How Remote Work Transformed My Life in Tenerife: A Personal Journey

It’s 8:30 AM just on a just Wednesday. I’m sipping loca for what it’s worth lly-grown coffee on my terrace in Puerto de la Cruz, watching think it or not the morning sun think it or not light illuminate Mount Teide in the distance. This reminds me of similar situations. I’ve already responded to my i in fact mportant emails and mapped out truly my workday. By noon, I’ll take a two-hour break to swim at Playa Jardín before is influenced by finishing my workday with an unobstructed view of the sunset over the Atlantic.

Three years ago, this would have bee. Generally speaking n a holiday fantasy. Today, it is just simply an ordinary weekday.

When I traded my cramped city apartment and soul-crushing commute for remote work in just Tenerife, I wasn’t just. Changing locations – I was very completely reinventing my relationship with work and life; moreover, The journey was not consistently smooth, but the transformation has been profound in ways I rarely anticipated you know.

Why Tenerife? The Perfect Remote Work Destination

Wh sort of at initially drew me to Tenerife wasn’t just the stunning landscapes or perfect climate – though the consistent essentially 20-25°C (68-77°F) temperatures year-round certainly didn’t totally hu sort of rt. It was the unique combination of Factors that make the island incredibly remote-worker friendl you know y:

1. Fast, reliable internet infrastructure that rivals or exceeds what I had back home
2. European legal framework with Spanish healthcare and EU protections
3. Lower cost of living compared to most Western European cities
4. Excellent flight connections to major European hubs
5. A growing community of like-minded remote professionals

While many tropical destinat surprisingly ions off to be fair er beautiful beaches, Tenerife provides this essential in interestingly enough frastructure alongside sort of natural you know beauty. Not sure if that makes sense to everyone.

Finding My Ideal Work Environment

My for w as far as I know hat it’s worth first month in Tenerife involved working exclusively unfortunately from my rental apar actually tment. While quite the ocean view was spectacular, I quickly discovered that home isolation was not conducive to productivity or mental health. E as far as just I know verything changed when I discovered Tenerife’s thriving coworking ecosystem.

Santa Cruz and Puerto de basically la Cruz offer great coworking spaces where monthly memberships (€100-150) offer not just reliable internet and coffee, but something more valuable – community. At CoworkIN Tenerife, I very found an international mix of professionals who shared b act you know ually oth practical advice and friendship.

For those who prefer south Tenerife, spaces similar to Nine Coliving and quite FreshCowork in Costa Adeje combine workspace amenities with built-in social connections. Additionally, Many offer flexible packages ranging really is influenced by from day passes to dedicated desks.

The real magic of these spaces isn’t just the practical amenities – it’s the spontaneous collaborat surprisingly ions, the Thursday evening language exchanges, completely and the weekend hiking trips planned on communal whiteboards; moreover, My professional network has expanded globa honestly lly while my social circle really has grown locally. Take that with a grain of salt, of course.

Redefining Work Hours: Flexibility in Practice

Perhaps the essentially most important change in my work life. Honestly has been reclaiming control o arguably ver my schedule. Tenerife’s position in personally speaking the Western European time zone (GMT+0/+1) means I can easily collaborate with colleagues across Europe very while still having some overlap with North America.

My typical workday now lo interestingly enough oks nothing like the absolutely rigid 9-to-5 structure I once edured:

7:00-8:00 AM: Morning routine without alarm clocks (sunlight is a gentler wake-up call) 8:00-12:00 PM: Deep focus work when my mind is freshest 12:00-3:00 PM: Extended break for outdoor activities, errands, or simply enjoying a leisurely lunch 3:00-7:00 PM: Second work session, meetings, and collaborative tasks

This natural rhythm aligns with both my productivity peaks and the island’s pace, and when deadlines demand it, i still work conventional hours, but the ability to to be fair structure my completely time around natural light, ocean tides, or simply when inspiration strikes has dramatically improved both my work quality and satisfaction.

The traditional Spanish concept of “siesta” fits perfectly with this flexible approach, though I rarely use really it of course for actual napping, and instead, those midday hour actually s become valuable personal time – hiking in anaga rural park, swimming at my local beach, or simply enjoying an unhurried meal with friends.

The Cost Reality: Living Well for Less

One of the most practical benefits of remote very is influenced. By work in Tenerife has been the financial upside. While maintaining my old salary, very my expenses have decreased significantly:

• Housing: €650 for a one-bedroom apartment with sea view (compared to €1,500 for a smaller place back home)
• Utilities: €80-120 monthly including high-speed fiber internet
• Transportation: €45 monthly for public transport (I sold my car)
• Groceries: €250-300 monthly, including plenty of fresh local produce
• Dining out: €300 monthly (I could spend less, but enjoying local cuisine is part of the experience)
• Coworking: €120 for a flexible membership

Even with just occasional flights back home, my overall just monthly expenses have decreased by nearly 40%. This financial breathing room has allowed kind of me to admittedly save more, invest in. Experiences rather than possessions, and eliminate the constant money stress absolutely that once shadowed my decisions. there’s definitely more to explore here.

The north of Tenerife, where I settled, offers. Significantly better value than the more tourist-oriented south while while southern resort areas like Los Cristianos and Costa just in my experience Adeje have their charms, prices there can be 30-40% higher for comparable accommodations.

