It might sound like a dream that You could be earning money while traveling. But what sounds like a contradiction at first doesn’t have to a dream. In modern days, there are a lot of opportunities for You to earn at least some money while traveling.

Not every job that You can do while traveling will earn You enough money to sustain the life there, but it can help to add something to the travel budget.

I have been traveling extensively since the end of 2017 myself and while most of my budget has been acquired with a normal “boring” 9 to 5 job, I found some ways to earn some money while traveling myself. Although these jobs won’t make You rich, they are enough to earn at least some additional money which can prolong Your travel trip.

Keep in mind that the expenses of living are very minimal in Southeast Asia or other popular travel destinations. The more You avoid the most famous tourist places, the less money You will need and the more You will get to know of the local culture and people.

So here is a list of 50 jobs that You can do while traveling.

The list is divided into two categories.

Beginning are jobs that You can do online and help You to be independent of Your location. However, these jobs often don’t earn much money if You have no expertise in some field. Make sure to have a good travel laptop and You can pretty much work from anywhere.

Thereafter are jobs that require Your physical presence and interaction with the client in some form.

Online Travel Jobs to earn a living

1Blogger

Of Course, the most obvious choice if You are reading this article on my Blog would be to become a Blogger Yourself.

As a personal note though I have to admit that making money from a Blog is not easy and does require a lot of dedication and time. Even then, it is not guaranteed that You will have success with it.

But if You have a passion for traveling and like to share Your stories, why not share these tips with strangers as well?

Who knows, maybe someday there will be a good opportunity for You to earn some money from Your Blog.

Learn How to Create a Blog

2Dropshipping

Amazon has opened up a few more opportunities for digital nomads, including dropshipping.

Dropshipping means that You are producing products in some low-cost state like China and ship them directly to an Amazon warehouse. From there You can let Amazon handle the shipping to the customer and You are able to sell products without having to rent a physical space Yourself.

For this kind of business, it is best, if You have already a small website and visitors coming along, that are interested in buying some products.

Dropshipping Tips

3Trading

Another very riskful option to make money while traveling is by online trading.

The advantage is that You can do this job anywhere in the world, where You have an Internet connection and with the rise of Bitcoin and other Cryptocurrencies, there is a lot of money to be made.

On the other hand, You could also face the risk of losing the investments. Therefore only try trading with a very small amount first and acquire the knowledge that is needed to be profitable long-term.

What is Online Trading

4Translate online

Do You want to stay flexible but still use the language skills of Yours?

There are a lot of translator jobs out there that are needed and if You speak more than 1 language very fluently, You can do translating jobs from the ease of Your laptop.

You can try Your luck and try some of the open platforms like Upwork, or apply directly to companies.

5Online Poker

There is already online trading on this list of jobs You can do while traveling, but Online Poker is a very similar option as well.

Often times it is seen as a complete gamble that is purely based on luck. But if You dig a little deeper into the theory, You will discover the complex math behind Online Poker and if You are smarter than Your opponents, You might have found a good income source.

Keep the local legislation in mind though, in some countries You might head into trouble when playing Online Poker and will face problems when trying to cash out some money.

6Freelance Writing

Is writing a hobby of Yours, but You can not reach an audience with Your blog?

Then there are some online platforms out there, where You can write short blog articles, or other texts and earn some money while traveling.

It might not be the most entertaining job and is far from the creative outlet You might have dreamed about, but if You are a fast writer, it can be a pretty decent side income.

7Upwork

Similar to freelance writing You could offer either Your writing skills or other expertise You have on Upwork.

There are a lot of different kinds of jobs that You could do which can make it a little more interesting and challenging.

It does require some effort though and Upwork can be quite restrictive when it comes to accepting new members.

Upwork

8Fiverr

Do You have a service in mind that You could offer other people?

People are selling pretty much everything as a service on Fiverr, which also means that You should be a little more creative when creating Your own service.

In established fields, it can be a little more difficult to stand out from all the other professionals, that already have great reviews.

Fiverr

9Web Design

Are You a Blogger and have acquired some experience creating Your very own website?

Being a Web Designer is not an easy job, but depending on the clients that You are getting, it can earn You a lot of money.

All that it requires is a decent laptop and a stable Internet connection. It is a very responsible job though and requires daily interaction with Your clients to make them happy.

10Vlogging

This job while traveling has been overrun in the last couple of months, but the potential income can be very alluring.

Just document Your travel and make money with the videos, what does sound like an easy job, requires a lot of dedication and hard work though.

The production level has risen very highly on Youtube and to acquire some audience, You need to have some unique aspect to Your travel Vlogs.

11Sell E-Books

In case You have a passion for writing and don’t need the money immediately, or have other means of financing Your current style of living, then writing an E-Book can be a good long-term product to net You some income.

