Malaysia Ranked Best Country for Digital Nomads in 2026 Index, Canada Reviews

If you want sun, street food and a very decent Wi-Fi connection, let us introduce you to your new office. Malaysia has just been named the best country on the planet for digital nomads. This is according to the Rumavi Global Relocation Index 2026, which scores 192 countries on all aspects of life, including the cost of living, tax rules, safety and visa access. It then re-weights those same factors depending on whether you’re a retiree, a family or a remote worker.

Estonia was named the overall best place to live in the Index, but Malaysia has particular appeal for remote workers. It scored a strong 80 out of 100 for digital infrastructure, which means you won’t have to worry about losing connection to the internet. It also has its own Digital Nomad Pass called DE Rantau, which means remote workers can get legal permission to stay and work there for up to a year, rather than relying on tourist visas. And the weather is warm and tropical all year round, so you’re not planning your work-from-anywhere life around a six-month winter. On top of that, it scored well for cost of living and for how generously it treats money earned from clients abroad.

Photograph: ShutterstockKampong Baru KL Malaysia

It’s not a flawless report card – Malaysia didn’t score as highly in business opportunity, where it scraped a fairly damning 39 out of 100 – so if your five-year plan involves building the next startup from a Kuala Lumpur co-working space, you might want to look elsewhere.

Portugal takes second place, and there’s no shock there, given it’s been the poster child for European remote-work relocation for years, thanks to its own dedicated Digital Nomad Visa.

Third place goes to Thailand, whose new Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) lets remote workers stick around for up to five years at a time. Georgia follows up, a surprising country that’s become a nomad favourite thanks to a visa-free stay of up to a year for dozens of nationalities – so no sponsor stress and no faff. Taiwan rounds out the top five, trading on excellent healthcare, some of the fastest broadband on the planet, and a bubble tea scene that alone might justify the move.