# Dubai for Digital Nomads

> Tax-free, air-conditioned

Dubai, UAE, Asia

Canonical page: https://nomadbase.com/destinations/dubai
Last reviewed: 2026-07-29

Every figure below carries its source and measurement date. Where no reliable source exists the field is left out rather than estimated.

## Dubai at a glance

Dubai works as a winter base, and it is best judged as one. The season runs November to March, flights leave in every direction, and daily life runs in English. There is a dedicated remote-work route in the virtual work residence visa, and most of the Central European working day overlaps yours — clients barely notice you have moved.

The honest catch is the air. Measured PM2.5 stands at 31.2 µg/m³ (OpenAQ: station median, July 2026) — poor by any reading, and far above the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³. Dust, traffic and year-round construction all feed it, and winter does not switch it off.

It suits you if you want a polished, safe, hyper-connected winter base and are willing to pay what that costs. It suits you less if you want walkable street life, organic texture or clean air — or if your stay would stretch into the summer months.

| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 5 of 12 months sit in the 18–27 °C felt band (Nomadbase comfort index: comfort index from Open-Meteo, 2025) — and they are exactly the months Europe spends in the dark | Measured PM2.5 of 31.2 µg/m³ (OpenAQ: station median, July 2026) is poor air by any standard; the WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³ |
| 58 Mbps median download (M-Lab: median of speed tests, 7-day window, July 2026) — connectivity is a solved problem here | Only 5 of 12 months land in the mild band (Nomadbase comfort index: mild months from Open-Meteo, 2025); outside the season, life moves indoors |
| 818 cafés mapped within 15 km (OpenStreetMap: July 2026) and a coworking market with real depth | Costs are high across the board, and the winter season pushes them higher |
| 90 days visa-free in any 180 for EU passports — and for US passports since Sept 2024 (Government sources: checked July 2026) | A car-first city: walking between districts is rarely an option, and street life is thin outside a few quarters |

