Become a digital nomad in Israel
Israel has been gaining momentum in the tech community for several years now, and its thriving start-up scene and historically significant coastal cities have sparked interest from the international nomad audience.
Why Israel?
Working from Israel is a unique experience as you will be staying in one of the world's most historically rich regions as well as a place of stunning natural beauty. Boasting a long coastline along the Mediterranean Sea and a small opening into the Red Sea at the Gulf of Eilat, Israel's coastal towns offer a laid back atmosphere in an urban and economically developed setting.
Most cities in Israel offer convenient working amenities ' a good selection of coffee shops and cafés, and professional coworking spaces. The country does not boast high internet speeds, but you will have a decent reliable connection and a lot of free public Wi-Fi hotspots throughout Israel's big cities.
Best cities to work from
Jerusalem is Israel's capital and one of the most interesting cities in the world culturally. However, when it comes to working remotely, Tel-Aviv and Haifa are the two places that attract digital nomads.
Tel-Aviv has been listed by Forbes as one of the world's six most up-and-coming start-up communities. Vibrant, modern, cosmopolitan, Tel-Aviv has been nicknamed 'The Mediterranean Manhattan' and "The Miami of The Middle East". Tel-Aviv is the second largest city in Israel but the largest metropolitan area, and offers a friendly mix of a productive and liberal urban environment in Israel.
Haifa is not a digital nomad hub per se but an interesting city to explore and work from for a short period. Haifa offers plenty of attractions to see, a beautiful Mediterranean beach, and remote working facilities.
The internet and coworking spaces
The average internet speed in Israel is around 11.2Mbps ' not the top when it comes to digital nomad locations but quite enough for efficient working sessions. Moreover, the city of Tel-Aviv is one of the first in the world to offer over 80 free public Wi-Fi hotspots across popular locations in the city.
In Tel-Aviv, you will find a good selection of coworking spaces as well as coffee shops to work from, but when settling in a smaller town, you may have to accept the fact that work will be done in coffee shops and cafés.
Coworking spaces in Tel-Aviv
Cowork Bay, TEL AVIV, Kaufmann St 6
SOSA, Shoken St 13
Mindspace, Ahad Ha'Am St 54
Coworking space in Haifa
WeWork Downtown, Derech HaAtsma'ut 45
Leisure in Israel
Israel is one of the most historically rich countries in the world where you won't be lacking the choice of places to visit. From discovering the healing power of the Dead Sea and hiking the hills and valleys of the Israel National Trail to exploring King Herod's Palace and the Masada Museum.
What to know before arriving
Residents of 99 countries (including all countries of the European Union) can benefit from Israel's visa waiver programme and stay in the country without a visa for up to three months. Residents of other countries will need to apply for a tourist visa prior to arriving in the country at their local Israeli Consulate or Embassy.
Important: If you want to work in Israel officially, you will need to submit a request for a special visa at the Ministry of Interior Affairs.
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