By Rodrigo Manterola
Mexico offers a large variety of lifestyles for Digital Nomads as its amazing low cost of living makes it a paradise for all kinds of budgets.
Digital Nomads favor a fast internet connection above almost anything else, making larger cities like; Mexico City, Guadalajara, Puebla, some of the favorite spots of these new types of working-traveling individuals.
Yet some other cities also gain popularity amongst the DN community, places like Playa del Carmen, Tulum, or Puerto Escondido offer less reliability on the internet but a great quality of life.
Small fishermen villages turned into all-Cosmo towns where people from all over the world meet, work and party.
So here a list of the top cities in Mexico for Digital Nomads
Table of Contents
Mexico city
The largest city in Mexico and its capital, Mexico city is also one of the largest cities in the world with more than 20 million inhabitants and with all of the challenges this represents.
Mexico city is also one of the culturally richest cities in the country and while some would not choose this place to live or work, for many, this city is a must if your a looking for fast internet and culture-filled destination.
- Fast internet
- Young thriving DN community
- International airport
- Good mobility
- Cheap
- Great nightlife
- Lots of things to do in town
- Great food
- High levels of air pollution
- Too crowded (the largest city in Mexico)
- Too much traffic
- Criminality can be a problem in some areas of the city
- Rent can be very expensive in some neighborhoods
Cost of life $700 to $1500 US a month or higher
Puebla
Puebla is a rising contender in the Digital Nomad scene due to its proximity to Mexico City and its amazing architecture, culture, and food, making it one of the favorites of DN in Mexico
- Close to Mexico City’s international airport (2+ hours drive)
- Beautiful colonial city
- Great food
- Cheap
- Uber friendly
- Decent internet speed
- A bit too touristy
- Cold in the winter
- Busy town at times
- Patchy internet at times
Cost of life $700 to $1500 a month or higher
Guadalajara, Jalisco
Guadalajara is the epicenter of what we know as Mexican culture, Mariachi, Tequila, and Charros are all emanate from this beautiful colonial city.
- A cultural center of Mexican identity
- International airport
- Good and fast internet
- Universities and startups thriving
- A DN scene in development
- Great food
- Cheap
- Nice weather
- Near Lake Chapala
- Uber friendly
- Second largest city in Mexico
- Traffic
- A bit too touristy
- Cold in the winter
- Busy town at times
- Patchy internet at times
- Can be expensive in some areas
Cost of life $700 to $1500 a month or higher
Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco
Puerto Vallarta is an old favorite of ex-pats who visit its beaches since the 50’s, new to the DN community it’s slowly positioning as one strong contender in Mexico
- Natural beauty
- Fun atmosphere
- Great nightlife
- Water sports to do
- Decent internet
- Great food
- Lots of ex-pats
- Very touristy
- Internet can be patchy
- Touristy prices (high)
- Not lots of DN in town or not for long
- The town is more appealing for retirees
- Hurricane season from June to December
Cost of life $850 to $2000 a month or higher
Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca
Surfers Paradise for sure, Puerto Escondido claims to be the worlds’ best surfing spot with more than 3.5 Km of beautiful beaches and a slow-paced lifestyle. Some would say Puerto Escondido is not the best DN destination in Mexico, but it sure is one small beach town worth visiting.
- Beautiful beaches
- Great young community
- Chill vibes
- Great food
- Cheap
- Friendly
- Bad internet
- Can be pricey for basic accommodation
- Not a very productive environment for a DN if work is a priority
- Hurricane season from June to December
Cost of life $850 to $2000 a month or higher
Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo
Playa as the locals call it is one of the DN community favorites in Mexico, a young, chic, and thriving town with incredible nightlife and amazing natural beauty, and pre-hispanic history. A must when in Mexico whether is for holidays or for a longer period.
- Decent internet most of the time
- Great atmosphere
- Lots of coworking places and projects
- English is spoken almost everywhere
- Young and vibrant
- Lots of great water sports and outdoors activities
- Great nightlife
- Nearby attractions
- International airport (1+ hour drive)
- Direct flights from the USA, Canada, and Europe
- Good mobility and infrastructure
- Great food
- Not as cheap as the rest of Mexico but still cheaper than most of the US, Canada, and Europe
- Very touristy
- Can be more expensive than USA, Canada or Europe
- Weather can be tough can reach 35 Celsius at 80% humidity in the hot months
- Patchy Internet and power outages can and do happen
- Police corruption and crime problems been reported in some areas
- Hurricane season from June to December
Cost of life $850 to $2000 a month or higher
Tulum, Quintana Roo
Tulum is one little gem just 1-hour drive south from Playa del Carmen, and while this town isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, this is a thriving small town with an ever-growing Digital Nomad community and it’s here to stay on top of the list of anybody who loves the quality of life, good weather, and a boho-chic atmosphere where the love for nature and wellness is a top priority.