## Key figures

| Figure | Value | Source | Measured |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average temperature (year) | 29.5 C | Copernicus ERA5, 2025 annual average | 2025-12-31 |
| Average cloud cover | 18 % | Copernicus ERA5, 2025 annual average | 2025-12-31 |
| Vegan share of cafés | 5.3 per 100 restaurants & cafés | OpenStreetMap, within 15km | 2026-08-05 |
| Coliving room per month | 1063 EUR/month | Published price: Colife, furnished studio from-rate, Dubai Studio City (4,499 AED), all-in: DEWA, chiller, wifi — studio-style unit, not a shared-flat room; no Dubai coliving-room operator publishes rates, checked 2026-08-05 | 2026-08-05 |
| Nearest major airport | 11 km | OurAirports — nearest major airport is Dubai International Airport | 2026-07-29 |
| Airports within 100 km | 5 within 100km | OurAirports, major and regional airports with scheduled service | 2026-07-29 |
| Air quality PM2.5 (measured) | 31.2 µg/m³ | OpenAQ, median of 4 stations, 2026-07-27 | 2026-07-27 |
| Transport per month | 83 EUR/month | Official fare: RTA nol 30-day pass, all zones (350 AED), metro, tram and bus; needs a registered personal nol card, 1-zone version 140 AED, checked 2026-08-05 | 2026-08-05 |
| Average temperature (summer) | 36.5 C | Copernicus ERA5, 2025 summer average (Jun-Aug) | 2025-12-31 |
| Average temperature (winter) | 21.4 C | Copernicus ERA5, 2025 winter average (Dec-Feb) | 2025-12-31 |
| Rain days per year | 3 days/year | Copernicus ERA5, 2025 full-year count | 2025-12-31 |
| Dry days per year | 362 days/year | Copernicus ERA5, 2025 full-year count | 2025-12-31 |
| Surf spots mapped nearby | 0 count | OpenStreetMap, within 30km | 2026-08-05 |
| LGBTQ+ legal index (country) | 0 score 0-10 | Nomadbase legal-position rubric (country level), checked 2026-07-29 | 2026-07-29 |
| LGBTQ+ in practice (country) | Consensual same-sex acts remain criminal under the 2022 federal penal code alongside Sharia-based provisions; enforcement is sporadic and tourists are rarely targeted, but arrests and deportations are documented. Total public discretion is the norm; no gender marker change is possible. | Nomadbase legal-position rubric (country level), checked 2026-07-29 | 2026-07-29 |
| Tap water index (country) | 7 score 0-10 | Nomadbase tap-water tier (country level), checked 2026-07-29 | 2026-07-29 |
| Tap water in practice (country) | Desalinated supply meets WHO standards at the source (DEWA and peers); safety at the tap depends on building storage-tank maintenance, so most residents drink bottled or filtered. | Nomadbase tap-water tier (country level), checked 2026-07-29 | 2026-07-29 |
| Coworking spaces mapped | 4 count | OpenStreetMap, within 15km | 2026-08-05 |
| Cafés mapped | 818 count | OpenStreetMap, within 15km | 2026-08-05 |
| Restaurants mapped | 2652 count | OpenStreetMap, within 15km | 2026-08-05 |
| Vegan-friendly places mapped | 183 count | OpenStreetMap, within 15km | 2026-08-05 |
| Vegetarian-friendly places mapped | 408 count | OpenStreetMap, within 15km | 2026-08-05 |
| Yoga studios mapped | 3 count | OpenStreetMap, within 15km | 2026-08-05 |
| Queer venues mapped | 0 count | OpenStreetMap, within 15km | 2026-08-05 |
| Beaches mapped within 30 km | 210 count | OpenStreetMap, within 30km | 2026-07-31 |
| Nature reserves and parks within 30 km | 10 count | OpenStreetMap, within 30km | 2026-07-31 |
| Hiking routes within 30 km | 1 count | OpenStreetMap, within 30km | 2026-07-31 |
| Mapped coastline within 30 km | 475 count | OpenStreetMap, within 30km | 2026-07-31 |
| Hospitals and clinics mapped | 364 count | OpenStreetMap, within 15km | 2026-07-31 |
| Pharmacies mapped | 489 count | OpenStreetMap, within 15km | 2026-07-31 |
| Bars, pubs and clubs mapped | 188 count | OpenStreetMap, within 15km | 2026-08-05 |
| Nightlife share of cafés | 5.4 per 100 restaurants & cafés | OpenStreetMap, within 15km | 2026-08-05 |
| Gyms mapped | 110 count | OpenStreetMap, within 15km | 2026-08-05 |
| Kitesurf spots mapped nearby | 0 count | OpenStreetMap, within 30km | 2026-08-05 |
| Internet download (median) | 58 Mbps | M-Lab median of 29,549 tests within 50 km, last 7 days | 2026-08-11 |
| eSIM data, 30 days | 18.5 EUR | Published price: Airalo UAE eSIM — 10 GB / 30 days (Standard package, Etisalat network), 10GB/30d 18.50 EUR on the Standard tab (only revealed after tab-click; plain fetch shows only Unlimited — Unlimited 30d is 65.50 EUR). Storefront displayed EUR prices., checked 2026-07-29 | 2026-07-29 |
| 3-star hotel per night | 34 EUR/night | Published price: Booking.com — median of 3 listed 3-star rates, night 15-16 Aug 2026, Citymax Hotel Bur Dubai 28 EUR, ibis Styles Dubai Airport 34 EUR, Premier Inn Dubai Intl Airport 38 EUR (double, 2 adults). Mid-August = Gulf low season; winter rates run far higher., checked 2026-07-29 | 2026-07-29 |
