6 BEST Digital Nomad Cities in Mexico

Mexico has always been a dream destination for vacationers looking to work on their tans, visit ancient Mayan ruins, and stuff on tacos and burritos. 

Over the last few years, though, it has also become a hub for digital nomads who established themselves throughout the country. Mostly hare here to take advantage of the sunny weather, the relatively low cost of living, and plenty of facilities which include co-working spaces, tons of cafés with wi-fi and an increasing digital nomad community. 

For digital nomads like myself Mexico presents itself like an unbeatable spot for their work and adventures. But where exactly in the country should you base yourself?

Let’s dive right in and check out the best digital nomad cities in Mexico to find the most appropriate for you.  

Why Mexico is a good destination for digital nomads?

Mexico is a beautiful country that boasts incredible landscapes and cities, and impressive cuisine. Combine that with low living costs, both for rent & transportation and food, a rich culture to discover, and the perfect place to practice all the Spanish you learned in high school, and you’ve got an ideal place to call home for some time. 

One of the many advantages of moving to Mexico as a digital nomad is that most nationalities can stay up to 180 days (that’s right, six whole months!) per year without the need for a visa, so it’s very easy to establish in the country, whether you’re going for a city lifestyle, or dreaming about palm trees and the sea. 

Because it’s become such a hotspot for remote workers, Mexico also offers a great community of like-minded people, which can be not only enriching to your new lifestyle but possibly an opportunity for new collabs and projects.

This fact, however, is a double-edged sword, as the increasing number of digital nomads establishing in the country has resulted in stricter measures by the government. 

For this reason, it is essential to have a return flight out of Mexico when you get to the country, and that’s where OneWayFly comes in, the perfect ally to help you enter Mexico smoothly and legally…without having to actually buy an expensive return ticket right away. 

With OneWayFly you can buy a valid flight reservation to prove your intention of leaving Mexico, and do so for much less than if you had to buy an actual plane ticket, one which you may have to cancel later on if your plans or schedule change.

The reservation is valid for 48 hours or 14 days, depending on the option you choose, and it gets canceled automatically unless you decide to actually purchase the flight from them. 

This way you’ll be free to test the different cities, figure out if Mexico is indeed your digital nomad haven, and either decide to stay longer and apply for a visa or leave earlier in favor of another country. No outbound flight telling you when and where to go next! ➤ BOOK PROOF OF RETURN TICKET HERE

Let’s find out which are the best places in Mexico for digital nomads, so you make your pick! 

Best Cities for Digital nomads in Mexico 

Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen is one of the best digital nomad cities in Mexico.

✔️ It’s been a tourist hotspot for many years now, so it has a great infrastructure and plenty of facilities, from supermarkets and shopping malls to cafes and restaurants, and quite a few coworking spaces as well. There are plenty of things to do in Playa del Carmen.

✔️ The community of expats and remote workers is rather large, and pretty much everyone speaks English, so language won’t be a barrier. You’ll also be pleased with the high-speed internet in the city, and be able to find good accommodation at affordable prices. 

✔️ Playa actually merges a vibrant city life with a great nightlife scene, the postcard-picture beaches you’d expect to find in the Caribbean, and beautiful cenotes so it’s the perfect destination to enjoy both. 

❌ The drawback could be that since the city is so focused on tourism, not only will you find crowds of vacationers everywhere, but also tons of tourist attractions and very little real Mexican culture and people. If that’s the vibe you’re going for, though, welcome to Playa del Carmen!

Mexico City

For a digital nomad, Mexico City is one of the major hotspots. It’s Mexico’s capital, and the number-one pick for many.

✔️ The wifi is fast and reliable in pretty much every accommodation and café (you’ll find someone working on their laptops in almost every coffee shop, guaranteed!) and the city has so much to offer during your free time. 

✔️ It boasts a lively nightlife and tons of museums to include in your Mexico City itinerary where you’ll get to learn about Mexico’s history and culture. Mexico City also features entertainment activities, shopping malls, and all the facilities of a modern city. 

✔️ Coworking spaces abound, and there’s a large community of young people, expats, and remote workers which you’ll have no trouble finding (and becoming part of!), so it’s one of the best places to work remotely in Mexico if you want to surround yourself by other nomads.

❌ One of its main cons, and what sets it apart from beachside locations especially, is the poor quality of the air due to pollution, as well as the insane traffic, and higher crime rates than in the some of the other cities on this list. 