It does require a lot of effort in the beginning to write a book. To get a professional product, You also work closely with a designer and an editor that can polish up Your product.

But in the end, publishing an E-Book Yourself is pretty easy nowadays and You don’t need a big publishing house in the background.

Once again, it does require You to have some platform though, either through a blog or some social media followers. Otherwise, it will be very hard to reach a big audience that is interested in buying Your book.

12Design T-Shirts

Do You feel that You have some good ideas for logos or prints that people would want to wear?

Or do You have already some kind of business and want to establish some merchandise along Your hobby?

Selling T-Shirts is pretty easy nowadays and You can simply register at one of the many online shops and upload the design Yourself. Then share this link with Your friends or business partners and hope that they like the T-Shirt designs just as much as You do.

Spreadshirt

13Content Creator or Editor

Do You have some experience in this field because You have a small blog Yourself, but it doesn’t have the audience to earn enough money yet?

You can also use Your expertise to work for some bigger websites, that are in need of good content creators. There You can share Your knowledge and create articles, that go viral and draw a lot of people to the website.

As an additional plus, You will gather even more experiences and ideas that You can also implement in Your small personal blog and will help it grow.

14Create Video Courses

Are You an expert in some field and feel that You are good enough to share it?

You don’t have to do it in live sessions with clients, but You can also create video courses which You can upload to Udemy and earn a good income while traveling.

The good thing about such courses is that once the course has been created the money is earned passively and doesn’t require Your attention anymore. You don’t need to sit down with clients and actively spend time on the courses.

To earn some money though, they need to be of high quality and often are accompanied by PDFs and other good visuals, which can be very hard to create on Your own.

Udemy

15Social Media Management

Do You have good communication skills and know how to handle Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook?

Then enterprises and websites are always looking for people to increase their engagement with the brand. Socia Media is such a big field and potential market, that there is always a place for a person with good knowledge of how to build up a fan base and increase the engagement.

16Selling Apps

Okay, this one is only for people that have already some programming skills and likely experience in this field.

Without any knowledge, it can be very difficult to break into this field, but if You have already some experience, then creating an app can make some good money.

It doesn’t need to be a super complex app, sometimes little useful helpers are already enough to garner some interest.

17Go Fund Me

Do You have a special cause for Your trip, maybe because You want to do some social work or charity?

By asking for donations on platforms like Go Fund Me, You can ask them to finance Your trip and sponsor your travel. It is also a good way for Your family or friends to support You.

It doesn’t require a heavy investment by each individual, but a small sum get can already a long way and help You out with Your plans.

GoFundMe

18Virtual Assistant

Are You good at organizing schedules and meetings and in general are well versed in simple office tasks?

You don’t need to be a personal assistant that sits in an office all day. Most people just need some support on an hourly basis and You as a virtual assistant can help them out with that.

There are higher paying jobs, but on the other hand, You are able to do it while traveling and earn some money. When living in a low-cost country, the money You can earn as a virtual assistant can also be well above average and allow for some quality way of living.

Jobs while traveling that require Your presence

19Sport Coach

I am currently in Malang and to my surprise, one of the most famous German athletes isn’t Ballack or Schweinsteiger, which are often the first names on the list of German athletes, but Timo Scheunemann.

A name that didn’t ring a bell although I am quite interested in football. Little did I know that he was a famous football player in this region. Although he is born in this region, he still has preserved his German roots and opened a football school.

If You are talented in a sport, it might be a good opportunity to look for a local school and teach some kids this sport. Other opportunities could arise when You are given a position as a talent scout. This job could give You some travel options while earning money.

20Au Pair

Did You often take care of Your younger siblings and have a good skill with kids? Then working as an Au Pair can be a good option to work closely with a local family.

This would require You to work for a longer time in the same place though, but You get a very close view of the local culture.

Additionally, the salary can be very good, taking into account that You often get the accommodation and basic things for living for free.

21Consultant

Do You have some experience and a degree in the business world?

Taking a job as a consultant in a field that needs a lot of traveling could be a good solution as a job while traveling.

It is by far not the easiest job and requires a lot of dedication, but it could generate a good income while being on different job sites. Definitely not a job that one would deem to be boring.

22Teach English abroad

Is English Your native language or are You at least so confident in speaking this language that You would be able to teach it to others?

Then teaching English for a year or even longer can be a great way to explore a country. Especially countries in Southeast Asia are looking for a lot of English teachers right now and You can expect to get a well above salary and the workload is also very fair.

A TEFL test is advised and does give proof that Your English skills are sufficient if You are not a native speaker.

23Scuba Instructor

Becoming a scuba instructor isn’t really a spontaneous choice, but one that that has to be planned very well in advance.