| cost food monthly modelled | 250 EUR/month | Modelled groceries for UAE (country level, not city): Eurostat DE reference 2022 scaled by World Bank price level 69.8 vs 81.2 (2024) and ICP 2021 category structure | 2024-12-31 |
| cost eating out monthly modelled | 77 EUR/month | Modelled eating out for UAE (country level, not city): Eurostat DE reference 2022 scaled by World Bank price level 69.8 vs 81.2 (2024) and ICP 2021 category structure | 2024-12-31 |
| cost transport monthly modelled | 18 EUR/month | Modelled local transport for UAE (country level, not city): Eurostat DE reference 2022 scaled by World Bank price level 69.8 vs 81.2 (2024) and ICP 2021 category structure | 2024-12-31 |
| cost leisure monthly modelled | 180 EUR/month | Modelled leisure for UAE (country level, not city): Eurostat DE reference 2022 scaled by World Bank price level 69.8 vs 81.2 (2024) and ICP 2021 category structure | 2024-12-31 |
| Visa-free days (EU passport) | 90 days | Editorial visa research, checked 2026-07-29 | 2026-07-29 |
| Visa-free days (US passport) | 90 days | Editorial visa research, checked 2026-07-29 | 2026-07-29 |
| Visa-free days (UK passport) | 90 days | Editorial visa research, checked 2026-07-29 | 2026-07-29 |
| Visa-free days (Canadian passport) | 90 days | Editorial visa research, checked 2026-07-29 | 2026-07-29 |
| Visa-free days (Australian passport) | 90 days | Editorial visa research, checked 2026-07-29 | 2026-07-29 |
| Remote-work visa route (0–10) | 10 score 0-10 | Dedicated remote-work visa: Virtual Work Residence Visa (Dubai Virtual Working Programme / Abu Dhabi Remote Work Visa) (checked 2026-07-29) | 2026-07-29 |
| Coworking desk per month | 236 EUR/month | Published price: Oh My Desk (950 AED), Nook JLT (1,000 AED) and AstroLabs (1,500 AED) hot-desk monthly rates (median 1,000 AED, ex VAT), checked 2026-08-05 | 2026-08-05 |
| climate monthly profile | [{"m":1,"t":18.2,"r":0,"c":0.15},{"m":2,"t":21.2,"r":0.04,"c":0.42},{"m":3,"t":24,"r":0,"c":0.25},{"m":4,"t":30,"r":0,"c":0.19},{"m":5,"t":34.9,"r":0,"c":0.04},{"m":6,"t":38.4,"r":0,"c":0.11},{"m":7,"t":41.1,"r":0,"c":0.17},{"m":8,"t":41.1,"r":0,"c":0.24},{"m":9,"t":39.2,"r":0,"c":0.1},{"m":10,"t":34,"r":0,"c":0.06},{"m":11,"t":26,"r":0,"c":0.14},{"m":12,"t":21.8,"r":0.06,"c":0.35}] | Copernicus ERA5, 2025 monthly means (felt temperature, rain-day share, cloud share) | 2025-12-31 |
| cost bigmac | 4.49 EUR | Published price: The Economist Big Mac Index, national average (19 AED = 5.17 USD), July 2026 release — data CC BY 4.0 | 2026-07-01 |
| Vegetarian share of cafés | 11.8 per 100 restaurants & cafés | OpenStreetMap, within 15km | 2026-08-05 |
| English proficiency (EF EPI) | 487 EF EPI score | EF EPI 2025 (country level, transcribed via Wikipedia) | 2025-11-01 |
| Getting by in English (0–10) | 3.48 score 0-10 | EF EPI 2025 (country level, transcribed via Wikipedia) | 2025-11-01 |
| Women, Peace and Security index (country) | 8.68 score 0-10 | Georgetown WPS Index 2023 (country level, transcribed via Wikipedia) | 2023-10-01 |
| Country price level (US = 100) | 69.8 US=100 | World Bank price level index for UAE, 2024 (US = 100) | 2024-12-31 |
| UTC offset | 4 hours from UTC | Open-Meteo time zone (Asia/Dubai), standard time | 2026-08-17 |
| Working-hours overlap with Central Europe | 5 hours/day | Nomadbase overlap of a 09:00-17:00 day against Open-Meteo time zone (Asia/Dubai), standard time; Europe reference UTC+1 | 2026-08-17 |
| Working-hours overlap with US East | 0 hours/day | Nomadbase overlap of a 09:00-17:00 day against Open-Meteo time zone (Asia/Dubai), standard time; US East reference UTC-5 | 2026-08-17 |
| Homicide rate (country) | 0.52 per 100k | UNODC intentional homicide rate for UAE, 2023 | 2023-12-31 |
| Population | 3944751 people | Wikidata population figure, 2025 | 2025-12-31 |
| Nomadbase climate comfort index | 4.8 index 0-10 | Nomadbase comfort index from Copernicus ERA5 2025 monthly means | 2025-12-31 |
| Mild months (felt 18–27 °C) | 5 months/year | Nomadbase comfort index from Copernicus ERA5 2025 monthly means | 2025-12-31 |
| Company setup index (country) | 8 score 0-10 | Nomadbase business rubric (country level), checked 2026-07-31 | 2026-07-31 |
| Banking access index (country) | 3.75 score 0-10 | Nomadbase business rubric (country level), checked 2026-07-31 | 2026-07-31 |
| Company setup in practice (country) | Free-zone licences allow 100% foreign ownership with no minimum capital and can largely be arranged remotely through the zone authority; mainland rules differ by activity. The licence, not the capital, is the cost. | Nomadbase business rubric (country level), checked 2026-07-31 | 2026-07-31 |
| Banking in practice (country) | The hard part. Compliance tightened sharply — banks routinely decline companies without local substance, and account opening can take months. Budget for it and do not assume the licence implies an account. | Nomadbase business rubric (country level), checked 2026-07-31 | 2026-07-31 |

