Research · 2026
Settled Nomad Cost Index 2026
Monthly cost of living, nomad scores, and value ratings for 92 digital nomad cities worldwide — ranked, filtered, and broken down by region. The definitive reference for nomads choosing where to base next.
Updated May 2026 · Based on verified data across 92 cities · Costs in USD
$1,428
Average monthly cost
$648
Cheapest city (Baguio)
$3,685
Most expensive (Reykjavik)
92
Cities tracked
What does the monthly cost include?
Every city's monthly budget covers six categories: a studio apartment in a nomad-friendly neighborhood, a coworking pass (22 working days), groceries (cooking at home 3×/week), eating out (4×/week at local restaurants), local transport, and a local data SIM. It does not include flights, travel insurance, gym membership, entertainment, or alcohol. All figures are in USD at 2026 exchange rates.
Regional cost breakdown
| Region | Cities | Avg Cost/mo | Avg Nomad Score | Cheapest City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Africa | 5 | $995 | 7.1/10 | Marrakech ($828) |
| Asia | 32 | $1,253 | 7.8/10 | Baguio ($648) |
| Latin America | 13 | $1,276 | 7.5/10 | Mendoza ($815) |
| Europe | 34 | $1,619 | 7.8/10 | Tirana ($725) |
| North America | 8 | $1,838 | 7.5/10 | Oaxaca ($910) |
Best value cities — high nomad score per dollar
Value score = nomad score ÷ normalized cost. Cities that combine high liveability with low cost rank highest.
Baguio
Philippines
$648/mo
Score 7/10
Da Nang
Vietnam
$700/mo
Score 7/10
Tbilisi
Georgia
$745/mo
Score 7/10
Batumi
Georgia
$810/mo
Score 8/10
Hanoi
Vietnam
$790/mo
Score 7.5/10
Mendoza
Argentina
$815/mo
Score 7.5/10
Phnom Penh
Cambodia
$800/mo
Score 7.3/10
Chiang Mai
Thailand
$935/mo
Score 9/10
Tirana
Albania
$725/mo
Score 6/10
Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam
$878/mo
Score 8.3/10
All 92 cities ranked by monthly cost
| # | City | Region | Monthly Cost | Nomad Score | Internet | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baguio | Asia | $648 | 7/10 | 50 Mbps | 7/10 |
| 2 | Da Nang | Asia | $700 | 7/10 | 55 Mbps | 9/10 |
| 3 | Tirana | Europe | $725 | 6/10 | 35 Mbps | 7/10 |
| 4 | Tbilisi | Asia | $745 | 7/10 | 45 Mbps | 8/10 |
| 5 | Hanoi | Asia | $790 | 7.5/10 | 70 Mbps | 7.5/10 |
| 6 | Phnom Penh | Asia | $800 | 7.3/10 | 80 Mbps | 6.5/10 |
| 7 | Bansko | Europe | $807 | 7/10 | 100 Mbps | 8/10 |
| 8 | Batumi | Asia | $810 | 8/10 | 80 Mbps | 8.5/10 |
| 9 | Mendoza | Latin America | $815 | 7.5/10 | 80 Mbps | 7/10 |
| 10 | Buenos Aires | Latin America | $828 | 7/10 | 50 Mbps | 5/10 |
| 11 | Marrakech | Africa | $828 | 7.2/10 | 35 Mbps | 6.5/10 |
| 12 | Cusco | Latin America | $840 | 7/10 | 60 Mbps | 7.5/10 |
| 13 | Galle | Asia | $855 | 7.6/10 | 80 Mbps | 8/10 |
| 14 | Ho Chi Minh City | Asia | $878 | 8.3/10 | 70 Mbps | 7.5/10 |
| 15 | Penang | Asia | $878 | 8.2/10 | 100 Mbps | 8/10 |
| 16 | Novi Sad | Europe | $880 | 7.4/10 | 150 Mbps | 8.5/10 |
| 17 | Da Lat | Asia | $885 | 6.5/10 | 30 Mbps | 8/10 |
| 18 | Cuenca | Latin America | $895 | 7.6/10 | 80 Mbps | 7.5/10 |
| 19 | Oaxaca | North America | $910 | 7.6/10 | 50 Mbps | 7/10 |
| 20 | Bengaluru | Asia | $910 | 7.5/10 | 100 Mbps | 7/10 |
| 21 | Cluj-Napoca | Europe | $920 | 7.7/10 | 200 Mbps | 8.5/10 |
| 22 | Chiang Mai | Asia | $935 | 9/10 | 80 Mbps | 9/10 |
| 23 | Cebu | Asia | $940 | 7.9/10 | 100 Mbps | 7/10 |
| 24 | Kigali | Africa | $950 | 7/10 | 30 Mbps | 8/10 |
