3 Best Places For Digital Nomads in Mexico’s Riviera Maya

The stunning Riviera Maya coastline has just begun to peak in popularity. With beaches, eco reserves, cenotes abound, the Mesoamerican barrier reef, islands, Mayan ruins, jungles and mangroves- the appeal isn’t hard to understand. While popular with tourists, the Riviera Maya is now attracting an entirely different clientele- digital nomads. The Riviera Maya is home to some of the best places for digital nomads in Mexico. Here they live amongst the locals in ocean-view condos, open air coworking spaces and beach clubs. 

Wait- where and what even is the Riviera Maya, you may ask? The Riviera Maya can be found in the popular state of Quintana Roo- Mexico’s Carribean paradise. The Riviera Maya is only a small portion of this state, but it’s an influential one. It begins in the small fishing village of Puerto Morelos and ends about three hours North in Sian Ka’an- a stunning eco biosphere and cenote filled paradise. 

While the tourists are hard to avoid, The Riviera Maya has something for just about any type of digital nomad to live and work happily and comfortably. This diversity and convenient lifestyle is what makes it one of the best places for digital nomads in Mexico. If you’re considering relocating to the Riviera Maya as a digital nomad, you’ll find everything you need in this article.

Below I cover the best places for digital nomads in the Riviera Maya, the cost of living and what to expect before relocating: 

The Best Places for Digital Nomads in the Riviera Maya

Best for Laid-Back Beach Goers: Puerto Morelos

This quaint fishing village may not have garnered international attention yet, but life as a digital nomad here is wonderful. It’s an ideal destination to have as a base, since it’s right off the main highway and only twenty minutes from the Cancun Airport. Plus, the beaches are less crowded and so are the cenotes. To top it off, It’s considerably more affordable than its well known neighbors. 

Cost of Living in Puerto Morelos: 

If you stay in the center of town, near Villa Morelos, you can get a house or apartment for under $600 USD on Airbnb. If you’re staying on the beach side in Puerto Morelos, expect to pay up to $1000 USD or find an apartment locally, off Airbnb. If you rent locally you should expect to find a place between $500-$700 USD on average. 

The Riviera Maya is not an affordable region, but Puerto Morelos is a bit more budget friendly. You can get a full meal for $2.50-$7 USD on average. Taxis within town are reasonable, at $2.50 USD. You can also rent bicycles or a car to get around to the places you can’t walk.  

What It’s Like to Work Remotely in Puerto Morelos: 

The wifi was wonderful during our time in Puerto Morelos, even in the older houses. While I wouldn’t say the restaurants have the best work environment, they usually have wifi. There might not be a big community of digital nomads here, but it is a strong community, and there’s a great expat group. 

What It’s Like to Live in Puerto Morelos for Digital Nomads: 

Both the center and the beach side give you easy beach access, a very local feel, and lots of great eats and supermarkets. The town is extremely easy to get around, and very walkable within neighborhoods. The population is primarily families, older couples, surfers, and those vacationing. 

Life moves pretty slow here. The beaches are relatively laid back, but boast several beach clubs and bars. The marine and aquatic life is unbeatable with easy access to the Mesoamerican Barrier reef. As a fishing village, seafood is a huge part of life and the cuisine. This makes it one of the best places for digital nomads in the Riviera Maya if you’re looking for a laid back, affordable, beach side environment, and you’re wanting more of a local, cultural feel.

Best For Fast-Paced City Lovers: Playa Del Carmen

Playa Del Carmen is definitely the fastest pace you’ll find in the Riviera Maya. The most populous town in the region, there’s a lot to do. With rooftop condos, hotels, sleek beach clubs, and sleeker restaurants, you can get a taste of city living and culture. While most Americans might associate Playa Del Carmen with Senor Frogs and cruise ships, that is not an accurate representation of what life is like in Playa Del Carmen. 

Cost of Living in Playa Del Carmen: 

This depends entirely on the season. If you’re choosing to relocate to Playa during December-April, expect to pay a hefty price. By hefty I mean $1,200 USD for a studio. If you’re already living in PDC, some apartment rentals will raise your rent during the high season. Outside of peak season, you can find excellent one bedroom Airbnbs for $600-$800 USD. As usual, renting outside of Airbnb or third party rental companies will help your budget. Most local rental companies here will accommodate flexible or shorter term leases, but the longer you stay, the better the deal. 

