Digital Nomad Cost of Living 2026: 18 Popular Cities Compared
- On the same basis (short-term studio + living), Chiang Mai is cheapest at about $994 a month and Lisbon runs about $4,855.
- Most of the gap is housing; food, transport and phone differ less than you would think.
- Staying a month or more? A local lease cuts housing a lot.
A month at a glance
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai$994
🇻🇳 Da Nang$1,284
🇨🇴 Medellín$1,524
🇹🇭 Bangkok$1,556
🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City$1,628
🇲🇾 Kuala Lumpur$1,704
🇮🇩 Bali$1,765
🇹🇭 Koh Phangan$1,867
🇬🇪 Tbilisi$2,199
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires$2,229
🇹🇷 Istanbul$2,598
🇧🇬 Sofia$2,830
🇦🇲 Yerevan$2,880
🇲🇽 Mexico City$3,238
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen$3,728
🇵🇹 Madeira$4,375
🇪🇸 Las Palmas$4,406
🇵🇹 Lisbon$4,855
City by city
Stay is a short-term studio; living is two local meals a day plus three dinners out a week, cafés, transit plus four taxi rides a week, and a SIM.
5🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City$1,628stay $1,206 · living $422 · local studio lease $532 · coffee $1.71 · meal $2.09
6🇲🇾 Kuala Lumpur$1,704stay $1,159 · living $545 · local studio lease $512 · coffee $2.79 · meal $2.79
8🇹🇭 Koh Phangan$1,867stay $1,217 · living $650 · local studio lease $455 · coffee $2.58 · meal $3.03
10🇦🇷 Buenos Aires$2,229stay $1,133 · living $1,096 · local studio lease $500 · coffee $2.5 · meal $9.29
11🇹🇷 Istanbul$2,598stay $1,548 · living $1,050 · local studio lease $683 · coffee $3.66 · meal $7.32
14🇲🇽 Mexico City$3,238stay $2,193 · living $1,045 · local studio lease $968 · coffee $3.49 · meal $8.06
15🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen$3,728stay $2,448 · living $1,281 · local studio lease $914 · coffee $3.76 · meal $9.68
17🇪🇸 Las Palmas$4,406stay $2,803 · living $1,603 · local studio lease $1,047 · coffee $2.09 · meal $14
18🇵🇹 Lisbon$4,855stay $3,425 · living $1,430 · local studio lease $1,512 · coffee $2.33 · meal $12.8
Checklist
- Internet & coworking — ask for real Wi-Fi speeds before booking.
- Time zones — overlap with clients matters.
- Visas — visa-free days and extensions often decide the city.
- Community — nomad-heavy cities make the first month easier.
Prices keep movingTap any city for item-by-item fair prices, rip-off lines and traveler reports. Been there? Report what you paid.
Figures come from the app: estimates built from public cost-of-living data, corrected over time by traveler reports. Exchange rates as of September 2026.
See 133 cities on your own incomeFelt value, not exchange rates · rip-off check · trip budget
›