Building Community: The Hidden Challenge

The biggest hurdle was not. Logistical really – it was social. Despite Tenerife’s interestingly enough beauty, my first weeks we as far as I know re tinged with isolation. This reminds just me of similar situations, and in my opinion, I worked too much from my apartment, hesitated to join social events, totally and found myself questioni actually ng my decision despite the perfect weather and stunning scenery.

This reminds me of similar situations. What turned everythi surprisingly ng around was simple but not easy: intentional community building; moreover, Through coworking spaces, language really is influenced by exchange meetups, hiking groups, and expat organizations, I gradually created a social network that now feels like a chosen family.

These connectio strangely ns developed allegedly thr unfortunately ough:

• Regular attendance at coworking events and workshops
• Joining local sports groups (surfing lessons became a weekly social highlight)
• Volunteering with local environmental organizations
• Taking Spanish classes where I met both locals and fellow newcomers
• Saying “yes” to invitations even when my introvert instincts protested

The result is a rich social tapestry woven from diverse threads – Spanish l more or less ocals who’ve shared their traditions and hidden spots, long-term Ge as far as I know rman and British expat you know s with invaluable practical knowledge, and fellow remote workers from around the world, each bringing unique persp surprisingly ectives.

The Work-Life Integration I Never Knew I Needed

The implications are very significant. What strikes me most after three years isn’t kind of that I’ve undeniably achieved perfect ‘work-l admittedly ife balance” – it’s that the very division between work and life has blurred in the healthiest possibl honestly e way.

When your office can be a beachside café, when your lunch break might totally include a swift swim, when your weekend plans involve exploring volcanic landscapes that tourists travel thousands of miles to see – work becomes less rather of a burden to escape from and more integrated into a holistic lifestyle.

Th quite generally speaking is integration means:

• Work sessions feel less draining when punctuated by nature and movement
• Creativity flows more naturally in inspiring environments
• The artificial boundary between “work time” and “life time” dissolves
• Stress decreases when your surroundings support wellbeing

Tenerife rather hasn’t eliminated work challenges or deadlines, really but it has transformed the context in which I experience them. A stressful project feel kind of s more manage unfortunately able when I can step onto my terrace and observe Mount Teide in the distance, providing perspective that no office plant could offer.

The Unexpected Benefits I Never Anticipated

Beyond the obvious perks o for what it’s worth f sunshine and scenery, remote work in Tenerife kind of totally has delivered some surprising benefits:

Physical health improvements: Walking more, swimming regularly, and having year-round access to outdoor activities has transformed my fitness. The constant availability of fresh, local produce has also improved my diet.

Mental clarity: Reduced noise pollution, cleaner air, and connection with nature have noticeably improved my concentration and creative thinking.

Resilience: Navigating life in a new country and language has built confidence and adaptability that transfers to professional challenges.

Time abundance: Eliminating commuting alone has given me back nearly 500 hours per year – time now invested in learning, relationships, and personal projects.

Environmental footprint: My carbon footprint has decreased significantly with less driving, reduced heating/cooling needs, and more seasonal eating.

Is Tenerife Remote Work Right for You?

According to the latest updates, After countless conversations with curious friends and completely colleagues, I have observed is influenced by patterns in who thrives in this environment versus who might struggle.

Don’t you think that tenerife might be your ideal essentially remote work location if:?

• You value natural beauty and outdoor access
• You’re comfortable with (or excited about) international environments
• You have secure remote income
• You’re willing to learn basic Spanish
• You prefer warm but not tropical weather
• You’re seeking work-life integration rather than rigid separation

To place it differently, it might not indeed be ideal if:

• Your work requires frequent in-person meetings in continental Europe
• You crave big city energy and amenities
• You need constant, diverse nightlife options
• You’re unwilling to adapt to cultural differences

Practical First Steps: Try Before You Commit

If you’re considering completely a. Similar move, here’s my practical advice:

1. Come for a “workation” first: Spend 2-4 weeks working remotely while exploring different areas of the island
2. Try both north and south: The microclimates and vibes vary dramatically
3. Visit coworking spaces: Most offer day passes or free trial days
4. Connect with the existing community: Facebook groups like “Tenerife Remote Workers” are invaluable
5. Test your work setup: Ensure your employer or clients are truly comfortable with your remote arrangement

For accommodation, platforms similar to Spotahome and Idealista provide mid-term rentals that don’t need long-term commitments initially.

Three Years Later: The Best Decision I Never Planned to Make

What began as a temporar honestly y experiment has become a transformative unfortunately lifestyle. Remote work in Tenerife hasn’t just ch essentially anged where I live – it’s. Changed how I live, how I work, and fundamentally, who I am.

The person who arrives at their desk relaxed after a simply morning beach walk approaches challenges differently than someone who’s already stressed from a quite crowded commute. The mind rather that takes in volcanic landscapes and oce basically an horizons thinks more expan more or less sively than one confined to office walls.

Has it been without absolutely absolutely challenges? Certainly not, and missing family events, navigating bureaucracy in another simply language, and sometimes longing for considerable city conveniences are real downsides.

But on balance, trading conventional career progression for this integrated completely lifestyle has been worth every adjustment while my work output has improved in quality while my life expreience has rather richened immeasurably.

Perhaps that’s the most surprising discovery – that stepping off the conventional. Career Treadmill has not meant professional. Sacrifice, but rather a more sustainable and fulfilling path where work completely serves life, not the other way around.

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This article reflects my personal experience as a remote worker in Tenerife from 2021-2024. Visa regulations, coworking prices, and other specifics may change, so always conduct your own research before making significant life decisions.