## Scores (0–10, blend of public data and community reports)

| Category | Score | Public data | Community | Reports |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| cost | 1.06 | 1.06 | — | 0 |
| fun | 3.43 | 3.43 | — | 0 |
| internet | 7.72 | 7.72 | — | 0 |
| safety | 9.06 | 9.06 | — | 0 |
| water | 7 | 7 | — | 0 |
| climate | 3.04 | 3.04 | — | 0 |
| amenity | 2.9 | 2.9 | — | 0 |
| vegan | 8.82 | 8.82 | — | 0 |
| lgbtq | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
| flights | 6.57 | 6.57 | — | 0 |
| visa | 7.33 | 7.33 | — | 0 |
| lifestyle | 3.39 | 3.39 | — | 0 |
| vegetarian | 9.51 | 9.51 | — | 0 |
| nightlife | 0.93 | 0.93 | — | 0 |
| nature | 6.45 | 6.45 | — | 0 |
| health | 3.24 | 3.24 | — | 0 |
| locals | 3.48 | 3.48 | — | 0 |
| business | 5.88 | 5.88 | — | 0 |
| women | 8.68 | 8.68 | — | 0 |

## Visa & entry (UAE)

EU passports enter visa-free for 90 days in any 180; since September 2024 US, UK, Canadian and Australian passports get the same 90-in-180 on arrival. For residence, the one-year virtual work visa (USD 3,500/month income floor) covers both Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

### How long you can stay

EU/EEA citizens enter visa-free: 90 days in any 180-day period, multi-entry, no fee, no pre-registration. US, UK, Canadian and Australian passports get a free visa on arrival on the same terms since 18 September 2024 — 90 days within 180 counted from first entry, explicitly non-renewable (older guides still say 30 days; that changed). Passport needs six months validity, and overstays cost AED 50 per day. Other nationalities are on 30/60-day visa-on-arrival lists or need a pre-arranged visa — check the ICP lists.

Working remotely on a visit entry has no legal basis, though it is not something border officers probe when your employer and income sit abroad. The clean route exists and is cheap by UAE standards.

### Staying longer as a remote worker

The federal **residence visa for working outside the UAE** (virtual work visa) gives you one year of self-sponsored residence, renewable. The income floor is an administrative figure fixed when the scheme launched in 2021, not indexed to anything: currently USD 3,500/month, proven with a salary certificate and bank statements — since 27 January 2026 Dubai’s GDRFA wants six consecutive months of statements, up from three — plus proof of employment with (or ownership of) a company outside the UAE and health insurance valid in the UAE. Apply through ICP smart services, or through GDRFA if you want Dubai as your emirate of residence.

Dubai markets the same idea as the **Virtual Working Programme** (visitdubai.com); Dubai-channel applications have historically been assessed against a higher USD 5,000/month figure, and current secondary sources still quote both numbers — budget for USD 5,000 if you apply via Dubai. **Abu Dhabi** runs its own Remote Work Visa on the official USD 3,500 floor with six months of bank statements; the Abu Dhabi Residents Office nomination channel is currently paused, so applications route through TAMM. Either way you get an Emirates ID, pass a medical test, and pay no personal income tax — the trade-off is that everything else in the UAE is priced accordingly.

> Visa rules change frequently. This information was last checked on 2026-07-29. It is not legal advice — confirm with the official source before booking: https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/Visa-information/do-you-need-an-entry-permit-or-a-visa-to-enter-the-uae

## Living in Dubai

### Where to stay

Dubai is a chain of districts along a motorway spine, and your neighbourhood sets your daily radius more than in most cities.

- **Dubai Marina and JBR** — high-rise waterfront, walkable by local standards, and the default landing zone. Polished, busy, touristy at the water’s edge.
- **JLT** — across the highway from the Marina: similar towers, less gloss, more residents than visitors, and a dense cluster of independent cafés.
- **Downtown and Business Bay** — central and close to the offices. Convenient if your work is there, traffic-bound if it is not.
- **Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim** — low-rise villa districts along the open beaches. Quieter and greener, but you will want a car.
- **Deira and Bur Dubai** — the old city on the creek. The most street life and texture Dubai has, older housing stock, and a long way from the beach circuit.

### Finding a place

Residents search Property Finder, Bayut and Dubizzle, and the standard product is an annual contract paid upfront in post-dated cheques — a structure that assumes a residence visa and a UAE bank account. It is not built for you, and fighting it rarely pays.