- Great Boho-chill-Yoga-Eco-atmosphere
- Some coworking places and projects
- English is spoken almost everywhere
- Young and vibrant
- Lots of great water sports and outdoors activities
- Great nightlife
- Nearby attractions
- International airport (2+ hour drive)
- Direct flights from the USA, Canada, and Europe
- Great food
- Not as cheap as the rest of Mexico but still cheaper than most of the US, Canada, and Europe
- Can be more expensive than USA, Canada or Europe
- Weather can be tough can reach 35 Celsius at 80% humidity in the hot months
- Patchy Internet and power outages can and do happen
- Police corruption and crime problems been reported in some areas
- Hurricane season from June to December
Cost of life $850 to $2000 a month or higher
Sayulita, Nayarit
Sayulita is been on the map for surfers and ex-pats for a while now, since the ’50s and ’60s, dragged surfers from North America to enjoy the beautiful beaches, nearby towns, and in more recent years, the amazing food and arts scene developing in town and around.
- Great low key atmosphere
- Big ex-pat and traveler community
- Lots of outdoor activities to do
- Great food
- Cheap cost of living (seasonal)
- Beautiful beaches
- At least two coworking spaces
- Near Puerto Vallarta’s international airport (1-hour drive)
- International banking available
- Bad internet connection
- Not a very productive environment (Distractions)
- Very touristy
- Rent can be very expensive some times of the year
Cost of life $850 to $2000 a month or higher
San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato
San Miguel de Allende in Guanajuato, it’s known for its ex-pat community for years now, a favorite for American and Canadian retirees, San Miguel de Allende is also growing in the DN community in recent years, not everyone’s first choice due to the large amount of “boomers” San Miguel de Allende is slowly growing
- Great weather
- Large Expat Community
- Decent internet speed
- Nearby international airports in Leon, Queretaro, and Mexico City
- Safe
- Very touristy
- Not a big DN community
- Rent can be high as many Expats and retirees choose to move to this town
- Not much of a nightlife
Cost of life $1000 to $2000 a month or higher
Guanajuato
Guanajuato is one of the most beautiful cities in Mexico. with a mining history, Guanajuato’s streets and tunnels are magical. Guanajuato is also one of Mexico’s cultural capitals with international arts festivals happening every year.
- Beautiful and historic
- Great cultural scene
- Young and vibrant
- Cheap
- Decent internet speed
- Great food
- Good nightlife
- English is not as commonly spoken
- Not that much of DN culture going on
- Not as safe in some areas of the city
Cost of life $850 to $2000 a month or higher
Oaxaca City
Oaxaca is the birthplace of Mezcal, Tequila’s big brother. Oaxaca is also the cradle of cultural, artistic, and social movements since the beginning of Mexico’s history, and let’s not forget the food!
- Beautiful and historic
- Great cultural scene
- Great weather
- Cheap
- Great food
- Decent internet speed
- Lots of ex-pats
- Not a big DN scene
- Busy town
- Traffic on rush hour
Cost of life $700 to $1500 a month or higher
Merida, Yucatan
With an amazing Mayan heritage, Merida is the proud capital of the state of Yucatan, and an independent country twice in history before finally annexing Mexico.
The people of Merida are unique and proud of their culture, architecture, music, food, but most important of being from Yucatan.
- Beautiful and historic
- Great cultural scene
- Decent internet speed
- Great food
- Good nightlife
- Mobility is complex
- Hot weather
- Small DN scene
- Traffic in rush hours
Cost of life $850 to $2000 a month or higher
San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas
Chiapas is another gem in Mexico’s history, some of the most impressive Mayan ruins are located in this majestic state where also natural beauty prevails.
Digital Nomads and artists from all over the world choose to move into this beautiful colonial town in the highlands of Chiapas
- Beautiful and historic
- Good local cultural scene
- Decent internet speed
- Good food
- Good nightlife
- Good weather
- Good Expat community
- Some reports of safety issues
- Not a big DN scene
- More suitable for backpackers
Cost of life $850 to $2000 a month or higher
Many other destinations would fit the requirements of Digital Nomads but these are the preferred destinations according to the stats.
Read here about the requirements to immigrate to Mexico and what documents you need to move to Mexico and our Guide on moving to Mexico here