Thinking about moving somewhere new but afraid of regretting the decision?
Welcome to the club. And there’s good news. More remote workers are conducting travel test runs before making the jump. They’re visiting cities, testing them out like hotels, then booking their move if everything checks out.
Makes sense when you think about it…
Remote workers have the freedom to live wherever they want in the world. But that freedom also comes with a difficult question:
Where should you actually move?
If you’ve never lived in a city, how can you know that it’ll be a good fit? Sure, you can visit as a tourist. But that’s not the same as sleeping there night after night for weeks or months on end.
Enter the “test run”.
Many remote workers are traveling to new cities, working from their laptops from the road instead of upending their lives on a big gamble. Here’s what you need to know.
Table of contents
- Why Remote Workers Are Doing Test Runs Before Moving
- Location Independence is Becoming the Norm
- 5 Tips to Plan Your Relocation Test Run
- Making Your Big Move a Success
Why Remote Workers Are Doing Test Runs Before Moving
Let’s start with some statistics.
A recent survey about remote work migration found that approximately 20% planned to move in the year 2025. 1 out of every 5 remote workers is planning to relocate to a new city in the near future.
That is a LOT of remote workers choosing to move to new destinations.
But here’s the kicker…
Moving is expensive. Cross country movers can range anywhere from $2,700 to upwards of $10,000 depending on your needs. Investing thousands of dollars into a move you might instantly regret is an expensive mistake that nobody wants to make. If you’re planning on moving to a large metropolitan area like Chicago, looking into Chicago moving solutions might help save you thousands down the road.
That’s why test runs are becoming so popular.
Rather than showing up somewhere blind, remote workers are renting short term apartments, booking extended stays, and working from their laptops until they feel certain that a city is right for them.
It’s the best way to “try before you buy” when it comes to relocating.
Location Independence is Becoming the Norm
Remote work has changed people’s living destinations forever.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 40% of remote workers moved out of high cost cities and into more affordable living spaces in 2024. That’s nearly half of all remote workers who decided to pick up and move because they didn’t have to go into an office five days a week.
And that trend isn’t going away anytime soon.
With no place to commute to every day, location independent workers can choose to live pretty much anywhere. Instead of basing their decision off of an hours-long commute, remote workers are deciding where to live based on:
- Cheaper cost of living
- Better weather
- Fun activities and things to do
- Friendlier communities
Some remote workers still have an office to go to every now and again. But even those workers generally prefer to live near beaches or in more rural areas than they used to.
The days of living near where you work are dying. But that also leaves a huge question.
How do you know if a city is right for YOU when you’ve never lived there?
And that’s why so many people are using travel as a test run.
5 Tips to Plan Your Relocation Test Run
So how does one exactly do a test run?
It’s not as complicated as you might think. Visit your city of interest and act as if you already live there. Work remotely, explore neighborhood spots, and try to avoid any tourist traps. This allows you to get a feel for what living in that city would be like on a day-to-day basis.
Before getting into the how, here’s what should be accomplished on a test run:
- Experience what the neighbourhoods are actually like by going on walks and visiting local businesses.
- Live somewhere for a week or two to really understand the cost of living. Food, rent, gas prices, restaurants; these can differ greatly from city to city.
- Test out the wifi and look for remote work spots. Remote workers should always know where good coffee shops and coworking spaces are located.
- See how long your theoretical commute to work would be. While you may not have an office job, knowing how you’ll get around is important to daily life.
- Make sure the city fits your lifestyle. All your favorite hobbies and activities should be available to you.
Basically, live there like you normally would.
Alright, now let’s dive into some specifics.
Typically, remote workers will spend anywhere from two weeks to two months on their test run. With that much time in the city, you can truly grasp what living there will be like day in and day out.
Making Your Big Move a Success
Pass the test? Blessed. Time to book that move.
Here are a few helpful tips when planning your relocation:
- Book your movers ahead of time. May through September is peak moving season which means most full service movers are booked up. Get your moving company locked down well in advance.
- Declutter before you pack. Less stuff = less to move = cheaper. Sell, donate, or throw out items you no longer need before your movers come.
- Get three quotes. Price shopping is always your best bet when hiring a company. Make sure to reach out to at least three moving companies.
- Move on a week day. Moving during the week, and especially around the middle of the month, will typically be cheaper.
P.S. Your test run can help you here, too!
Since you already know the city you’ll be moving to, you can research what neighbourhood you’d like to live in and sketch out an estimated moving route. Little things like that can help your move go by quicker and smoother.
Wrap Up
People used to blindly move cities.
Then some crazy people decided to use travel as a test run.
Now here it is.
Remote workers are traveling to cities they want to move to and living somewhere for a month to “try it out”. If they like the taste, then great! They book a move to that city. If they decide against it, then no huge sunk cost moving expense.
It’s smart. And if you’re a remote worker looking for a new place to call home, the same approach is strongly recommended.
Here’s why.
- Moving to a new city is crazy expensive. Don’t ruin your bank account on a huge mistake. Use your test run to choose wisely.
- Remote workers probably value flexibility and freedom. Don’t just move somewhere because you can. Move somewhere that will allow you to live your best life.
- Because you have that flexibility and freedom! Traditionally, people moved where their jobs were located. Now you can move wherever you want!
Travel somewhere, work from there for a few weeks, and see if you like it.
That’s all a test run is.