Nomad Guide: Long-Term Accommodations

This is a series of continuous posts of guides, hacks and tips on the vagabonding lifestyle and nomadic methodology. -view all nomad guides

“A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.” -George A. Moore

Long-Term Accommodations //

Vagabonds have a saying, “Sleep on a different bed every night in a different country every week.”

Sounds legendary but quite impractical.

There are short bursts of time that I do sleep in a different place every night in multiple cities or countries within a week. Typically for “transitioning”.

In most cases, vagabonds find a place to stay longer, as it is a lifestyle, not a holiday – to “live” in that place.

For the perspective of the active nomad, the term “long-term” will be categorized into these levels; 2 weeks, 1 month and 3 months.

2 Weeks Stay //

Assuming you don’t have any local contacts, typical hotels and Airbnb’s are the most ideal for this length of stay for cost and availability.

Multi-day discounts and promotions often start at about this level. For hotels, it’s best to ask directly if not available online. For Airbnb, the discount will apply once you put in the dates, but you can also ask the host directly if no option is readily available online.

I almost exclusively use Agodo when booking hotels. Claim a $40 voucher for your first Airbnb stay.

Alternative Options: Hostels, couchsurfing, homestays

My Average Cost –

Western Europe: $250 / week
South East Asia: $80 / week

1 Month Stay //

At this level, hotels have no budgetary benefit but is where you may find the best value with Airbnb. The biggest deals can be found when booking 30 day “sets” with Airbnb for upfront discounts.

Alternately, holiday rental style accommodations and serviced apartments that can be booked directly from the owner / management or real estate agency are also ideal for this level. Expect to pay more.

Although not as cheap as paying “normal” rent, these units are typically fully inclusive of utilities (power, internet, etc.) to reduce the overall cost of living.

Alternative Options: Cruise, expedition, off-grid

My Average Cost –

Western Europe: $900 / month
South East Asia: $285 / month

3 Months Stay //

In my opinion, staying in the same city for at least 3 months is living there. This is effectively getting an actual apartment lease. While essentially non-existent in the USA, 3 month lease terms are surprisingly common throughout the world, especially in expat / nomad friendly cities.

Even Airbnb at this level is not the best choice for long-term accommodations. Don’t even bother with Craigslist or other online classifieds. Use the local real estate agencies for best results and cost.

Although I’ve personally never used it, I’ve heard many success stories about foreigners getting apartments overseas by using Facebook groups.

Alternative Options: Coliving, volunteering abroad

My Average Cost –

New York City (home): $2500 / month
Western Europe: $750 / month
South East Asia: $250 / month

[The featured photo was taken at my bungalow at Lime N Soda on Koh Phangan Island, Thailand.]