobile hotspot should be part of your setup from day one.

Bali (Canggu and Ubud), Indonesia 🇮🇩

🟠 Tier 3
Home internet: 48 Mbps Denpasar average (TestMy.net, March 2026), much faster in fibre villas
Mobile backup: Telkomsel has the widest network
Power: Short cuts in heavy rain, plus a rare island-wide blackout on 02-05-2025
Coworking: Plenty in Canggu and Ubud

In Bali, your connection depends on the exact villa more than the island. Fibre-connected places in Canggu and Ubud can be fast, but away from the main hubs speeds drop sharply. Treat areas like Amed, Sidemen or rural Uluwatu as Tier 4.

Coworking spaces open and close often, so check what’s operating now.

Read our Ubud guide, our Bali guide and Chiang Mai vs Bali.

Bansko, Bulgaria 🇧🇬

🟠 Tier 3
Home internet: Good fibre in town, weaker outside the centre
Mobile backup: Strong in town, drops in the mountains
Power: Good, with winter storm disruptions
Coworking: A small, nomad-focused scene

Bansko is a small mountain town that has built a coworking scene around remote workers. In town, the connection works well.

Outside the centre and during winter storms it’s less reliable, so stay central if work matters.

Read our Bansko guide.

Buenos Aires, Argentina 🇦🇷

🟠 Tier 3
Home internet: 168 Mbps national average (SpeedGEO, April 2025 to March 2026)
Mobile backup: 63 Mbps average (SpeedGEO)
Power: Outages more common, especially in summer heatwaves
Coworking: A large scene

Buenos Aires has fast fibre in central neighbourhoods like Palermo and Recoleta. Power is the weak point, with outages more likely during summer heatwaves when demand peaks.

A coworking space with backup power makes big work days safer.

Read our Argentina guide.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico 🇲🇽

🟠 Tier 3
Home internet: Around 50 Mbps typical in community speed tests
Mobile backup: Telcel is most reliable
Power: Outages happen
Coworking: Several spaces

Families come to Playa del Carmen for the beach, not the bandwidth. Holiday rental Wi-Fi varies a lot.

Treat a coworking space as your office and keep a Telcel SIM as backup.

Read our Mexico guide.

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico 🇲🇽

🟠 Tier 3
Home internet: Modest, often 25 to 50 Mbps
Mobile backup: Telcel
Power: Outages happen
Coworking: Only a couple of dedicated spaces

San Miguel de Allende is a small colonial city, and its internet reflects that. Speeds work for email and standard video calls but can be tight for heavy uploads.

A mobile hotspot as backup is a good idea.

Read our San Miguel de Allende guide.

Panama City, Panama 🇵🇦

🟠 Tier 3
Home internet: Modest national averages, faster fibre in newer buildings
Mobile backup: Good 4G
Power: Outages more likely in the rainy season (roughly April to November)
Coworking: A growing scene

Panama City’s connection covers most remote work, especially in newer towers. The rainy season brings more power interruptions.

A mobile hotspot plus a coworking membership covers most situations.

Read our Panama City guide.

Nairobi, Kenya 🇰🇪

🟠 Tier 3
Home internet: Fibre in business districts, slower in residential areas
Mobile backup: Safaricom 4G is generally reliable
Power: Scheduled and unscheduled outages
Coworking: A large tech scene, often with generators

Nairobi is East Africa’s biggest tech hub, and its coworking spaces are built around unreliable power. Safaricom’s mobile network makes a strong backup.

At home, expect outages and plan important calls from a coworking desk.

Colombo, Sri Lanka 🇱🇰

🟠 Tier 3
Home internet: 52 Mbps national average (SpeedGEO, July 2025 to June 2026)
Mobile backup: 27 Mbps average (SpeedGEO)
Power: Much improved since the 2022 and 2023 economic crisis
Coworking: A small scene, many with backup power

Sri Lanka’s power supply has improved a lot since the economic crisis of 2022 and 2023. Colombo’s business districts are faster than the national average.

Mobile data is fine for messages but tight for video, so don’t rely on it alone.

Read our Sri Lanka guide.

Oaxaca, Mexico 🇲🇽

🟠 Tier 3
Home internet: Fast fibre in the main coworking spaces, variable in rentals
Mobile backup: Telcel
Power: Outages happen
Coworking: A small scene

Oaxaca’s coworking spaces have good fibre, but rentals vary widely. Treat apartment Wi-Fi as a bonus and the coworking desk as your office.

