9 Inspiring Real-Life Digital Nomad Success Stories from Around the World in 2025

Introduction

More people than ever are trading the 9-to-5 office for a laptop lifestyle. According to Nomad List’s 2025 data, over 40 million people now identify as digital nomads — and the number keeps growing.

But behind the Instagram sunsets and coworking-space photos are real humans who made it work. Some started with almost nothing. Others left six-figure corporate jobs. All of them faced visa issues, bad Wi-Fi, loneliness, taxes, and moments when they almost gave up.

This article shares nine of their true stories (updated for 2025), including exactly how they earn money, where they live right now, and the biggest lessons they learned. If you’re thinking about becoming a digital nomad, these stories will show you what’s possible — and what it actually takes.

From Corporate Burnout to 7-Figure Agency: Matt & Nat (Portugal & Mexico)

Matt Giovanisci was making $250k a year as a marketing director in New Jersey when he burned out in 2015. He and his wife Nat sold almost everything, moved into an Airstream trailer, and started traveling the U.S. In 2017 they went international.

Today they run Swim University (pool-care advice) and Brew Cabin (home-brewing advice), together earning over $2 million a year in profit. In 2025 they split time between Lisbon, Portugal (golden visa) and Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

Key lessons from Matt:

• Buy businesses or websites that already make money instead of starting from zero (he bought Swim University for $150k in 2014).
• Batch content 6–12 months in advance so travel doesn’t hurt income.
• Use the Portuguese NHR tax regime wisely (0% tax on foreign income for 10 years).

From English Teacher to $50K/Month SaaS Founder: Pieter Levels (Thailand & Bali)

Pieter Levels is the closest thing the nomad world has to a legend. In 2025 he still lives exactly the way he did in 2014 — one carry-on bag, no home base, coding in cafes.

He built and mostly single-handedly runs Nomad List, Remote OK, and 10+ other products. In 2024–2025 his flagship product, Remote OK, consistently did $400k–$600k profit per month with almost no employees.

Pieter’s rules that still work in 2025:

• Launch fast and ugly (Nomad List started as a Google Sheet).
• Charge annually for cash-flow stability.
• Stay a solo founder as long as possible to keep freedom.

Current location: Chiang Mai and Bali, 3–4 months each.

From Broke Backpacker to 8-Figure Exit: Johnny FD (Thailand & Ukraine)

Johnny Ward was a broke English teacher in Thailand in 2008. He started a blog called OneStep4Ward, grew it slowly, and diversified into affiliate sites. By 2019 he hit $1M in net worth and reached all 197 countries.

In 2023 he sold one of his affiliate portfolios for 8 figures and now invests in Chiang Mai real estate and Ukrainian tech startups (he married a Ukrainian woman and spends half the year in Kyiv).

His biggest advice in 2025: “Most nomads stay poor because they keep trading time for money. Build assets that earn while you sleep — affiliate sites, courses, or real estate.”

The Family That Travels Full-Time: The Bucket List Family (50+ countries)

Garrett and Jessica Gee sold everything in 2015 and bought one-way tickets, and started “The Bucket List Family” Instagram and YouTube channel. Ten years later they have 3 kids, 2.8 million Instagram followers, and seven-figure brand deals with Disney, Airbnb, and Delta.

They now own a home in Hawaii as a loose base but still spend 8–10 months per year on the road. In 2025 they’re focusing on slower travel — 3 months in Portugal, 3 months in New Zealand, etc.

Their income streams:

• Brand sponsorships
• YouTube AdSense + Super Thanks
• Their own card game “Bucket List Family Adventure”

From Flight Attendant to $20K/Month Pinterest Manager: Kristin Larsen (Spain & Croatia)

Kristin was a Delta flight attendant when she discovered Pinterest marketing in 2017. She quit in 2019, launched Believe In A Budget, and now runs a Pinterest marketing agency that serves 70+ e-commerce clients.

In 2025 she lives in Málaga, Spain with her husband and two dogs. Her agency does $20–25k profit most months with a small remote team in the Philippines.

Her tip for beginners: “Start by managing 2–3 Pinterest accounts for free to build case studies. Charge $500/month per client to begin — most bloggers will say yes.”

The Couple Who Retired at 31 on Dividend Income: Jeremy & Winnie (Taiwan & Malaysia)

Jeremy Jacobson and Winnie Tseng retired in 2019 at ages 31 and 30 with $3 million invested mostly in U.S. dividend stocks and index funds. They now slow-travel Southeast Asia and document the math on their blog GoCurryCracker.

In 2025 they live primarily in Penang, Malaysia (MM2H visa) and Taipei, Taiwan. Their portfolio throws off roughly $120k per year in dividends and qualified dividends (0% U.S. tax thanks to FEIE and foreign tax credits).

