One of the biggest perks of running an online business is the freedom to choose where you want to live. If you choose well, you’ll be settling in a country that not only supports your business but your lifestyle goals too.
The challenge, however, is that like building your ideal business, there’s no step by step playbook that you can follow. You need to do the research, do some recon visits and spend time finding the perfect place.
What you deem as the “best country to live in” may not be the same for your friends and other entrepreneurs.
While I value proximity to mountain bike trails, a strong internet connection and quiet weekends in nature, you may value proximity to a beach, a strong cafe culture and party scene.
Some countries have perks that others just don’t come close to. Favourable tax regimes, ease of residency applications, solid internet connections and safety are just some of them.
In this article, I’ll go over some of the most entrepreneurial countries to live in, from my own perspective of someone running an online business.
It’s important for you to remember that this is just a thought exercise. This list is entirely subjective based on my own research, interests and priorities. These are countries I’ve considered for the needs of myself and my family, nothing more. I encourage you to use this list to spark your own research.
How Much Does Location Matter?
Before I moved to Andorra, I had some strong notions of where I wanted to spend the rest of my life. All of that quickly changed once I became location independent and started moving around continents, looking for a new home.
Some countries offered a highly appealing “fun” lifestyle, while others offered stability and a quiet environment. To make the decision making process more challenging, I also had to take into account the needs of my wife, future family and the business I was building.
Back then life took a focus on finding a location that ticked off all these boxes:
- Access to the environment
- Affordable cost of living
- Agreeable climate
- Ease of getting residence permit
- Proximity to supermarkets and shopping
- Proximity to a major international airport
- Reasonable tax system
- Reliable, fast internet connection
- Limited commitment
Most of this probably makes sense to you, with the exception of “limited commitment”. What I mean by this is, being able to “try before you buy”.
Different countries typically involve different languages, cultures, banking systems, cuisines, education systems for your kids, driving on a different side of the road and so on. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that your move to a new country won’t work out (and that’s ok!).
So when it was time for us to make this decision, I wasn’t keen on buying a $500,000 property or making a huge investment in some sort of government fund just to get a residence permit. This gave us an “easy out” in case things didn’t go as planned.
Andorra ticked most of these boxes for me — which I’ll get to in a moment. I can comfortably sustain a business, spend time in a nice home eating healthy food and also make the most of the mountains.
While there may be locations where startup funding is easier to come by or business networking groups are more prevalent, these weren’t a factor for me. So it’s important to consider what you’re seeking first, before picking a country from a list on a random website.
Does location really matter? Some would say “not so much”. To me, it makes a world of difference. If you’re an entrepreneur with the privilege of location independence that gives you the freedom to choose where you can live, why wouldn’t you pick the perfect place?
What to Consider Before Making the Move
As exciting as it sounds to pack your bags and fly halfway across the world, there’s a lot that goes into “shortlisting” the right country.
Sure, you may not have the same restrictions as someone with a brick and mortar business but there are a couple of things you’ll want to keep an eye out for.
Ease of Residency for Entrepreneurs
Before you go ahead and set up a remote office in a country that offers amazing tax benefits and cheap labor, find out what residency programs it offers.
While getting a visa from employment is becoming increasingly difficult in most developed countries, it’s often much easier for those of us who own a business.
How much will you need to invest in an entrepreneur visa? Do you need to enroll in a local social security scheme? How long is your visa valid for? How much time do you need to spend in the country each year to guarantee your visa will be renewed?
Shifting base without asking questions like these can cause frustrations down the road.
What Your Business Needs
If you need to make sales calls every day, you might want to be in a similar time zone to your clients or customers. You’ll certainly want a reliable internet connection.
On the other hand, if you run an eCommerce business — even if you outsource to a 3PL, you’ll probably end up in a situation where you wish you could see your product in person.
These are only a few examples but you get the gist. Once you know what your basic business requirements are, you can start narrowing your search down until you’re looking at your most viable options.
Maturity of Your Business
Many countries offer schemes to come to their country and start a local business. This sounds great, but if you don’t know the business culture and you have zero local credibility, it can be a hard slog.
