Puerto Vallarta vs Santiago for Digital Nomads
🇲🇽 Puerto Vallarta vs 🇨🇱 Santiago · updated 2026-07
Verdict
Cheaper: Puerto Vallarta · Faster internet: Santiago · Higher Nomad Score: Santiago.
Head-to-head
| 🇲🇽 Puerto Vallarta | 🇨🇱 Santiago | |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable / month | $1,340 ★ | $1,400 |
| 1-bed rent | $700 | $700 |
| Food | $300 ★ | $320 |
| Coworking | $110 ★ | $120 |
| Internet (Mbps) | 70 | 110 ★ |
| Affordability | 84 ★ | 82 |
| Weather | 86 ★ | 76 |
| Community | 72 | 76 ★ |
| Nomad Score | 78 | 79 ★ |
| Climate | Tropical beach | Mediterranean, four seasons |
★ = better on that row. Figures are aggregated estimates.
FAQ
Is Puerto Vallarta or Santiago cheaper for digital nomads?
Puerto Vallarta is cheaper — about $1,340/month vs $1,400/month for a comfortable solo setup.
Which has faster internet, Puerto Vallarta or Santiago?
Santiago has faster average broadband (110 Mbps vs 70 Mbps).
Which has the higher Nomad Score?
Santiago scores 79 vs 78 on our composite of affordability, connectivity, weather and community.