This Is The Safest And Cheapest City In Mexico For Digital Nomads

Share The Article

Famous for its pristine shoreline, year-round hotter climate, tropical nature, and upscale resort cities, Mexico is at the moment some of the well-liked digital nomad havens, drawing in hundreds of thousands of distant employees annually, significantly from the U.S.

Surprisingly, the most secure and least expensive vacation spot in Mexico for digital nomads shouldn’t be the place a majority of them are headed, primarily as a result of it is not coastal, and most international guests need one factor, and one factor solely: to reside it up by the overpriced Caribbean seaside.

It will not be inside strolling distance of an unspoiled seaside, however we would not depend lovely Merida out as a nomad hub:

Merida Is One Of The Safest Cities In The Americas

Merida is the capital metropolis of the state of Yucatan – to not be mistaken for the broader, same-titled peninsula that additionally contains the neighboring state of Quintana Roo – and it is listed by the main digital nomad platform Nomad List as probably the most inexpensive, safest ‘workcation’ spot south of the border.

You could also be questioning why that’s, seeing a majority of bigger cities in Mexico, with over one million inhabitants, have long-standing points with tackling crime and rising violence charges, and even quite a few them function on the United States’ record of no-go zones.

Merida is very low-risk, nonetheless, and with its inclusion on the State Department’s Level 1 Travel Advisory, it might probably even be thought-about simply as protected as (largely) crime-free international locations like Iceland, Finland and Japan – that is Washington officers’ personal classification, not ours.

Though crime does happen, it is on a smaller scale than different Mexican states, and it is no secret that, for years now, Yucatan has developed a status for being the most secure area in all of Mexico, due to strong anti-crime rules and strengthened police checks.

The metropolis of Merida – and its state – take safety very significantly, and the native police chief has all the time taken a zero-tolerance method in the direction of criminals, making Merida one of many least harmful cities not solely in Mexico, however the entire of North America.

Yeah, there could also be some pickpocketing round, however violent crime is exceedingly uncommon, and vacationers – nomads included – are seldom affected.

It’s A Lot Cheaper Than The Mexican Caribbean

Contrary to well-liked perception, the extremely sought-after Mexican Caribbean – or extra particularly even, the Cancun-Playa Del Carmen-Tulum powerhouse trio – are not precisely nice worth for cash, nor do they function amongst Mexico’s most secure locations.

Don’t get us mistaken, they’re fairly protected, with a whole bunch of 1000’s of nomads having primarily based themselves there in recent times with none main points, however U.S. authorities nonetheless contemplate the state of Quintana Roo, which encompasses these coastal spots reasonably dangerous, they usually’re costly.

Like any resort vacation spot, Cancun caters nearly completely to massive spenders, and you might wrestle to maintain your prices beneath $2,587 residing within the metropolis; Playa is simply as prohibitive, with its dollarized costs and scandalous taxi charges hovering lease, and do not get us began on gentrified Tulum…

Why Choose Merida As A Digital Nomad?

It doesn’t have a seaside, but it surely does home a excessive focus of historical landmarks – it’s one in all Mexico’s oldest European-built cities, in spite of everything – and its colourful colonial Old Town, dotted with Baroque treasures and Sixteenth-century monuments, is some of the lovely within the nation.

In reality, Merida’s historic middle is distinct for being one in all solely two surviving ones within the Americas to nonetheless be (nearly) utterly surrounded by metropolis partitions, as designed by Spanish settlers, the opposite being the French-built Quebec City in Canada.

There’s by no means a scarcity of gorgeous spots to go to in Merida, from Instagram-ready cobbled lanes lined by ornate constructing facades to hidden patios, storied signorial palaces, and imposing church buildings—it even has its very personal European-style fortified partitions.

Though it’s not coastal, it is nonetheless inside quick driving distance of gorgeous Gulf seashores – Puerto Progreso is barely 39 minutes away – crystal-clear cenotes nestled in dense jungles, and even Mayan ruins, akin to off-path, fascinating Dzibilchaltún, a 19-minute drive from Downtown Merida.

It’s additionally positioned on the Maya Train route, providing railway hyperlinks to a bunch of different picturesque colonial cities, akin to yellow-washed Izamal and laid-back Valladolid, the world-famous archaeological complicated in Chichen Itza, and as distant as Tulum within the Mexican Caribbean.

Unlike different Mexican cities with comparable cultural choices, Merida is quite a bit cheaper to reside in.

How Much Does It Cost To Live In Merida?

Based on Numbeo estimates, a single individual’s month-to-month bills in Merida sit at round $779 with out lease, with low costs noticed for meals, groceries and a majority of client costs. On common, restaurant costs are 11% decrease than in Cancun.

Month-long leases in Merida on Airbnb begin from as low cost as $311 for a non-public room in a household residence, whereas a fully-furnished condominium in Centro with verified quick WiFi and a devoted workspace will set you again by $787.

Rent can be 6.9% decrease than in Cancun, with a one-bedroom condominium within the metropolis middle costing a mean of $690.98 monthly, bringing complete bills to $1,469.

This estimate is from Nomad List, which claims nomads can reside in Merida for between $1,069 and $1,851 month-to-month.

Merida’s decrease costs are attributed to its numerous financial system – opposite to Cancun, worldwide tourism shouldn’t be the one driving pressure behind native jobs, nor was it constructed completely to host beachgoers – and aggressive market.

It is historic, completely protected, and even cheaper to reside in. It’s been hovering in recognition with nomads these days.

↓ Join Our Community ↓

The Travel Off Path Community FB group has all the newest journey information, conversations, and Q&A’s taking place every day! 

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LATEST POSTS

Enter your e mail tackle to subscribe to Travel Off Path’s newest breaking journey information, straight to your inbox.

This article initially appeared on TravelOffPath.com

Opinions expressed listed below are the writer’s alone, not these of any financial institution, bank card issuer, resort, airline, or different entity. This content material has not been reviewed, accredited or in any other case endorsed by any of the entities included inside the submit.