For a stay of months, the furnished market is the practical route: serviced apartments, hotel apartments and the monthly tiers of the booking platforms. Ask two questions before committing. Is cooling included — "chiller-free" means the landlord pays the district-cooling bill, and the difference is real. And does DEWA, the electricity and water account, run in your name or theirs.

### Working from here

The coworking market has real depth: free-zone business hubs, lifestyle brands, hotel-lobby memberships and quiet neighbourhood spaces, with day passes easy to find. We would try several before committing — the communities differ more than the desks do.

Café work is normal and the supply is deep, from speciality roasters in JLT to all-day spots along Jumeirah. Plant-based diets travel well here too — 5.3 per 100 mapped restaurants & cafés carry a vegan-friendly tag (OpenStreetMap: July 2026).

The rhythm takes a little adjusting. The weekend falls on Saturday and Sunday, most of the Central European working day overlaps yours, and during Ramadan the daytime pace compresses while the city comes alive after sunset.

### Getting around

The metro is elevated, driverless, spotless — and linear. It serves the Sheikh Zayed Road spine well and much of the rest of the city not at all. A Nol card is the one purchase to make on arrival: cash is not accepted on board, and the same card covers metro, tram, buses and the water buses.

For everything the metro misses, ride-hailing fills the gap. Careem is the app that matters locally, with Uber and the metered cream taxis alongside. Walking between districts is rarely realistic — distances are motorway-scaled and pavements simply stop.

Two rules worth knowing: every train has a women-and-children carriage, and eating or drinking on board draws a fine.

### Money

You can go weeks without cash. Cards and phone wallets are accepted from malls down to corner cafeterias, though the smallest places in Deira still prefer notes. ATMs are everywhere; when one offers to convert to your home currency, decline — the machine’s rate is the worst on offer.

Tipping is appreciated rather than enforced. Hotels and licensed restaurants often add a service charge already; beyond that, rounding up for taxis and delivery is the local habit. Alcohol is served only in licensed venues, and drink-driving is met with no tolerance at all — plan the ride home first.

### Staying safe

Street crime is about as close to zero as cities get — bags on café chairs, phones on tables, nobody flinches. The risks that exist are of a different species: the legal and cultural rulebook. Public behaviour, online commentary and documents-in-order all carry more weight than newcomers expect, and the room for argument afterwards is small.

The physical hazards are the sun and the road. Summer heat is a genuine danger for anything strenuous outdoors, and driving is fast and assertive — as a pedestrian, assume the car has the right of way even where it does not.

### Seasons

The year here is binary, and the intro already made the case: November to March is the entire point — outdoor cafés, beach mornings, desert evenings that need a jacket. From June to September the city becomes an indoor archipelago connected by air conditioning, and the outdoors is a car park you cross quickly.

Treat it as a winter base and the climate is a feature. The shoulder weeks either side are honest compromises; a full summer is something you commit to knowingly, with a gym membership and a tolerance for glass-walled living.

### Meeting people

Dubai is an expat-majority city, which cuts both ways: everyone is building a circle, and circles dissolve as contracts end. Socialising is scheduled rather than spontaneous — you join things.

- Meetup and Internations run a dense calendar of professional and social events.
- Fitness is the social glue: run clubs, padel leagues, beach bootcamps and cycling groups all absorb newcomers constantly.
- Coworking communities host their own events, and the free-zone hubs double as networking venues.
- In winter, group camping trips to the dunes are a standing fixture.

Etiquette is looser than the brochure fear suggests, but it exists: dress modestly in malls and government buildings, keep public affection restrained, and treat Ramadan daytime with respect.

### Staying active

In season, Dubai is an outdoor-sports city with production values: the Al Qudra cycle track runs empty desert kilometres at dawn, the beach running paths are lit and measured, and Kite Beach is exactly what its name promises when the wind cooperates. Padel has conquered the city comprehensively.

In summer the same energy moves indoors to some of the best-equipped gyms anywhere, plus climbing walls and ice rinks in malls, because of course. The winter desert adds the local specialities: wadi hikes in the Hajar mountains and open-water swims at the lakes.

### Time off

Winter is when the outdoors opens up, and the good trips point away from the towers.

- **Hatta** — reservoir kayaking, wadi pools and mountain-bike trails in the Hajar mountains, an easy drive inland.
- **Abu Dhabi** — the Louvre, the Corniche and a slower pace; the intercity bus makes it a simple day trip.
- **The east coast around Fujairah** — snorkelling and calmer water on the other side of the mountains.
- **Jebel Jais** — hiking and noticeably cooler mountain air up in Ras Al Khaimah.
- **Musandam** — Omani fjords and dhow trips across the border; bring your passport.