| 25 | Agadir | Africa | $960 | 7.4/10 | 80 Mbps | 8/10 |
| 26 | Tainan | Asia | $965 | 7.7/10 | 300 Mbps | 9/10 |
| 27 | Nairobi | Africa | $973 | 7/10 | 35 Mbps | 5/10 |
| 28 | Belgrade | Europe | $985 | 7/10 | 110 Mbps | 7/10 |
| 29 | Istanbul | Asia | $990 | 8.1/10 | 55 Mbps | 7/10 |
| 30 | Goa | Asia | $990 | 7.4/10 | 80 Mbps | 7.5/10 |
| 31 | Quito | Latin America | $995 | 7.5/10 | 100 Mbps | 6.5/10 |
| 32 | Ubud | Asia | $1,020 | 8/10 | 50 Mbps | 8.5/10 |
| 33 | Sofia | Europe | $1,030 | 7.6/10 | 200 Mbps | 8/10 |
| 34 | Antalya | Asia | $1,040 | 8.2/10 | 120 Mbps | 8/10 |
| 35 | Sarajevo | Europe | $1,040 | 7.5/10 | 90 Mbps | 8/10 |
| 36 | Bali (Canggu) | Asia | $1,078 | 8/10 | 40 Mbps | 7/10 |
| 37 | Bangkok | Asia | $1,090 | 8/10 | 90 Mbps | 7/10 |
| 38 | Bucharest | Europe | $1,090 | 8/10 | 200 Mbps | 8/10 |
| 39 | Bogotá | Latin America | $1,090 | 7.5/10 | 80 Mbps | 5.5/10 |
| 40 | Yerevan | Asia | $1,105 | 8.2/10 | 150 Mbps | 8.5/10 |
| 41 | Medellín | Latin America | $1,110 | 8/10 | 70 Mbps | 6/10 |
| 42 | Krakow | Europe | $1,130 | 8.1/10 | 200 Mbps | 8.5/10 |
| 43 | Ko Pha Ngan | Asia | $1,160 | 7.5/10 | 80 Mbps | 8/10 |
| 44 | Phuket | Asia | $1,245 | 7.8/10 | 90 Mbps | 7.5/10 |
| 45 | Kuala Lumpur | Asia | $1,250 | 8/10 | 100 Mbps | 7/10 |
| 46 | Kotor | Europe | $1,250 | 7.5/10 | 100 Mbps | 8.5/10 |
| 47 | Vilnius | Europe | $1,255 | 7.9/10 | 200 Mbps | 8.5/10 |
| 48 | Cape Town | Africa | $1,262 | 7/10 | 50 Mbps | 5/10 |
| 49 | Thessaloniki | Europe | $1,275 | 7.5/10 | 100 Mbps | 8/10 |
| 50 | Lima | Latin America | $1,305 | 7.7/10 | 120 Mbps | 6.5/10 |
| 51 | Warsaw | Europe | $1,315 | 7.8/10 | 200 Mbps | 8.5/10 |
| 52 | Mexico City | North America | $1,342 | 8/10 | 60 Mbps | 6/10 |
| 53 | Budapest | Europe | $1,365 | 8/10 | 150 Mbps | 8/10 |
| 54 | Cartagena | Latin America | $1,415 | 7/10 | 60 Mbps | 6.5/10 |
| 55 | Split | Europe | $1,437 | 7.8/10 | 100 Mbps | 9/10 |
| 56 | Athens | Europe | $1,457 | 7.8/10 | 65 Mbps | 7.5/10 |
| 57 | Tallinn | Europe | $1,472 | 8.5/10 | 150 Mbps | 9/10 |
| 58 | Taipei | Asia | $1,482 | 8/10 | 200 Mbps | 9/10 |
| 59 | Playa del Carmen | North America | $1,497 | 8/10 | 60 Mbps | 6.5/10 |
| 60 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | Europe | $1,535 | 8/10 | 300 Mbps | 8/10 |
| 61 | Prague | Europe | $1,555 | 8.2/10 | 120 Mbps | 9/10 |
| 62 | Florianópolis | Latin America | $1,610 | 8/10 | 150 Mbps | 7/10 |
| 63 | Busan | Asia | $1,620 | 7.8/10 | 300 Mbps | 9/10 |
| 64 | Porto | Europe | $1,640 | 8.8/10 | 130 Mbps | 8.5/10 |
| 65 | Montevideo | Latin America | $1,675 | 7.5/10 | 110 Mbps | 8/10 |
| 66 | Seoul | Asia | $1,695 | 8/10 | 500 Mbps | 9/10 |
| 67 | Las Palmas | Europe | $1,695 | 8.5/10 | 250 Mbps | 8/10 |
| 68 | Valencia | Europe | $1,720 | 8.4/10 | 280 Mbps | 8/10 |
| 69 | Funchal | Europe | $1,720 | 8.2/10 | 150 Mbps | 9/10 |
| 70 | Panama City | North America | $1,735 | 7.5/10 | 100 Mbps | 6/10 |
| 71 | Ericeira | Europe | $1,795 | 8/10 | 130 Mbps | 9/10 |
| 72 | São Paulo | Latin America | $1,820 | 7.6/10 | 200 Mbps | 6/10 |
| 73 | San José | North America | $1,865 | 7.5/10 | 150 Mbps | 7/10 |
| 74 | Dubrovnik | Europe | $1,895 | 7.2/10 | 150 Mbps | 9/10 |
| 75 | Kyoto | Asia | $1,920 | 7/10 | 180 Mbps | 9.5/10 |
| 76 | Limassol | Europe | $1,940 | 8.1/10 | 200 Mbps | 9/10 |
| 77 | Osaka | Asia | $1,980 | 7.5/10 | 200 Mbps | 9.5/10 |
| 78 | Lisbon | Europe | $2,000 | 9/10 | 120 Mbps | 8/10 |
