Living A Nomadic Lifestyle – Advantages and Disadvantages

Nomadic lifestyle allows you to live life to the fullest giving you a varied experience that stays with you forever.

The nomadic lifestyle is the most ancient form of human society that existed in the history of mankind. However, the nomadic lifestyle is still practiced by us in today’s time. But it is more of a choice than a necessity. 

Usually, nomads are tribes, people, or communities that do not have permanent residence. They move from place to place either because of work or lifestyle. On top of that, they are not explicitly attached to a specific piece of land. 

A nomadic lifestyle comes with a lot of perks but also has its share of cons. At the same time, the larger question remains whether being nomads is still relevant in today’s time or is it just the hype.

What is a Digital Nomad?

The covid pandemic has brought a host of changes in the lifestyle of people all around the world. One of them is people embracing the idea of digital nomadism. But, what does the term digital nomad mean?  

Digital nomads are people who work while traveling instead of from a fixed workspace. The idea is to travel and work remotely. To add to that, working from anywhere is possible due to the better technical support and network outreach. It enables you to stay connected using wifi at different places where you can do work in peace. Those places are co-working spaces, coffee shops, hotels, or traveling in a campervan or RV.

What Does A Nomadic Lifestyle Look Like?

A nomadic lifestyle allows you to travel to places you have never been. Moreover, it helps you immerse yourself in the culture and cuisine of new places. These things are not always possible on vacation. This is because vacations are either tightly scheduled or do not give you enough time to fulfill your wanderlust. But, when you are a nomad, you have ample time to learn, socialize, and experience community-specific things. You may end up camping, learning to cook or a new language, etc.

Everything isn’t hunky-dory in the life of a nomad. There are times you may have to sleep on an empty stomach or get lost in unfamiliar places. Health is also something that you need to keep a check on. To sum up, the most critical skill you need to learn for a nomadic lifestyle would be managing limited resources and using them to your benefit.

How Can We Sustain A Nomadic Lifestyle? 

A nomadic lifestyle can be desirable from the outset. Whether it be traveling around the world, writing blogs, creating vlogs, and making memories. But, if you are serious enough to go being fully nomadic, then there is a lot to plan for before you decide to start your adventure for a lifetime. In this regard, the first aspect is the shift in your mindset and a complete lifestyle overhaul. Let’s look at some of the changes you might expect when you begin the journey of nomadism.

The foremost thing for you to sort out is a career plan that can work the best for a nomad. You need to choose a mobility-based career where you work on the go and make money. If you are traveling through different countries, make sure you have enough savings to sustain in times of lack of income. Financial stability is one of the keys to sustaining a nomadic lifestyle. The other aspect is to accept a minimal lifestyle and manage your expenses intelligently.

How Much Money Do You Need To Live A Nomadic Lifestyle?

Whenever you start to plan for your nomadic lifestyle, the biggest question that comes up is, what about money? How much money do you really need to start a life as a nomad? The amount is probably less than what you might imagine.

The first variable that decides how much you will need to support this sort of lifestyle is where you go. If you decide to go to countries with a cheaper cost of living like Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, etc., then $500-$600 per month will easily suffice for a comfortable stay at these locations. 

Take, for example, Chiang Mai, a mountainous city 700 Km away from Bangkok in northern Thailand. It is one of the thriving spots for digital nomads and is like a hub for them. You can find more than decent accommodation for around $150-$200. On the other hand, meals are also reasonable for around $1-$5, depending upon the type of cuisine you select. To add to that, you can find places for sightseeing and a lot of cultures, history, and traditions for you to explore.

However, if you plan to travel to Europe, you might have to spend a few extra bucks for cities such as Paris, Prague, Berlin, Budapest, Lisbon, etc. For an estimate, a monthly income of around $1000-$2500 will get you through without any major hiccups. If you choose hostels for accommodation, then your expenses might come down, and you can save more for other activities. It all boils down to your standard of living and the country or city you plan to visit.

Nomadic Lifestyle Advantages, Nomadic Lifestyle Disadvantages

Like everything, the nomadic lifestyle has its pros and cons. But, when you decide whether you should go for it or not, do weigh in if the pros outweigh the cons or vice versa.

Let’s Start With The Advantages:

Feel Liberated And A Sense Of Freedom From Daily Chores

It is an amazing feeling to have the option to go anywhere you want and live life on your terms. Mostly, you won’t be tied to the hard and fast rules of office timings. Just pack your bags, get your tickets ready and go to your favorite place.

Everyday A New Day For An Exciting Adventure

If you like your life filled with surprises, adventure, and excitement, then a nomadic lifestyle welcomes you with open arms. To add to that, when you are traveling from place to place, you always have experiences and make memories that last forever.

More Time For Yourselves

In the fast-paced world, there is not much time for ourselves. A nomadic lifestyle gives you the liberty to take time off the daily chores and take some time for yourself. Thus, it helps to ponder upon new ideas, thoughts, and about themselves. 

Meet New People And Make New Connections 

When you are constantly on roads and traveling from one place to another, you meet new people and make new connections. Moreover, you share stories and know about others’ cultures and perspectives. There are times when the nomadic lifestyle helps you build connections that last a long time.

Learn New Things Everyday

The nomadic lifestyle allows one to be more creative and requires constant upskilling. Also, you have to adapt, learn about new aspects of life. So, you have to learn a new language, learn from others and get better every day. 

There Are Some Disadvantages Too With Nomadic Lifestyle

Issue of Loneliness

There are times in a nomadic lifestyle when you miss the human touch, especially when traveling alone. The issue of loneliness kicks in because although you are meeting people, those are no permanent relationships. You feel that you want to stay close to your loved ones. So, combating loneliness is an essential factor when you’re on the roads.

Managing Your Expenses

A nomadic lifestyle is not cheap; there are so many expenses that are related to the lifestyle. On top of that, when you are at home, you can plan out your costs through a budget. But, it is difficult for nomads because of the unexpected situation. So, it becomes hard to manage expenses and save for the future.

Maintaining Your Health

Health is a priority for every person. So, when you are following a nomadic lifestyle, maintaining your health is complex. It is so because, on the road, it is hard to find correct medications sometimes. Besides, it is hard to maintain your diet and proper nutrition is hard to find. You have to eat fast food at the roadside that can affect your health most of the time.

Missing Your Family Members

Constant travel can have a negative impact on your mind. After a while, you start to miss your family, and at some point, you want to join them, leaving behind a nomadic lifestyle. At last, you want to spend some quality time with your family rather than wander off every time. 

Facing Burnout At Some Point

There is a term called travel burnout. When you follow a nomadic lifestyle, you travel for an extended period. It can have an adverse effect on your health. This is because constant travel causes physical exhaustion and mental exhaustion. On top of that, your work productivity goes down, and you feel that you are not enjoying the travel as much as you would have liked.

Why Is Nomadic Lifestyle So Hard?

The thing that makes the nomadic lifestyle both exciting and complex is the unpredictable nature of the lifestyle. You are in a constant tussle with an unsettling and unfamiliar situation. On top of that, there is no routine to keep a sense of control over your life. Thus, the biggest challenge for a nomad is to stay healthy both mentally and physically amidst all the chaos.

Conclusion

Whatever lifestyle you choose for yourself either a nomadic nomadic lifestyle or a normal one, make sure you are happy and comfortable with it. Just like everything in life, a nomadic lifestyle is also not devoid of cons along with all its advantages. Thus, before opting for a certain lifestyle know about it as much as you can. If it feels like that you want the lifestyle then there is no stopping you, just go for it.