And the desert itself is the weekend: through the cooler months, residents ride, run and camp out at the Al Qudra lakes.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does it cost to live in Dubai per month?

Between €1,674 and €1,885 a month, housing and everyday spending together. Housing is a coliving room at €1,063. Everyday spending — food, local transport, leisure — is modelled from national price levels rather than measured in the city, so it is an indication and not a quote. A coworking desk is extra at €236. Every figure carries its source on the destination page.

### How fast is the internet in Dubai?

Median download speed is about 58 Mbps. Source: M-Lab median of 29,549 tests within 50 km, last 7 days.

### What visa do I need for Dubai?

EU passports enter visa-free for 90 days in any 180; since September 2024 US, UK, Canadian and Australian passports get the same 90-in-180 on arrival. For residence, the one-year virtual work visa (USD 3,500/month income floor) covers both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Last checked 2026-07-29. Always confirm with the official source before booking.

### What is the weather like in Dubai?

Winters average 21.4 °C and summers 36.5 °C. 5 of 12 months average a comfortable 18–27 °C (felt temperature). Source: Copernicus ERA5, 2025 annual average.

### Can I work European or US hours from Dubai?

A 09:00–17:00 working day in Dubai overlaps 5 hours with Central European time and 0 hours with US Eastern time, at standard time.

### Are there coworking spaces in Dubai?

4 coworking spaces are mapped in Dubai, plus 818 cafés to work from. Source: OpenStreetMap, within 15km. Counts are a floor, not a census — coverage depends on local mappers.

### How do you get to Dubai?

The nearest major airport is about 11 km away. 5 airports with scheduled service within 100 km. Source: OurAirports — nearest major airport is Dubai International Airport.

## Sources

- **Copernicus ERA5** (Generated using Copernicus Climate Change Service information) — ECMWF’s ERA5 reanalysis, retrieved through Open-Meteo. Temperatures, rainfall, cloud cover and wind are daily values for the last complete calendar year. https://open-meteo.com/
- **OpenStreetMap** (ODbL) — Community-mapped places: coworking, cafés, gyms and diet options within 15km. Counts are a floor rather than a census — coverage depends on local mappers. https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright
- **Published prices** — Prices read by hand from the operator’s or authority’s own published price list — a transit tariff, a coworking rate card, an eSIM store — on the date shown. Checked quarterly; the linked page is the source. https://nomadbase.com/destinations#how-we-score
- **OurAirports** (Public domain) — Airport locations and types. Distances are to the nearest major airport with scheduled service. https://ourairports.com/
- **OpenAQ** (CC BY 4.0) — Air quality measured at ground stations. Only reaches part of the catalogue — a city needs a station nearby that is still reporting. https://openaq.org/
- **Nomadbase country research** — Hand-maintained country tables for the LGBTQ+ legal position and tap-water safety, compiled from advocacy databases (ILGA World, Human Dignity Trust), national authorities and government travel advice, and scored with a published rubric. Country-level by nature — city reality can differ, which is what the practical note is for. https://nomadbase.com/destinations#how-we-score
- **M-Lab** (CC BY-SA 4.0) — Internet speed from real speed tests run by people in the city, aggregated over a seven-day window. https://www.measurementlab.net/
- **World Bank** (CC BY 4.0) — Price level of household consumption at market exchange rates (US = 100) — a national figure that anchors the cost score where no city-level source exists yet. It measures what arriving with foreign income feels like, which is why a weak currency lowers it. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/PA.NUS.PRVT.PLI
- **Government sources** — Visa and entry rules come from the responsible authority for each country, linked in the visa section and re-checked by hand on the date shown.
- **UNODC** (Free with attribution) — Intentional homicide rate from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime — a national figure, because no free source measures crime per city. The year next to the number is the year the country last reported. https://dataunodc.un.org/
- **Wikidata** (CC0) — Structural facts taken from the place’s Wikidata entity — resident population, which mirrors a national census figure, and elevation above sea level. The year is the one Wikidata records for that figure; where the entity was the wrong scale for the place we describe, the number has been replaced by a hand-sourced one from the statistics office instead. https://www.wikidata.org/
- **Nomadbase comfort index** — Our own reading of ERA5 data, not a measurement: a month-by-month score for how comfortable the felt temperature is, damped for rain and cloud. The formula is published. https://nomadbase.com/destinations#how-we-score

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