Cebu vs Puerto Escondido: cost of living for digital nomads

Cebu, Philippines 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

  • Cebu is about 24% cheaper than Puerto Escondido for a month of nomad living ($1,100 vs $1,450).
  • Rent is the biggest gap: $450 in Cebu against $650 in Puerto Escondido.
  • Puerto Escondido scores higher on safety (7/10 vs 6/10).
  • Internet is faster in Cebu: 80 Mbps typical against 50 Mbps.
  • Both have a tropical climate.

Cebu wins 5 of the measured lines; Puerto Escondido wins 3.

LineCebuPuerto Escondido
Monthly total (USD)$1,100$1,450
Rent$450$650
Food$300$400
Transport$50$45
Coworking$100$110
Safety (out of 10)6/107/10
Internet (Mbps)8050
Climatetropicaltropical
City sizemetrosmall
Settingislandcoast
Nomad score (out of 10)7/108/10

Puerto Escondido

Pacific surf town in Oaxaca — a quieter, cheaper alternative to Tulum with a strong nomad following.

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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.