Photo: Adam Jones · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
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🇲🇽 México
Puerto Escondido
Surf town on the Oaxaca coast with epic sunsets, a creative community and beach life.
$900–1,500/mo50–200 MbpsTropical: warm all year, rains June–September
Score breakdown
Cost of living
8.0Cheap
Weight 25%
Internet & work
6.0Patchy internet
Weight 15%
Safety
6.0Be careful
Weight 15%
Nomad community
8.0Active community
Weight 15%
Weather
9.0Year-round sun
Weight 10%
Paperwork & visa
8.0Long stays
Weight 20%
Where to live
La Punta
400–600 $Good for: Nomad vibe
The catch: Night noise
Rinconada
400–700 $Good for: Calm and pretty
The catch: Far from La Punta
Where to work
Cafés with wifi
- Cafés de La Punta3 $
Breakfast with wifi
Time zone: CST (UTC−6)
What living here is really like
Editorial synthesis of public experiences
What residents say
- Best part:
- Locals talk about sea, surf and a close-knit community. They criticise rising prices, rainy-season blackouts and the heat from May to September.
- Worst part:
- Based on resident forums and communities
Sources: Numbeo — Mexico · Instituto Nacional de Migración
Day to day
- Internet
- 50–200 Mbps fibre; Starlink in many houses
- Safety
- Fairly safe in tourist areas; take care at night
- Healthcare
- Clinics; serious cases to Oaxaca
- SIM / eSIM
- Telcel: $10–15/mo
- Best season
- November–April
- Community
- Active and creative: surf, yoga and dinners
Living here legally
Lisbon vs. similar cities
| City | Zabel score | Monthly budget | In short |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oaxaca | 8.0 | 800–1.300 $ | Culture and food |
| Playa del Carmen | 7.6 | 1.200–1.900 $ | More services, more tourism |
Transparency
Last checked: 2026-11-01
Official sources
Prices are checked against the dated sources shown. Editorial experience summaries cite their public sources; verified Zabeler accounts are identified separately. Official procedures always take precedence.