If you have a service based internet business, it’s probably the case that your initial clients originated from a local community that trusts you.
If you can, work towards growing your business before leaving your home country to give yourself some runway. Incorporating in a new country and starting from scratch will probably take longer than you think. You don’t want this to be the reason your life in a new country doesn’t work out.
Networking
If you aren’t among a community of other business owners who can guide or bring business your way, it can slow your growth.
Online communities can offer valuable support, but consider whether you prefer working independently or spending time with other business owners in person.
If you enjoy working independently, you may not need much of a local business community to network with. But if you need strong networking opportunities to thrive, lean into that. Look out for countries that have a strong expat community or even better — one which is a hub for digital nomads.
Reliable Internet
This one’s a no-brainer but — for your online business to succeed, a stable internet connection is an absolute must.
If you’re living in a country that already has fast internet, you won’t think much of this. But move into a city where setting up client calls is an absolute nightmare and you’ll see what I mean.
The good news is that most entrepreneurial countries that you encounter will have stable internet, especially if they’re a hub for tech and startups, but don’t be complacent.
In my home city of Adelaide there are still houses that struggle to get internet speeds that most third world countries put to shame.
Transit Hubs
If you plan to travel often to your warehouse, see business partners or go to events, certain locations will be better than others.
Singapore, where 45 minutes in a taxi to the airport is the worst case scenario, is much more convenient for flights than where I am in landlocked Andorra, where I need to drive into Spain just to access an airport.
Choosing a country with a good geographical location and easy access to airports is a big deciding factor for most people. Do remember to ask yourself however, if you live in paradise, do you really need to travel as often as you do now?
Other Lifestyle Factors
Business and entrepreneurial goals aside, you will want to choose a country where you actually enjoy living. There’s no point in a low cost of living if you hate being there or if the safety of yourself and your family is compromised.
Some places may offer great stunning beachside views but horrible healthcare or education systems. Others may have little to no access to nature, but an incredible cafe scene.
It’s best to inventory your own lifestyle, and even prioritise your needs to help choose your newly adopted home.
Countries Every Entrepreneur Should Consider
We live in a time where you can run an online business from just about anywhere. The place that is right for you may not be on this list, but hopefully some of these places spark further research and curiosity into similar opportunities, or neighbouring countries that could be a good fit.
Please keep in mind that this list is likely biased and heavily influenced by my own research and experiences. It’s in alphabetical order, there’s no other prioritisation here!
About the cost figures: I use Expatistan’s estimated monthly costs for one person, including housing, expressed in euros and rounded to the nearest €100. I checked the published estimates on 27 October 2026. These crowd-sourced country estimates are rough comparisons, with limited data in some places. Price the housing and lifestyle you want before deciding. The Indonesia figure covers the country as a whole and is a starting point when looking at Bali.
Andorra
Cost of Living: ~€3,300/month per person.
Am I biased towards the country I live in? Definitely. Access to the mountains and a good place to raise our family still matter more to me than winning a contest for the lowest possible tax bill.
The general corporate and personal income-tax rates are 10%, but allowances, income categories and contributions determine the actual cost. It is not true that most companies or residents necessarily pay less than 10% or about 5%.
Company-based self-employment requires a qualifying residence authorisation, more than 34% ownership and an effective management role. Under the 2026 changes, the standard €50,000 contribution is generally non-refundable, with exceptions and transitional rules. It is a serious commitment, not simply a bargain company registration. Compare my current residence guide and tax guide.
Colombia
Cost of Living: ~€1,300/month per person.
Medellín’s climate, cafés and international community are an understandable draw for location-independent business owners. I would still test a neighbourhood, its transport and the services my family needed before treating a national cost-of-living comparison as a budget.
The old fixed US$3,500 Rentista figure and three-year description are stale. Under the Foreign Ministry’s visa rules, the V Rentista category requires qualifying periodic income of at least ten current monthly minimum wages and can be issued for up to two years. A digital-nomad visitor category and migrant categories have different conditions; visitor time is not a universal path to permanent residence.
Residence for immigration and for tax are separate. Before relocating a profitable business, calculate the effect of Colombian residence on foreign income and the company you manage.