The cost of living is very reasonable. Taxis are cheap within the city, but you can walk everywhere. Food is reasonable, especially considering the quality. An average meal will cost you around $5-$10 USD, depending on the place. I would highly suggest avoiding 5th avenue as much as possible, and instead choosing more local places, where the food and the price is much better. 

What It’s Like to Work Remotely in Playa Del Carmen: 

PDC boasts a massive expat community, and after living there, I finally understood why. Quality Wifi is everywhere, with multiple co-working spaces, which is especially impressive for a small town. Many Airbnb’s or apartments have excellent roof tops, pools and common areas that make working from your home very comfortable. Not to mention, the cafe and coffee shop scene is extensive. 

What It’s Like to Live in Playa Del Carmen for Digital Nomads: 

With an incredibly diverse digital nomad community, it’s pretty easy to meet friends if your primary language is English. It’s also easy to make friends with locals, as there is a thriving, fun and friendly population of young professionals. Living in Playa means constant meetups, beach days, rooftop pool parties, live music nights, and everything in between. It’s perfect for those looking to network, and enjoy a comfortable yet cultural life. 

One important thing to note regarding safety. If you use basic street smarts, like in any city, you should be completely fine. However, do not walk alone at night, and don’t walk at night as a woman. You should also always use a trusted driver or car service over a taxi. 

Best for Hard Partying Spiritual Seekers: Tulum

Full disclosure: I am not a fan of Tulum and I did not love my time living there. I do, however, recognize that there are many people who absolutely love it. Tulum became popular for being a bohemian paradise and spiritual vortex. This attracted wellness enthusiasts, yogis, and those looking for a laidback, more authentic alternative to Playa Del Carmen.

While much of this is still true, Tulum has changed a lot in recent years. Tulum now attracts jet setting Influencers, and hard partiers, looking to experience music festivals, all night beach parties, and luxe, “eco-friendly” resorts that charge $400 USD a night. 

Cost of Living in Tulum: 

Tulum is pretty pricey, and it’s probably the most expensive place in the Riviera Maya. Meals typically start at $8 USD, with an average cost of $10 USD a dish. The biggest cost in Tulum is transportation. Drivers don’t service the area, and Tulum is not very walkable. This means you will need to rent a car or pay for a taxi. Taxis unfortunately charge a very high price and they aren’t the most receptive to negotiating. 

It’s important to note that it’s very hard to find a place near the beach to live. Tulum centro is about 15 minutes by car from the beach and it’s where all the apartments and houses are. Beachfront property is primarily taken by resorts, and there isn’t much in between the town and the beach. If you’re living in the centro, you can find an apartment on Airbnb for $1000-$2000 USD on average. Renting locally will be anything between $400-$2,000 USD depending on what you’re looking for. 

What It’s Like to Work Remotely in Tulum: 

Wifi definitely varies in Tulum, but there is a co-working space in the centro that has steady and reliable wifi. My Airbnb had decent wifi, but most people I knew weren’t so lucky. Cafe working is very popular and the options are wonderful, but if you require more than 5 mbps of wifi, you’ll need to work from home or the co-working space. 

What It’s Like to Live in Tulum for Digital Nomads: 

Tulum is in the center of the Riviera Maya, which makes it one of the best places to use as a base if weekend road trips and adventure seeking is what you like to do. It also boasts beautiful apartments, incredible cenotes, Mayan ruins, great shopping, yummy restaurants and a strong community. With wellness retreats, spas, and beach clubs, you have some of the most Insta-famous and beautiful sites to explore in your own backyard. 

That being said, there are two big downsides to note before relocating to Tulum. First off, while there is a strong digital nomad community, its industry specific. If you’re a Blogger, Photographer, Influencer, Musician/ Dj or Yoga instructor, this would be a great place to network. If you’re not, you might struggle.

Secondly, there is cartel violence in Tulum, after expats and tourists created a high demand for drugs. This has affected the local community, and there are frequent shootings in the centro, in both tourist and local areas. If you’re coming to Tulum, I would highly suggest not partaking in drugs or any activities that would involve cartels.