| 79 | Rome | Europe | $2,035 | 7.6/10 | 150 Mbps | 7.5/10 |
| 80 | Vienna | Europe | $2,190 | 8.3/10 | 200 Mbps | 9/10 |
| 81 | Punta del Este | Latin America | $2,195 | 7/10 | 95 Mbps | 8/10 |
| 82 | Barbados | North America | $2,290 | 7/10 | 90 Mbps | 7/10 |
| 83 | Berlin | Europe | $2,291 | 8/10 | 200 Mbps | 7.5/10 |
| 84 | Barcelona | Europe | $2,307 | 9/10 | 300 Mbps | 7/10 |
| 85 | Tulum | North America | $2,345 | 6.8/10 | 80 Mbps | 6/10 |
| 86 | Tokyo | Asia | $2,575 | 8.5/10 | 180 Mbps | 9.5/10 |
| 87 | Paris | Europe | $2,701 | 7.5/10 | 200 Mbps | 7/10 |
| 88 | San Juan | North America | $2,720 | 7.5/10 | 180 Mbps | 6/10 |
| 89 | Amsterdam | Europe | $2,915 | 7.8/10 | 300 Mbps | 8/10 |
| 90 | Singapore | Asia | $2,930 | 8.2/10 | 500 Mbps | 10/10 |
| 91 | Dubai | Asia | $3,185 | 8/10 | 250 Mbps | 9/10 |
| 92 | Reykjavik | Europe | $3,685 | 7/10 | 250 Mbps | 10/10 |
Costs are monthly USD estimates for a solo nomad. Exchange rates as of May 2026. Click any city for the full guide including neighborhood breakdowns and step-by-step playbooks.
Cities by budget tier
Ultra budget
Under $1,000/month · 31 citiesBudget
Under $1,500/month · 28 citiesModerate
Under $2,500/month · 26 citiesComfortable
Under $4,000/month · 7 citiesBuild your exact budget for any city
Adjust rent, coworking days, and dining preferences to get a budget that reflects how you actually live — not average estimates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which city has the lowest cost of living for digital nomads?
Baguio is the most affordable city in our database at $648/month. This includes a studio rental, coworking, groceries, eating out, transport, and a basic SIM — all at local prices. Other ultra-affordable options include Da Nang and Tirana.
What is the average cost of living for digital nomads?
Across all 92 cities in our database, the average monthly cost of living for a digital nomad is $1,428. This includes studio rent, coworking, groceries, eating out, local transport, and a data SIM — but not flights, travel insurance, or entertainment. Southeast Asia averages significantly below this; Western Europe and North America run well above it.
What is the best value city for digital nomads?
Value is subjective, but if you measure it as high nomad score per dollar spent, Baguio tops the list. It offers a nomad score of 7/10 at just $648/month — fast internet, solid safety, and an established nomad community at a fraction of the cost of comparable European cities.
Is Southeast Asia really cheaper than Latin America for nomads?
Yes — Southeast Asia averages $1,253/month across our tracked cities, compared to $1,276/month for Latin America. The cheapest individual cities globally are concentrated in Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand), but Latin America offers significantly more cities in the $1,200–$1,800 range with better visa access for Americans.
How does the Cost Index calculate monthly costs?
Each city's monthly cost estimate includes: a private studio apartment in a nomad-friendly neighborhood (not city center, not slum), a coworking day pass × 22 days, weekly grocery shops, eating out 4×/week at local restaurants, local transport (metro or bus pass), and a local SIM with data. It does not include: international flights, travel insurance, gym (listed separately), entertainment, or alcohol. All costs are in USD at 2026 exchange rates.
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