You need to have a lot of hours being underwater and some certificates until You can work as a scuba instructor Yourself.

If You are not able to find a position You can also open up Your first small scuba diving business and show tourists the beautiful sea life of Your favorite spot.

24Surfing Instructor

If You are rather above the water then becoming a surfing instructor might be a better choice for You.

Although the hours aren’t really tracked, You certainly need to have some passion for this sport to be successful in this business.

In the end, the paycheck isn’t as big as most scuba instructors are carrying home, but You still get the opportunity to travel around while earning enough to sustain the local lifestyle with Your hobby.

25Become a Yoga teacher

Yoga is becoming more popular around the world and if You have some experience it can be a good job while traveling.

The good thing is, that You don’t need to be stationary, but can give workshops or courses while traveling.

The hard thing though will be to acquire enough customers after changing places quickly. If You have some sort of social media following or local networks, it will definitely help You out to find some customers more easily.

26Investing in Real Estate

Do You have some money left that You don’t want to leave in an account that brings only a very small interest every Year?

Investing in a small place and renting it, either through AirBnB or to more long-term tenants can generate a good income.

Keep in mind though that there is also a risk involved and that You might not find a suitable tenant, or that the costs will add up more than You would have expected.

27Be an assistant on a Boat

Have You worked in the service field before or had some job on a boat before?

Yachts or sailboats are always looking for some helping hands and if You some experience in this field then You might have a great time ahead.

If You have no experience in this job, then it will be very hard to convince a boat owner to hire You though.

28Work on a Cruise Ship

In case You are seeking more company, than a small boat or Yacht could provide, then working on a cruise ship is a great job while traveling and exploring the world.

There are also a lot of different jobs that You can do on a cruise ship. From being a waiter to a cook, or even photographer, there are a lot of jobs that need to be done on a cruise ship.

The time may be a little bit stressful and doesn’t leave a lot of room for private explorations of the locations, but it is still a good way of traveling the world and earning a good salary.

29Work on an Organic Farm

This is not really a job while traveling to earn some money. Usually, You are required to work around 20 to 30 hours and will be compensated with free accommodation and food.

Working in this field will give You some time to explore the location a little more, but since there is no, or only little pay involved, You might also try some alternative like Couchsurfing if You are looking for short-term stays.

30Housesitting

Another relatively new gig is becoming a housesitter. It might sound a little awkward, but it does make sense that house owners would like to have a person looking for their pets, or making sure that the house looks inhabited.

This kind of job usually doesn’t involve any pay, but sometimes You can get the opportunity to live in a very extraordinary house and feel like the owner Yourself.

31Work in Hostels

One very obvious workplace that is still kind of a secret is working at the hostel itself.

A hostel needs all kinds of workers and if You are talented with people and speak multiple languages, then a lot of hostels will have some small jobs for You.

The kind of jobs can range from being at the front desk and greeting guests, to being a barkeeper, or cleaning the rooms.

32Barkeeping

Do You feel confident to keep a cool head while a horde of party people demands Your service?

Then barkeeping can be the right job for You and depending on the season it might not even be too hard to find.

Just try Your luck at a local bar in if You can convince the owner of Your skills, You might have found some good paying job for the evening.

33Seasonal Jobs

Not everywhere might this opportunity arise, but there are a lot of touristic places that are searching for helping hands during the high season.

Whether these are places in the mountains, that need ski instructors, or other professions. Restaurants are usually in need of people that are able to support them during times where there are a lot of customers.

The great thing is that You usually don’t need to have a lot of experience, but be aware that these jobs can be very stressful.

34Construction

Another way of earning money while traveling and could be to put Your physical constitution to good use. If You are fit and healthy, then You are able to find small jobs on construction sites almost everywhere in the world.

Depending on the work though, there will be little energy left to explore the city or other places and it can be very demanding for Your body.

On the other hand, it can be a good paycheck even without having any experience or degree.

35Freelance Photography

Since my Blog is about Photography, which is my biggest passion and only lately has expanded more into the travel world, if You have a good portfolio of photography work, You might be able to land a few gigs that can improve Your travel budget.

This does mean though, that You should have already experience in commercial work or shooting weddings. These are the genres where You can make some money while traveling, but don’t expect to earn any cent from Street Photography.

Longterm, You can still earn some money from other genres, by publishing a book, but this does require You to have some decent financial backup and a dedicated social media following can be helpful as well.

36Car Transportation

Sometimes car dealerships need a very specific car or there is a higher demand in one place than expected. Then these car dealerships need to move their cars, which is Your chance to grab a cheap opportunity to travel the country.

All You need is a clean driver license and then You might find some jobs on specific platforms, that are hiring drivers.

