Cartagena vs Puerto Escondido: cost of living for digital nomads
Cartagena, Colombia and Puerto Escondido, Mexico, 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
- Cartagena and Puerto Escondido cost about the same per month ($1,450).
- Rent is the biggest gap: $620 in Cartagena against $650 in Puerto Escondido.
- Puerto Escondido scores higher on safety (7/10 vs 6/10).
- Internet is faster in Cartagena: 150 Mbps typical against 50 Mbps.
- Both have a tropical climate.
Cartagena wins 3 of the measured lines; Puerto Escondido wins 3.
| Line | Cartagena | Puerto Escondido |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly total (USD) | $1,450 | $1,450 |
| Rent | $620 | $650 |
| Food | $380 | $400 |
| Transport | $60 | $45 |
| Coworking | $110 | $110 |
| Safety (out of 10) | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Internet (Mbps) | 150 | 50 |
| Climate | tropical | tropical |
| City size | metro | small |
| Setting | coast | coast |
| Nomad score (out of 10) | 7/10 | 8/10 |
Puerto Escondido
Pacific surf town in Oaxaca — a quieter, cheaper alternative to Tulum with a strong nomad following.
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. Check the city pages for the dates each was last verified.