Where work was once strictly tied to a desk for most workers, flexibility and mobility are now the norm. With remote work now a realistic option, people can choose where they want to work from. In Reckon’s Work & Wander: Best Places to Work Remotely report, we researched and analysed which international and Australian destinations ranked best.
Report results: What’s the verdict?
The report ranked Kuala Lumpur as the top remote-work destination worldwide. Participants rated the Malaysian city highly for cost of living, safety, visa requirements, and remote work incentives.
Sydney took the top spot for remote work among Australians, thanks to high safety scores and a wide range of culture and sightseeing.
Overall, for international destinations, Asia was Australians’ most popular region for remote work, with Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Osaka, Tokyo, and Singapore taking 5 spots in the top 10. In Oz, the main capital cities ranked highest.
What’s determined the rankings?
The Work & Wander report includes survey results from over 1000 Aussie participants on the best places to live at home and abroad. Several factors determined the rankings.
| Factor | International index weight | Domestic index weight |
|---|---|---|
| Living and accommodation costs | 11.23% | 18.53% |
| Safety | 11.00% | 18.15% |
| Health and medical access | 9.49% | 15.66% |
| English proficiency | 9.11% | [excluded] |
| Weather and climate | 8.95% | 14.77% |
| Visa requirements | 8.00% | [excluded] |
| Remote work incentives | 7.74% | [excluded] |
| Travel advisory level | 7.70% | [excluded] |
| Culture and sightseeing | 6.91% | 11.41% |
| Time zone overlap | 6.84% | [excluded] |
| Fitness facilities | 4.63% | 7.65% |
The weighting of each factor varied depending on whether the destination was international or based in Australia, as some factors were excluded. For instance, travel advisories (think safety), remote work incentives, visa requirements, and English proficiency have little bearing in Australia.
What’s Next?
As with our Startup City report, Reckon’s best places to work remotely research shows the work landscape is constantly shifting, with each year bringing new challenges and opportunities for workers and businesses. For more information, download the report here.