Georgia
Cost of Living: ~€1,300/month per person.
Tbilisi’s food, culture and nearby mountains can make Georgia an appealing place to try. It is also important to distinguish a long permitted visit from permission to work and a residence permit.
Georgia can offer favourable treatment for qualifying income and entrepreneurs. The 1% small-business regime is a specific status, with excluded activities and turnover conditions, rather than a tax rate for every company or every foreign client. Work performed in Georgia is not automatically foreign-source just because the customer lives overseas. See the Revenue Service’s rules.
The current residence-permit requirements distinguish several routes:
- Employment/business: work-permit requirements apply.
- Investment: qualifying investment and ongoing conditions.
- Property: qualifying real estate.
- Permanent residence: category-specific history or grounds.
Indonesia (Bali)
Cost of Living: ~€1,100/month per person.
Bali still has the beaches, cafés and international community that attract online business owners. Whether you can concentrate there is a separate question! Traffic, the neighbourhood and access to healthcare deserve a proper trial stay.
The old claim that sixty-day tourist or social visas are as good as it gets is out of date. Indonesia’s E33G remote-worker route allows a qualifying overseas employee to stay for a year, with evidence including an overseas employment agreement and at least US$60,000 annual income.
That does not authorise working for Indonesian customers or running any local business you like. Match the visa to what you actually do and check tax residence separately. Tourist demand is not, by itself, permission to sell services locally.
Malaysia
Cost of Living: ~€1,400/month per person.
Kuala Lumpur, Penang and other Malaysian locations offer different combinations of international connections, food and city life. I would shortlist the place around the life I wanted, rather than assume that a territorial-tax headline settled everything.
MM2H has reopened with revised categories. For example, the federal Silver category specifies a US$150,000 fixed deposit, a qualifying residential purchase and other conditions; different categories and regional schemes have different rules. Use the official current category comparison rather than an old “programme on hold” article.
MM2H is not interchangeable with an entrepreneur’s work permission. A Labuan company is also not a general shortcut to living and working anywhere in Malaysia without conditions. Foreign-source income, remittances and available exemptions need a separate tax review.
Malta
Cost of Living: ~€2,200/month per person.
Malta’s English-language services and established gaming, finance and technology businesses may suit someone who wants an international community in the Mediterranean. Housing, traffic and summer crowds are worth experiencing before committing.
For the Global Residence Programme, check the current conditions together:
- Eligibility: eligible non-EU/EEA/Swiss applicants.
- Housing: qualifying-property requirements.
- Permissions: residence/work rights separate from tax status.
Qualifying remitted foreign income under the GRP is generally taxed at 15%, with a €15,000 annual minimum. That is not a cap on every tax liability or a promise of permanent residence and unrestricted work. Check the programme conditions against your nationality, income and intended work.
Montenegro
Cost of Living: ~€1,300/month per person.
Montenegro taxes salary through 0%, 9% and 15% bands, and has separate bands for entrepreneurial income. Other categories generally have their own 15% treatment. Local surtax is calculated on the income tax, with social contributions separate. The old universal 9% description is incomplete. Current rates and local surtax.
I like the combination of mountains, coastline and smaller towns. Life on the coast in peak summer is very different from a winter inland, so try the place in more than one season.
Property ownership or a genuine business may support a residence application, but ownership alone is not unrestricted work permission or a guaranteed permanent permit. Check the current category and renewal conditions before buying a home or incorporating.
Panama
Cost of Living: ~€2,300/month per person.
Panama can be useful for a business working in American time zones, and its capital has an established international community. I enjoyed exploring it, even though it would not be my own first choice for a long-term home.
The Friendly Nations programme is no longer the old low-cost, almost immediate permanent-residence arrangement. The rules introduced a provisional stage and specified economic ties, with work permission a separate consideration. The immigration decree should be read with subsequent amendments and the current application requirements, rather than as a passport-based entitlement.
Territorial taxation also needs care. Providing services while physically in Panama can create local-source income even when the customer and bank account are overseas. Have your actual business activity assessed before assuming every foreign invoice is exempt.
