When work moved online, the first prediction was that location would stop mattering. The opposite happened in a subtler form. Geography became a bundle of constraints rather than a commute.
Time zones shape collaboration. Banking systems shape who can get paid. Visa rules determine how long a worker can stay. Internet reliability, housing costs and local social networks change the practical value of a nominally global job.
A different map
The relevant unit is no longer simply city versus office. It is a stack: residency, connectivity, payment rails, language, cost base and access to clients. Two places with similar rent can offer completely different operating environments.
That is why the geography of digital work is becoming more strategic, not less. Location is now something a worker can optimize, but optimization requires understanding the whole stack rather than chasing the cheapest apartment or the prettiest view.