Boquete vs Puerto Viejo: cost of living for digital nomads
Boquete, Panama and Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica, line by line from the catalogue: what a month costs, rent, food, coworking, safety and internet. Every figure links back to its source on the city page.
The short version
- Puerto Viejo is about 2% cheaper than Boquete for a month of nomad living ($1,520 vs $1,550).
- Rent is the biggest gap: $650 in Puerto Viejo against $700 in Boquete.
- Boquete scores higher on safety (8/10 vs 6/10).
- Internet is faster in Boquete: 100 Mbps typical against 60 Mbps.
- Boquete is temperate; Puerto Viejo is tropical.
Boquete wins 5 of the measured lines; Puerto Viejo wins 3.
Frequently asked questions
Which city is cheaper, Boquete or Puerto Viejo?
Puerto Viejo is cheaper: about $1,520/month against $1,550/month in Boquete, roughly 2% less for a typical remote worker's budget.
Which city is safer, Boquete or Puerto Viejo?
Boquete scores higher on safety: 8/10 against 6/10 for Puerto Viejo.
Which has faster internet, Boquete or Puerto Viejo?
Boquete has faster typical internet: 100 Mbps against 60 Mbps in Puerto Viejo.
| Line | Boquete | Puerto Viejo |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly total (USD) | $1,550 | $1,520 |
| Rent | $700 | $650 |
| Food | $400 | $420 |
| Transport | $60 | $70 |
| Coworking | $100 | $90 |
| Safety (out of 10) | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Internet (Mbps) | 100 | 60 |
| Climate | temperate | tropical |
| City size | small | small |
| Setting | mountain | coast |
| Nomad score (out of 10) | 7/10 | 6/10 |
Compare Puerto Viejo with
Costs are typical monthly figures for one person in USD, from the sources named on each city page; safety and internet are the catalogue's own ratings. Cost figures verified (Eastern Time): Boquete September 10, 2026, Puerto Viejo September 10, 2026.