It’s a slower, food-focused base that suits families staying a while.

Read our Mexico guide.

Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina 🇧🇦

🟠 Tier 3
Home internet: 80 to 120 Mbps in well-connected areas
Mobile backup: BH Telecom 4G
Power: Generally good, with occasional disruptions
Coworking: A small scene

Sarajevo’s connection is better than many visitors expect in central areas. With a small coworking scene, you’ll depend more on your apartment.

Check the building’s connection before booking a longer stay.

Chiang Rai, Thailand 🇹🇭

🟠 Tier 3
Home internet: 60 to 100 Mbps in established areas
Mobile backup: AIS
Power: Generally good, with wet season disruptions
Coworking: A few spaces

Chiang Rai is quieter and smaller than Chiang Mai, with fewer coworking options. The connection is workable in town.

It suits families who want a slower pace and can manage with a home setup plus mobile backup.

Read our Thailand guide.

Lombok, Indonesia 🇮🇩

🟠 Tier 3
Home internet: 20 to 50 Mbps in tourist areas, variable elsewhere
Mobile backup: Telkomsel
Power: More outages than Bali, especially in rural areas
Coworking: A few spaces in Kuta and Senggigi

Lombok is less developed than Bali, and so is its internet. Kuta Lombok and Senggigi are the most practical bases for work.

The Gili Islands are more limited still.

Read our Bali guide for the neighbouring island.

Cartagena, Colombia 🇨🇴

🟠 Tier 3
Home internet: Decent in expat areas, slower elsewhere
Mobile backup: Claro is most reliable
Power: Outages more common than in Medellín
Coworking: A small scene

Cartagena needs more planning than Medellín. Heat and humidity strain the grid, and outages are more common.

It works best as a stay of a few weeks with a coworking membership.

Read our Colombia guide.

Batumi, Georgia 🇬🇪

🟠 Tier 3
Home internet: 50 to 100 Mbps in well-connected apartments
Mobile backup: Magti recommended
Power: Generally good
Coworking: A small scene

Batumi has the same widespread fibre as the rest of Georgia, but quality varies a lot by building. The coworking scene is much smaller than Tbilisi’s.

Ask for a speed test for the exact apartment.

Read our Georgia guide.

Marrakech, Morocco 🇲🇦

🟠 Tier 3
Home internet: 40 to 60 Mbps typical in Gueliz, slower in the medina
Mobile backup: Maroc Telecom, Orange and inwi
Power: Outages more likely in older medina properties
Coworking: A growing scene in Gueliz

Morocco’s telecoms regulator lifted its ban on internet calling apps in November 2016, so WhatsApp and similar calls generally work. We’ve moved Marrakech up from Tier 4, where the old ban had placed it.

The bigger issue is where you stay. A medina riad can have weak Wi-Fi and old wiring, while modern apartments in Gueliz are usually better connected.

Read our Morocco guide.

Siem Reap, Cambodia 🇰🇭

🟠 Tier 3
Home internet: 111 Mbps average Wi-Fi (TestMy.net, May 2026)
Mobile backup: Patchy outside the centre
Power: Outages more common than in neighbouring countries
Coworking: A small scene

Siem Reap’s average speeds are better than its reputation. The problem is consistency: connections vary a lot between buildings, and power cuts happen.

Pair a coworking membership with a mobile backup.

Read our Cambodia guide.

🔴 Tier 4: Plan Carefully

Infrastructure limits are real and regular here. These places can still be wonderful for families, but they suit light or flexible work, or a coworking space with a generator as your daily office.

Zanzibar, Tanzania 🇹🇿

🔴 Tier 4
Home internet: 10 to 30 Mbps in coworking spaces and guesthouses
Mobile backup: Vodacom and Airtel in Stone Town, weaker elsewhere
Power: Outages are a regular part of life
Coworking: A few spaces in Stone Town and Paje

Power is Zanzibar’s biggest challenge, and outages are part of daily life. Coworking spaces with generators are the only dependable place to work.

It suits families with light or flexible work, not a heavy video-call schedule.

Read our Zanzibar guide.

