Ranking · 1,605 places compared
As of November 2026Workation Index 2026
The Workation Index 2026 rates 1,605 places worldwide by climate, internet, cost of living and safety. 964 places meet the minimum data requirement and make the ranking; rank 1 goes to Chiang Mai with 88/100 points.
The top 3
Rank 4 – 100
≈ = regional estimate: at least 3 places in the same country share this value, so it was not measured locally. Values without ≈ are place-specific.
Methodology
The Workation Score is a metric normalized to 0–100 that's calculated for every destination in our database. It combines several factors relevant to location-independent work — not just classic vacation criteria:
- Climate & sun days: Sun days per year and the monthly temperature curve.
- Internet speed: average download speed in Mbit/s, key for remote work.
- Cost of living: estimated monthly cost in euros for a stay on location.
- Safety: a safety score per destination.
- Coworking density & community: number of available coworking spaces and community signals on location.
The individual values are normalised and combined into an overall score between 0 and 100. Sources include Ookla speed test data, the Teleport API and manually maintained coworking information. The ranking is regenerated from the database every day; the date at the top shows the latest check or update of the place data.
Who makes the ranking
Many smaller places have no measurements of their own and use the internet and cost values of their region. If at least 3 places in a country share exactly the same pair of values, it counts as a regional estimate. Such places only make the ranking if at least 5 coworking spaces are listed locally. Of 1,605 places with a score, 964 currently meet this minimum data requirement. In the table, ≈ marks every value that is a regional estimate.
How the community factors in
Ratings from registered members refine the data-driven ranking — deliberately designed so the index can't be manipulated. Three safeguards work together:
- Trust weight per vote. A rating counts for more when the person has verifiably visited the place, and is heavily discounted for very young accounts (accounts under three days don't count at all). Mass-created fake accounts carry almost no weight this way.
- Bayesian smoothing. A handful of votes stay close to the global average — a place with a single top rating doesn't jump to the top. Only many consistent ratings noticeably move the score.
- Capped influence. The community can shift the score by at most ±8 points. It refines the ranking but can never overrule the data-based foundation.
A coloured arrow next to the score shows how many points community ratings have moved a place. You can rate any place directly on its page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Workation Index?
The Workation Index is a ranking of the best workation destinations worldwide, based on the Workation Score of every destination in our database. It rates places by how well they suit location-independent work — not just as a vacation destination.
How often is it updated?
The ranking is recalculated from the database once a day. The date at the top shows when place data was last checked or updated. We refresh the base data (climate, cost, internet) monthly.
How is the score calculated?
The Workation Score (0–100) combines several factors into a single metric: climate and sun days, internet speed, cost of living, safety, and coworking and community offerings on location. The individual values are normalized and weighted into the overall score.
Why are some places missing from the ranking?
Places whose internet and cost values are only regional estimates (the same pair of values for at least 3 places in the country) only make the ranking if at least 5 coworking spaces are listed locally. This keeps villages with borrowed values from ranking near the top. You can still find these places in the destination finder.
Do community ratings factor in — and how is manipulation prevented?
Yes. Ratings from registered members shift the score by at most ±8 points and refine the data-based ranking. Three mechanisms guard against manipulation: votes are weighted by trust (verified visit and account age; very young accounts don't count), Bayesian smoothing keeps places with few votes close to the average, and the influence is capped. Fake accounts or single top ratings can therefore hardly skew the ranking.