The Opportunity for Cities.
Even before the pandemic, the nature of work was changing. Led by start-up companies that offered highly flexible conditions for employees, like unlimited holidays, companies were giving their people to work from cities of their choice. Those lucky enough to be able to take advantage of this lifestyle have been named Digital Nomads.
The number of digital nomads across the globe is expected to reach 1 billion by 2035. Digital Nomads are a different kind of traveller. They stay longer than a tourist and they have different needs. Sites like Nomad List allow nomads to rate cities based on a wide range of criteria from internet speed to air quality. Remember – these people are highly mobile, so attracting them is only half of the equation, keeping them, or getting them to return over and over again is just as important.
During the pandemic in 2020, the nature of work changed for everybody. Sitting in a cubicle in an office was now the exception rather than the rule. Many of the companies that have relaxed their ‘working from home’ rules have indicated that they will not return to the office – ever.
Dubai is just one of the places that has created a new visa to attract these visitors. Greece too is changing its rules to grab a share of this audience
Athens for Digital Nomads
Its not common to see someone working on a laptop in an Athens cafe. There are a few reasons for that, so let’s explore a few.
At first glance, Athens seems to offer a lot to people who choose to make it their base for remote working. Access to the EU market, lots of flight connections and a pleasant year-round climate are all positives. But… Athens ranks 112 on Nomad List with and overall score of 3.59 out of 5.
Athens scores lowest on Nomad List in the areas of income level, population density and racial tolerance.
The Positives
Athens offers a great quality of life. The cost of living is relatively low compared to a city like London or Dubai – but it depends on your lifestyle. If you want to pay $6 for a coffee you can, but you can also pay $2.50 with a great view. Many neighbourhoods have street markets that sell fresh fruit and vegetables lower than supermarket prices and if you want to go out for a drink or a meal you can get some great deals.
From a digital point of view, most cafes bars and potential workspaces provide free WiFi. Getting a sim-card with a data package is simple and there are some good deals, like unlimited data on weekends. At the time of writing, 5G is being rolled out slowly.
Athens is easy to get around. The Metro comes regularly and covers a wide area for a few euros per trip. Taxis are relatively cheap and service is improved through an app like Beat. There is a new network of bike paths and lanes and for most of the year everything in the centre is in walking distance. From Pireus you have access to all the Greek islands by ferry.
Athens is a popular tourist destination. As a result, the locals are used to welcoming visitors from all over the world and most speak English and other European languages.
Things to Consider
While the waiters in the central cafes will engage in all manner of languages, it can be very hard to work in Athens if you cant read or write Greek. Apps for basics like groceries and mobile phone top-up do not offer different language options and dealing with the government or bureaucracy – forget it.
The internet speeds in Greece are not great. At peak times the load on the network is noticeable. Having a mobile data plan and being able to fall back to tethering a device from your phone is recommended.
Time to Re-Visit
Athens has changed dramatically over the past few years. There are hundreds of small hotels with roof gardens that overlook the acropolis and even more funky, independent bars and cafes dotted around the city. While there are still some grumpy cafe owners who frown upon plugging a laptop into their power – there are a lot more who are grateful for the business – especially if it is recurring.
Want to get a sense of what it is like to be a digital nomad in Athens? Listen to our podcast.