The pay isn’t really much if there is any, but it is one way to travel the country very cheaply and who knows when You get the chance to drive a very expensive car model the next time.

37Tour Guide

Are You comfortable speaking in front of a group and have some insight into Your current place?

Then becoming a tour guide can be a good way to make some money. Even if You are not a born local, Your English skills will make You unique and add value to Your tours.

So don’t be shy in presenting Your favorite spots of Your cities and introduce other tourists to the best places.

38Personal Trainer

Are You good in shape and feel that You have the abilities to motivate others?

Working as a personal trainer will give You the chance to workout Yourself and have some clients alongside You. There is a lot of hype surrounding the fitness scene and everyone wants to be in good shape.

The good thing is that You don’t need much and in addition to some personal hours, You might also give individual coachings via the Internet and create some fitness courses.

39Masseuse

Traveling can be a very exhausting activity and what could lighten up Your mood more than a good massage?

You don’t need to be the best masseuse, a little dedication can go a long way. Especially when You offer this service at hostels or other backpacker places, this might be the thing that others are looking for.

40Be a Chef

I gave already tips to become a barkeeper or work as a waitress.

But if You have some kitchen experience and the ability to work in this stressful job, then You might be able to travel as a professional chef. You might want to work directly on a cruise ship, or You can stay in one place, earn some money and then go to Your next location.

Good chefs are always in need, so try to bring Your personal flavor to the world.

41Jewelry Designer

Are You the creative type of person, that loves to design things out of nowhere?

As a jewelry designer, You can build some beautiful bracelets or rings, even out of the cheapest materials. What is more important is Your creativity and Your ability to sell Your craft.

If You don’t find any success in selling the jewelry locally, You might also want to try online shops like Etsy.

42Bargaining

Unique places often have some products that You simply can not find on Amazon or somewhere else. You have to go there and buy them locally.

This will mean that the local product is very rare, but can be popular when You are back at home.

So if You are looking to make some money while traveling, have a look at some light and small souvenirs that are available at very low cost and try to sell them at home.

Good places to sell the goods are festivals.

43Street Music

Do You play any kind of instrument, or at least are brave enough to stand in front of a crowd and try to sing?

Then You can travel the world by doing some music on the street.

Do You think, that Your instrument is too extraordinary?

You can even travel the world with a piano as You can see by this very talented musician.

44Flight Attendant

This choice is pretty obvious, but also one of the best choice if You want to travel the world and see a lot of different places.

The downside though is, that You only have very little time at Your destinations and are in a hurry to catch the next flight most of the time.

Also, a lot of flight attendants are describing, that the job is very taxing for the body and therefore most will quit after having done this job for at least a decade.

But if You are young and able to withstand this stress, then working as a flight attendant can open the world for You.

45Be an Extra

Traveling and being the typical foreigner doesn’t have to be negative.

Being “exotic” can also mean that You are just the right type for a commercial production or as an extra for a TV-show.

Especially when You are traveling in Southeast Asia, You will notice that a lot of commercials are still shot with western actors to suggest a high quality of the product.

46Street Performer

There can be a lot of money be made on the street and You don’t always have to have a musical talent.

If You other tricks that You can show, or are just an entertaining personality, then You can try Your luck to perform in front of other people.

In Berlin, for example, we have a lot of different international performers, some do magic tricks, others are performing tricks on a skateboard, or they make money while traveling with a small karaoke show.

It is up to You which talent You want to show and can become a new job while traveling.

47Harvesting Jobs

Depending on the season most places and agriculture businesses will be in need of helping hands.

Don’t be afraid to get Your hands dirty and You won’t need much experience in this kind of labor. The good thing is also, that some farms and places will give You accommodation and even food.

It can also be a very well paying job, for the kind of work and You remain very flexible.

48Rent Your Apt. on AirBnB

Are You leaving Your home, but still have Your unused apartment?

Then it is a good idea to rent the space either using some local platform or even AirBnB. If You are living in a bigger city that is often visited by tourists You can even make some decent income renting Yor space via AirBnB.

It does require a friend or family member to look after the apartment though.

49Roadie

Has Your dream always been to work closely with a music group and travel the country?

Working as a roadie gives You the opportunity to travel with the group. Although You won’t be able to be in the spotlight Yourself, You are given the opportunity to travel as well, while helping to build up the stage.

As a plus, You might enjoy some good music and meet some really cool music groups during the tour.

50Festival Work

Much like other big events, festivals need a lot of helping hands and they are glad for anyone who is willing to work with them.

There a lot of different jobs that are needed to run a festival successfully. From people that are constructing the stages to bartenders and promotional work.

You get to experience the vibe of the festival and even earn some money, sounds like a great opportunity, doesn’t it?

Street Photography