23/01/2026
Cheap Internet Is the Most Powerful Economic Decision I’ve Seen
(From my personal experience living in Ukraine)
I lived in Ukraine several years before the war, and I saw firsthand how something as simple as internet access could transform a whole country. At that time, it was normal to have 100, 200, or even 300 Mbps unlimited internet for $10–12 per month. It wasn’t a luxury, it was the norm.
The results were remarkable. Global tech companies started opening offices, back offices, and development, design, and support teams—not just in Kyiv, but in multiple cities across the country. Any company that found high-speed internet, low costs, skilled talent, and a convenient timezone for Europe would set up immediately.
When the war started, these companies didn’t disappear—they moved to safer locations, and the most ready environment was Poland. Today, Poland is among the fastest-growing economies in Europe, and the cities that hosted these companies and digital talent have seen remarkable revitalization.
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As we’ve seen over the last 5–8 years, a completely new type of economy has emerged in multiple countries due to remote workers. What stood out to me the most was this group: fast, cheap internet attracted thousands of people working remotely for international companies, earning in dollars and euros, and spending locally. This created a massive purchasing power.
We’ve seen the same phenomenon in countries like Spain, Portugal, and Bali. All of them are actively competing for remote workers because they know this workforce moves local economies without direct government support while attracting further investments and new job opportunities.
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The lesson I’ve learned from seeing this personally, and observing it repeat in other countries, is clear: any country with talented young people that doesn’t provide fast, affordable, unlimited internet is missing a historic economic opportunity. Internet is not a luxury—it is economic infrastructure.
The question isn’t whether we can afford it. The real question is: can we afford not to treat it as an investment?