Their advice: “Save 50–70% of your income for 8–12 years while keeping lifestyle low. Geography is the biggest retirement cheat code.”

From Freelance Writer to Digital Product Empire: Sarah Titus (Mexico & Dominican Republic)

Sarah was a single mom on food stamps in 2015 when she started blogging about printable planners. She now earns $80k–$120k per month selling Shopify digital downloads (planners, Bible studies, chore charts).

In 2025 she splits the year between San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic with her husband and two teenagers (all homeschooled online).

Her turning point: “I stopped writing blog posts for $50 and started creating products people buy every day without me doing extra work.”

The Developer Who Lives on a Sailboat: Ryan & Sophia (Caribbean & Mediterranean)

Ryan Levander is a senior React Native developer who has worked remotely for U.S. companies since 2018. In 2023 he and his wife Sophia bought a 42-foot catamaran and now sail the Caribbean in winter and the Med in summer.

He earns $180–$220k USD per year contracting while keeping his wife runs an Etsy store selling nautical SVG files.

Their biggest challenge: Starlink latency during offshore passages. Their solution: batch async work and use local SIMs in port.

The Nomad Who Returned Home (and Why): Michelle Schroeder-Gardner

Michelle runs Making Sense of Cents, one of the longest-running personal-finance blogs. At her peak she was earning $150k+ per month from affiliate marketing and lived in an RV full-time with her husband.

In 2024 they bought land in rural Missouri and built a house. She still earns six figures passively but now travels only 3–4 months per year.

Her honest take in 2025: “Full-time travel sounded sexy, but after 8 years I missed community, hobbies that require space (gardening, woodworking), and not planning every day around Wi-Fi. Slow travel or having a home base is underrated.”

Pros and Cons of the Digital Nomad Life in 2025

Pros

• Location independence and incredible life experiences
• Often lower cost of living + favorable exchange rates
• Tax advantages in certain countries (Portugal NHR, Malaysia MM2H, etc.)
• Flexible schedule and ability to batch work

Cons

• Visa and tax complexity has increased (many countries now limit “digital nomad visas” or ended them)
• Healthcare and insurance get trickier the longer you stay out
• Loneliness and dating are harder than most admit
• Burnout from constant movement (“I need a routine” is a common 3–5 year realization)

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How much money do you really need to start as a digital nomad in 2025?
Most successful nomads I interviewed started with $10k–$30k in savings plus a remote income of at least $3,000 per month. That gives you a 3–6 month runway while you figure out visas, housing, and taxes. Less is possible if you move to very cheap countries (Thailand, Vietnam, Georgia), but expect a tighter lifestyle.

2. Which digital nomad visas are still good in 2025?
Top choices right now: Portugal D8, Spain digital nomad visa, Estonia, Croatia, Greece, Malaysia MM2H (reopened), and Mexico’s temporary resident visa (no minimum income proof needed if you show $40k–$50k in savings). Thailand’s new Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) is popular but bureaucracy is heavy.

3. Is it still possible to pay almost zero tax legally?
Yes, but harder than 2018–2022. Best current setups: Portugal NHR (ends 2025 for new applicants), Cyprus Non-Dom, Malaysia or UAE 0% tax if you structure as a company. Always use a real cross-border accountant — DIY mistakes are expensive.

4. How do digital nomad families handle schooling?
Most use online programs: Outschool, Wolsey Hall Oxford, Clonlara School, or U.S. umbrella schools for accreditation. The Bucket List Family and several others supplement with local tutors in math and language via iTalki when parked somewhere longer than a month.

5. What’s the biggest mistake new digital nomads make?
Treating it like a permanent vacation. The people who last 5+ years all say the same thing: protect your work routine fiercely, say no to constant tourist activities, and build real friendships in each place instead of bouncing every week.

6. Can you still make money with a blog in 2025?
Yes, but almost nobody succeeds with random diary-style posts anymore. The winners focus on evergreen affiliate content (credit cards, insurance, software), digital products, or niche authority sites that rank for buying keywords.

Conclusion

These nine stories prove that the digital nomad dream is still very much alive in 2025 — but it looks different for everyone. Some chase seven-figure businesses, others just want $4k per month and perfect weather. The common thread: they all started before they felt “ready,” solved real problems for real customers, and adapted when the world (or their own desires) changed.

If you take one thing from these stories, let it be this: location independence is a tool, not the goal. Use it to build something meaningful — whether that’s a business, a family memory bank, or simply a life with less stress and more adventure.

About the author
Tom Kuegler has been a full-time digital nomad since 2016 and has lived in 25 countries. He runs the Medium publication Finding Tom and coaches new location-independent writers and creators. Currently based in Tbilisi, Georgia — because the wine and mountains are hard to beat.