You’ll be fine, though, if you stick to more central areas. I suggest basing yourself in Roma Norte, Condesa, or Polanco, three beautiful areas in the city.

Oaxaca

This foodie paradise in Mexico is another spectacular destination for digital nomads, and it highly contrasts Playa and Mexico city by its slower pace of life and fewer crowds.

While the internet is not extremely fast (which you may need if you have to upload videos or be in conferences all day), it’s good enough to get things done and pretty steady. 

✔️ There are some coworking spaces in the city, or else you can sit at one of its many cafes to work, and since it’s surrounded by some of the best Mezcal distilleries in the country, you’ll get to sample the drink and learn how it’s made with a tour to the factories. 

✔️ Oaxaca is also the ideal location to truly see the Mexican way of life, eat real traditional food, and meet the locals, as it’s a bit off the beaten path for most tourists – but there are plenty of things to do in Oaxaca!

❌ On the other hand, it can get a bit lonely if you’re one to enjoy a community as there are fewer permanent digital nomads here than in other cities (although you’ll be able to find some!)

❌ English is not as spoken here as much as in the more touristy cities, although you should get along fine. It’s also far from the beach, so if Mexico meant beach and margaritas for you, then this is not your place. 

Tulum

Tulum is a small beach town that was put under the spotlight almost overnight, and is now one of the top destinations in the Riviera Maya, with a laid-back, hippy kind of vibe and a hub for digital nomads. 

✔️ One of the main attractions you’ll find is the lush jungle and gorgeous natural beauty of the surroundings, the Tulum beaches are gorgeous.

It’s the right place to be if starting your day with a yoga session by the sea or trying an enormous amount of vegan and raw restaurants and cafes is your idea of happiness. It certainly is among the best beach towns for digital nomads.

✔️ Many remote workers live in Tulum nowadays, so there’s a great community and plenty of events to meet fellow nomads and broaden your network. There are even gyms and cafes specifically made for them, and in general, there are just a ton of things to do in Tulum to keep you busy.

❌ While Tulum is flooded with digital nomads, though, the internet connection is not really the best in Mexico, and the prices in the area are really high. Its infrastructure, though, is not as developed as in other cities, and there’s less variety of entertainment and things to do.

Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta is also a main tourist destination in Mexico, a resort town situated on the coast of the North Pacific Ocean.

✔️ It merges the amenities of a beach-side city with the unique charm of its local culture, preserving its history and authenticity despite its popularity among foreign tourists. 

✔️ While there are fewer coworking spaces, cafes, and facilities for digital nomads than in the major cities, it has a stable internet connection and suitable accommodations. It’s a great location to immerse yourself in the Mexican culture while at the same time you enjoy the beach, the nightlife, and its gastronomy (and you can join some great Puerto Vallarta excursions and activities!).

✔️ Puerto Vallarta is considered the most LGBTQ+ friendly city in Mexico, and its inhabitants are amiable and relaxed.

❌ Consider, though, that the attractions and facilities are rather spread out and the roads are kind of hilly (it’s surrounded by mountains after all), so you can expect to walk quite a lot, which in the summer’s intense hot might not be fun, or have to take tons of taxis.

Merida

Merida is rapidly positioning itself in the digital nomads’ scenario as one of the best cities in Mexico for digital nomads.

✔️ Its low cost of living is among the main reasons, but being considered the safest city in the country, as well as offering good wifi, plenty of amenities and good infrastructure also play an important role. 

✔️ At Merida you can enjoy warm weather pretty much all year round, and it retains the charm of being a colonial city, with a strong authentic culture to showcase its visitors.

✔️ Besides the cultural experiences and trips you can take from here (Uxmal ruins are very close!), you’ll find some coworking spaces and comfortable accommodation options, as well as friendly locals to help you get around. 

❌ Merida, however, is not the ideal location for digital nomads looking to party, enjoy a lively social scene, or find a community of fellow remote workers, but rather for those looking to explore Mexico’s Mayan heritage and enjoy a low-key, slower way of life. 

Mexico is a vast, gorgeous country with pretty much every scenery to offer, from mountains to white-sand beaches, large cities, and Mayan ruins, and it’s worth exploring at a slow pace.

Don’t be afraid to try out several of these cities as your digital nomad’s base! They all have something unique to offer, and you won’t regret your choice, whichever it may be.