Portugal
Cost of Living: ~€2,200/month per person.
Portugal’s ordinary personal income-tax system is progressive; it is not generally a low flat-tax country. The old NHR regime was repealed for new entrants from 1 January 2024, subject to protected existing beneficiaries and transitional cases. Tax authority’s NHR guidance.
The successor incentive for scientific research and innovation, often called IFICI, has narrower occupation, employer and other conditions. Being a foreign entrepreneur or opening a company does not automatically qualify you, and foreign income is not universally exempt.
The climate, cities and established international communities remain attractive. Immigration is a separate assessment: ordinary property purchases no longer qualify for the Golden Visa, and AIMA lists the current investment routes. Budget around a route and tax treatment you can actually use.
Singapore
Cost of Living: ~€5,100/month per person.
Singapore is one of the few big cities where I can imagine making an exception to my preference for a quieter life. I would weigh up:
- international connections,
- green spaces,
- an established business community, and
- a suitable residence route.
EntrePass is aimed at qualifying innovative or venture-backed businesses, not every overseas freelancer. The Global Investor Programme is for established qualifying investors: the old S$2.5 million figure is stale. Current options include at least S$10 million in a qualifying business or S$25 million in a GIP-select fund, with a separate family-office option and further conditions. Government’s February 2026 explanation.
High costs and selective immigration matter as much as its business reputation. Compare the permission you qualify for and a real household budget, rather than an undated collection of number-one rankings.
Taiwan
Cost of Living: ~€1,300/month per person.
Taiwan offers busy cities, excellent food and plenty of mountains outside them. It is a place I would investigate seriously if the language, distance from family and business connections worked for us.
Two routes worth distinguishing are:
- Employment Gold Card: qualifying professionals; conditional tax incentives.
- Entrepreneur Visa: qualifying startups; up to two years initially.
Neither is an unconditional exemption for all overseas income, and one salary figure is not a universal route to a visa.
Thailand
Cost of Living: ~€1,000/month per person.
Thailand’s appeal is easy to understand:
- food,
- beaches,
- established remote-work communities, and
- a tropical climate.
Air quality, traffic and the right neighbourhood can still make a big difference, particularly if you have children and want a stable routine.
There are now more suitable options than repeated tourist-visa runs. The Destination Thailand Visa offers qualifying workcation applicants five-year multiple-entry validity with stays of up to 180 days per entry, subject to documents and financial conditions. Other long-stay programmes serve different applicants.
A long-stay visa is not an exemption from Thai tax, and tourist or privilege-visa permission should not be presented as permission to work locally. The current foreign-income rules also mean waiting until a later year to remit income is no longer a general tax-free solution.
USA
Cost of Living: ~€3,100/month per person.
No list would be complete without mentioning the US of A. Whatever your opinions on recent events there, let’s remember it is a large country. The US has a number of cities that offer internet entrepreneurs everything they need. Decent internet, access to airports, a pro-business culture, loads of networking opportunities — you name it.
Of the many cities I could mention, it’s very clear that there’s a migration to Austin, Texas happening, and rightly so. Long known for its music scene, the city has become quite a hub for lifestyle business owners.
It doesn’t hurt that Texas has no state income tax either.
Another option to consider is Scottsdale, Arizona. Many online entrepreneurs (and offline!) and investors call Scottsdale home, giving it a great business community, while also allowing them plenty of access to the great outdoors.
If you’re already a US citizen, relocating within your country is easy, but for foreigners that’s not the case. There are many routes to a green card each with their unique pros and cons, so expect to sit down and do some research to find out which best suits your situation.
The Best Country for Entrepreneurs: No “One Size Fits All”
The goal of this list isn’t to get you to relocate to a specific country here, it’s more to consider your options. It’s easy to check a list of income tax free countries, but living there is a different story.
Being an internet entrepreneur opens up a lot of doors. It’s natural to think of how your business will make you $x next year, but what if it opens other doors for you as well?
Running a company, and being able to move that company to a new country can enable you to relocate to a new country when it’s otherwise not possible.
If your dream country isn’t on this list, do your research and find out how you can use entrepreneurship to better the life of yourself and your family.