Keeping a training habit is hard when you change cities every few weeks. The guide below shows where to search for gyms and which passes work in several countries. You will also see drop-in prices in Bali and Chiang Mai, free ways to train, and checks to make before you pay. For general training habits, see our guide to staying fit and healthy as a digital nomad.
Where to look first
A map search in the local language is a quick way to start. Small local gyms often advertise only on maps and social media, so global apps can miss them.
- Search words: Try “gimnasio” in Spanish-speaking countries, “academia” in Brazil, and “ginásio” in Portugal. Use “Fitnessstudio” in Germany and “salle de sport” in France.
- Pass types: Bali Home Immo says “drop-in” in Bali can mean one class, a day pass, or a pass for up to a week. Several Chiang Mai gyms also list weekly passes.
- Your accommodation: Some hostels include a gym. Guests at Mad Monkey Chiang Mai can use a small gym for free, according to the hostel group’s city guide. Asking about gym access before booking a coliving space can remove a monthly fee.
Buying a single-day pass before a monthly pass shows the equipment, the crowd, and the opening hours.
Passes that work in more than one country
A cross-border pass saves time when you move often. Each pass covers a short list of countries, so the list matters more than the brand name.
- ClassPass: The service lists close to 30 countries on its help page, updated in November 2025. The list includes Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Portugal, Spain, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. Mexico and Colombia do not appear on the list. Credit values and cancellation fees differ by city, so the late-cancel rule is worth reading before the first booking.
- Urban Sports Club: One membership covers seven European countries, which are Germany, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, and Portugal. On the monthly plan, Essential costs €35 for four check-ins a month, and Classic costs €75 for one check-in a day. Prices include VAT, according to the company’s price page.
- Wellhub: Wellhub, formerly called Gympass, is an employer benefit. Employees can check in at gyms in 13 countries. The list covers the US, the UK, Ireland, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Argentina, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Canada, Italy, and Romania. The employer must switch on the International Check-ins add-on first, and only in-person gyms and studios are covered. Another Wellhub page lists 12 of these countries and leaves out Romania, so the app is the best check on arrival. Because Wellhub is sold to companies, freelancers usually cannot join on their own.
- Anytime Fitness: The 24-hour chain says one membership gives access to any of its clubs worldwide. A September 2026 trade report said the chain had reached 6,000 clubs, and a 2024 company listing counted 40 countries. Each club is individually owned, so guest rules may differ from club to club. A membership at one club has to come first.
- Smart Fit: Smart Fit is a low-cost chain with 2,133 gyms in 16 countries, according to first-quarter 2026 results reported by Portafolio. Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Chile have the most gyms, and Colombia alone has 224 of them. A 2025 Colombian price list showed the Black plan from COP 109,900 a month, valid at any Smart Fit in Latin America.
- Basic-Fit: The chain has clubs in France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, and Germany. The average member paid €23.53 a month in 2023, according to its annual report.
- CrossFit affiliates: About 10,000 gyms in more than 150 countries use the CrossFit name, according to 2025 data. Each sets its own drop-in rules. Some ask visitors to register ahead or to show prior experience, so an email before the visit helps.
Checking the country list before each move takes a few minutes and can save a wasted sign-up.
What drop-in prices look like in Bali and Chiang Mai
Prices below come from published guides and visitor posts, and gyms change their rates. A message to the front desk confirms the current price.
- Bali: At gyms in Canggu and Uluwatu, drop-in classes cost 250,000 to 275,000 IDR, or about $14 to $15. Dollar figures use 17,875 IDR per dollar (ValutaFX, 5 August 2026). A March 2026 visitor post listed a one-week pass at one Uluwatu gym for 950,000 IDR, or about $53. A Thatch travel guide listed monthly passes of 1,650,000 to 1,800,000 IDR, or about $92 to $101, at two Canggu gyms.
- Chiang Mai: A hostel group’s guide listed day passes of ฿80 at two basic gyms in Chiang Mai, with monthly passes of ฿1,100 to ฿1,200. Classes cost more. CrossFit Chiang Mai listed ฿500 for one class, ฿1,200 for a week, and ฿3,000 for a month. One Muay Thai gym listed ฿390 per class, and two yoga studios listed drop-ins at ฿250 and ฿280.
Weekly passes can cost less per day than a single drop-in. At the Uluwatu gym, the 950,000 IDR week pass costs about 136,000 IDR a day, near half the 275,000 IDR drop-in price. The saving only applies when the pass is used most days.
Free ways to train
- parkrun: parkrun holds a free, timed 5 km run on Saturday mornings in more than 20 countries. Registration is free and happens once, and the same barcode works at any parkrun worldwide. Without the barcode, no time is recorded. Most events start at 9:00 am, and some start at 8:00 am. A statistics blog that tracks the events counted more than 2,300 of them on the weekend of 29 and 30 August 2026. Some groups meet for coffee afterward, which can help with building community as a solo traveler.
- Outdoor gyms: Chiang Mai’s larger parks have free outdoor gym machines, and Muang Chiang Mai Stadium has a running track, according to the hostel guide. The CaliBase database lists more than 7,800 outdoor calisthenics parks, which makes a free bodyweight session possible in many cities.
- Free first sessions: CrossFit Chiang Mai listed a free community workout on the first Saturday of each month, from 9 am to 10 am. A free class shows the coaching style before a paid week pass.
What to check before you pay
Minimum terms
Lower monthly prices usually come with longer commitments. Two examples show the pattern.
- Urban Sports Club Classic: €75 a month on the monthly plan, or €59 on a two-year plan, per the company’s June 2026 blog.
- Smart Fit Black plan in Colombia: COP 109,900 a month, or COP 199,900 for a plan with no minimum term, in the 2025 price list.
A two-year plan at €59 adds up to €1,416 (24 months at €59). Two months on the monthly plan cost €150. The Smart Fit plan without a minimum term costs about 82% more per month. The flexible plan can still add up to less when the stay is shorter than the minimum term, which the price list did not state.
Injury cover
Gym injuries are medical events abroad, and insurers differ on which sports they cover. SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance Essential, in the version effective February 2026, lists these rules:
- Covered in the base plan: weightlifting, cardio, gym classes, yoga, Pilates, and swimming.
- Needs the Adventure Sports add-on: boxing, martial arts, and wrestling. The add-on has a $100,000 limit.
- Excluded: training for or attending a powerlifting competition.
Coverage also depends on the activity being solo training, classes, private lessons, or informal group training. Organized or competitive sport is not covered. CrossFit is not named on the list, so a question to the insurer settles it. Other insurers use different lists, so anyone planning a Muay Thai camp should check how their nomad travel insurance treats martial arts before booking. The article gives general information only, and a doctor can advise on starting a new exercise program.
A common mistake is assuming a pass works everywhere
Many nomads sign up for a pass at home and find it does not work in the next country. Three examples show how this happens.
- ClassPass: Mexico and Colombia are missing from the country list.
- Urban Sports Club: The membership works in seven European countries only.
- Wellhub: International check-ins work only when the employer has switched on the add-on.
Reading the country list before travelling avoids paying for a pass twice.
Plan your next base
Training can restart within days of landing in a new base. Day passes, weekly passes, and free events like parkrun keep the first week simple, and a multi-country pass helps when you move often. Once your next base is picked, search flights to your next stop on FlyBibe and check the gym options near your stay before you arrive. A short message to the front desk can confirm prices and opening hours.