Study Finds the 10 Best International Cities for 'Workcations'

More and more employees are taking advantage of remote and hybrid work to take extended working vacations abroad, otherwise known as "workcations." According to the flexible workplace company IWG, nearly three-in-five hybrid workers, or 57 percent, took workcations in the past year.

These stats were among findings of a IWG study, which surveyed 1,009 hybrid office workers from August 2022 with help from the market research firm Mortar. As part of the study, the company also compared 26 cities from around the world to learn which were most conducive for so-called workcations. 

To come up with the findings, the study graded the 26 cities on a scale of 1 to 10 based on factors including climate, culture, accommodation, transport, food and drink, happiness, broadband speed, and availability of flexible workspace.

Topping the list were Barcelona, Toronto, and Beijing, in that order. Barcelona, in particular, was chosen for those "seeking the perfect blend of work and leisure" due to its vibrant cultural scene, relatively low cost of living, transportation, and nearly year-round sunshine.

Toronto, on the other hand, stood out for the city's "wealth of flexible workspaces." It's worth pointing out that both Spain and Canada are among over 30 countries that have introduced digital nomad programs, which provide extended temporary visas for those traveling abroad while working for a foreign employer.

The third ranked city, Beijing, performed "exceptionally well" in categories such as culture, accommodation, and transport costs.

"The categories were chosen to consider the optimal environment for working abroad including basic livability requirements," IWG Singapore’s country manager Darren Rogers told CNBC. "There are also factors that can impact productivity, such as broadband and the availability of flexible workspaces."

"The horizons of today’s workers are no longer confined to their own countries,” added Rogers added. "We have seen that employees across the globe really value the opportunity to be able to extend their holidays with workcations and in return, employers are benefitting too, with highly-engaged, happy and productive teams."

You can see the top 10 cities for workcations listed below:

1. Barcelona, Spain
2. Toronto, Canada
3. Beijing, China 
4. Milan, Italy
5. New York, USA
6. Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
7. Amsterdam, Netherlands
8. Paris, France
9. Jakarta, Indonesia
10. Lisbon, Portugal