Antigua and Guatemala City, Guatemala 🇬🇹

🔴 Tier 4
Home internet: Fast fibre in parts of Guatemala City, patchy elsewhere
Mobile backup: Tigo and Claro
Power: Outages and cable cuts happen regularly
Coworking: Several spaces in Antigua and Guatemala City

Guatemala has the widest gap on this list between its best and worst connections. Antigua is the more popular base for families.

Plan on a coworking space with a generator plus a mobile backup.

Read our Guatemala guide.

La Paz, Bolivia 🇧🇴

🔴 Tier 4
Home internet: Among South America’s slowest (Ookla, 2025)
Mobile backup: Slow outside central areas
Power: Grid stress is common
Coworking: A small scene

Bolivia has had some of South America’s slowest internet. That may change: a decree in December 2025 opened the door to satellite providers, and Starlink began operating in February 2026 under an experimental licence.

Check current availability and rules before relying on it.

Kampala, Uganda 🇺🇬

🔴 Tier 4
Home internet: 20 to 40 Mbps in business districts, slower elsewhere
Mobile backup: MTN and Airtel
Power: Load shedding and unscheduled outages are common
Coworking: A growing scene, often with backup power

Kampala has a young tech scene and coworking spaces that invest in backup power because they have to. At home, expect regular outages.

It suits families with a specific reason to be there rather than a first nomad base.

Kathmandu, Nepal 🇳🇵

🔴 Tier 4
Home internet: 20 to 40 Mbps in well-connected areas
Mobile backup: Ncell and Nepal Telecom
Power: Far better than in the mid-2010s, but outages still happen
Coworking: An affordable scene, usually with backup power

Nepal’s power supply is far better than in the mid-2010s, when daily cuts were long. Outages still happen, though, and home broadband is limited.

Kathmandu’s coworking spaces are affordable and usually have backup power.

Read our Nepal guide.

Pai, Thailand 🇹🇭

🔴 Tier 4
Home internet: 20 to 50 Mbps in cafés and guesthouses
Mobile backup: AIS, weak in the hills
Power: Outages more common than in Chiang Mai
Coworking: No dedicated coworking

Pai is a small mountain town about three hours by winding road from Chiang Mai. There’s no dedicated coworking, and power cuts are more common.

We’ve moved it to Tier 4. It works as a slow week or two between better-connected bases, not as a work base.

Pair it with a stay in Chiang Mai.

Frequently Asked Questions

What internet speed does a family need for remote work?

It depends on how many people are online at once. Upload speed matters most for video calls. Our internet guide for nomad families breaks it down by activity.

Why does power reliability matter as much as speed?

A power cut takes out the router, and sometimes the local mobile network too. In Ninh Binh, we lost both Wi-Fi and mobile data after one storm.

What should we do if Wi-Fi and mobile data both go down?

Have a plan B before it happens, such as a nearby coworking space or café with its own backup power. For us, that night meant waiting it out and going to bed early. That’s fine once, but not with a deadline.

Is a coworking space worth paying for?

For important calls, usually yes. Established spaces often have backup power and business-grade connections. Check what’s included before you sign up.

Do we need Starlink in these cities?

Usually not. In cities, good accommodation Wi-Fi plus a local SIM is simpler and cheaper. Starlink makes more sense off-grid.

Do any of these countries restrict video-call apps?

Some do. The UAE, for example, restricts calling on some consumer apps. Rules change, so check with your employer and the country’s official telecoms regulator before you rely on any app.

Which tier should a family with two working parents aim for?

Tier 1 or Tier 2. Add a child doing online school or live classes and the load grows again. In Tier 3 and 4 cities, book a coworking membership for your most important work.

Does a Tier 1 city guarantee good internet?

No. The tier describes the city, not your apartment. Ask for a speed test for the exact place you’re booking.

Why did some cities change tier?

We re-checked every city against our four factors in September 2026. Places like Málaga and Cascais moved up because their connections are strong, and Marrakech moved up because Morocco’s old ban on calling apps no longer applies. Pai moved down because it has no dedicated coworking.

Our Takeaways

We used to assume the internet would just work. One stormy evening in Ninh Binh showed us otherwise.

You don’t need to avoid Tier 3 or 4 cities. Some of the most memorable places on this list will never top a speed chart. But the lower the tier, the more your plan B matters.

Use the tiers to shortlist, then check the exact place you’ll stay. If you’re still working out whether this life could work for your family, start with how we became a digital nomad family.

And keep the Grab app for the days the Wi-Fi works. 😉 🌏