The Ultimate Puerto Vallarta Digital Nomad Guide [2023]

Considering becoming a digital nomad in Puerto Vallarta? It’s a great choice!

I’ve been living on and off in PV for the last two years, and it is easily my favorite nomad destination.

Mexico is quickly becoming a favorite country for remote workers with fast Wi-Fi, fantastic weather, rich culture, and many incredible cities to live in.

While Puerto Vallarta is not as well-known as other beach towns like Tulum or Cancun, it’s growing in popularity as more nomads discover the city’s magic.

If you’re considering the city your new home base, this guide has everything you need to know about being a Puerto Vallarta digital nomad.

Why live In Puerto Vallarta?

While it may seem touristy on the surface, Puerto Vallarta has a lot to offer digital nomads in Mexico.

Walk around the cobblestone streets of Centro, and you’ll discover how charming the city is.

Puerto Vallarta is on the Pacific Coast of Mexico on the Bay of Banderas, one of the biggest in the world. That gives way to some incredible opportunities for outdoor recreation!

You can find wonderful beaches right in the heart of the city and ample water-based activities for some fun after work. With the Sierra Madre mountains as the backdrop, it’s a paradise for hiking too.

In addition, Mexico boasts one of the best cuisines in the world that you’ll enjoy at the many restaurants here.

As there’s a growing scene of digital nomads and established expats, you’ll find it easy to make friends in Puerto Vallarta immediately.

And not just with foreigners either. Mexicans are incredibly welcoming, and the longer you stay here, the more they’ll integrate you into the community.

Puerto Vallarta makes a great base to explore other parts of Mexico too.

There are day trips to surf and mountain towns, or grab a quick flight from the airport and explore an entirely new part of Mexico for a weekend.

As one of the top gay destinations in Latin America, Puerto Vallarta is a mecca for LGBTQ+ travelers.

Zona Romantica is the gay neighborhood where you’ll find fantastic nightlife and new friends.

My personal experience In Puerto Vallarta

I wasn’t expecting to live in Puerto Vallarta. Mexico wasn’t even on my radar, yet it ended up being the place I can’t stop going back to.

As soon as I moved here, I felt the magic of Puerto Vallarta (which everyone will tell you about). There’s just something about this place.

I made friends almost instantly, which led to one of my favorite friend groups I’ve ever met traveling.

Every day living in Puerto Vallarta, I had to spend some time thinking about how grateful I was to be there.

Every aspect of my life improved while I was there, and I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.

Visa for Puerto Vallarta Mexico

It’s easy to come to Mexico as a digital nomad because many nationalities (including Canadians and Americans) are given a six-month tourist visa on arrival.

And if you want to stay longer, you can do a visa run to a neighboring country like Belize or Guatemala and get another six months on arrival when you come back.

Mexican immigration has cracked down on this in the last year, and many travelers flying into Mexico city are reporting getting 90 days or less. However, most people who fly directly into Puerto Vallarta still get 180 days.

If you are interested in living in Mexico for more than six months without worrying about doing visa runs, you can apply for the Mexico Temporary Resident Visa.

This visa is what most of my friends here have, and the process is relatively painless as far as visas go.

The visa is initially approved for one year and can be renewed for another 1 to 3 years to a maximum of 4.

If you completely fall in love with Mexico, you can apply for a Permanent Residence Visa after four years.

Puerto Vallarta during Covid-19

Mexico has been one of the most open destinations during the pandemic. Aside from a passenger information form, there are no entry requirements to get into Mexico.

While living in Puerto Vallarta during Covid-19, most things were business as usual.

Masks were required in indoor spaces, and some people wear them on the streets, but things felt relatively normal aside from that and the usual dose of hand sanitizer.

Where to live in Puerto Vallarta

While Zone Romantica or El Centro is the most convenient area to live in if you want to be near nightlife, shops, and restaurants, it’s also the most expensive.

Many digital nomads rent accommodations in the hotel zone, Las Glorias, or Versailles, as rent tends to be considerably cheaper and it’s quieter.

In addition, transportation is affordable, so even if you’re using Uber most nights, it’s still likely to cost you less than the difference in rent would.

One of the most popular neighborhoods is 5 di Deciembre, between Zone Romantica and Versalles.

You can find great deals on rent here, and it’s still close to the beach, restaurants, bars, shops, and cafes with wifi.

Read more: Best areas for digital nomads to Live in Puerto Vallarta

Getting an apartment in Puerto Vallarta

If you are moving to Puerto Vallarta and don’t have anyone to look at apartments for you, it’s best to book a short-term rental first, so you can become familiar with the neighborhoods before deciding where you want to live long-term.

VRBO or Airbnb is the easiest way to find apartments, but you’ll pay about a huge markup from the actual cost.

So instead, book it for a few nights and try to talk with the host directly about renting it longer term. You can also try this Facebook group.

You can find cheaper places by calling numbers posted on apartment buildings. Look for signs on apartments that say “Se Renta” and communicate directly with the landlord.

The only thing to know about this approach is that you’ll need to know Spanish reasonably well, as most landlords don’t speak English.

Outsite is launching a co-living Space in Puerto Vallarta, which you can sign up for notifications about here.

Read more: How to find long-term rentals in Puerto Vallarta

Internet in Puerto Vallarta

The internet in Puerto Vallarta can be hit or miss, but there are plenty of places where you can find fast WiFi.

Just be warned that not all Airbnbs or apartments come with it, so be sure to check before committing to a place long-term. Get them to send you a screenshot of a speed test!

Thankfully, there are quite a few co-working spaces and cafes with great Wi-Fi where you can go to work if your apartment doesn’t meet your needs.

This happened to me while living in Puerto Vallarta the first winter, and I actually really enjoyed the separation of home and work.

You can easily get a SIM card in Puerto Vallarta with 4g internet, which can be a good backup by using it as a hotspot to your computer. You can buy them at any Oxxo (convenient store).

I paid $25 for 8g of data with Telcel, which lasted over a month as most social apps are unlimited use with the package.

Co-working spaces and cafes in Puerto Vallarta

This post goes into more detail about the co-working spaces and cafes available in Puerto Vallarta. I spent a month in Natureza, which only cost me $45.

Vallarta CoWork is another popular one, which offers monthly memberships for $145.

If you don’t want to use a co-working space, some great cafes for working are Green Place, Calamata, and Litten Brod.

Best Facebook groups for digital nomads in Puerto Vallarta

Facebook groups are one of the easiest ways to integrate into the digital nomad community in Puerto Vallarta.

This group is for digital nomads in Puerto Vallarta. It’s a great place to ask questions and network with other nomads. They also host regular coworking, networking, and happy hour events.

‘Young & Fun Expats of Puerto Vallarta‘ is a community of young people (20-40) who have moved to Puerto Vallarta. They host regular events, and it’s a great place to meet others if you’re looking for a party.

This group is a general group about Puerto Vallarta. You can ask just about anything here, and someone will point you in the right direction.

There are also some Whatsapp groups, but I don’t recommend joining these until you’re actually here as they get flooded with messages of people making plans to hang out.

Lifestyle and staying active in Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta is a party town. Walk along the Malecon, and you’ll see tourists from all over the world frequenting the bars and restaurants.

The parties here also go late into the night, with many clubs open until 5 am.

All that said, there are plenty of opportunities to live an active and healthy lifestyle in Puerto Vallarta, with access to the Pacific Ocean and Sierra Madre Mountains.

There are many hiking trails nearby the city, and many nomads walk up to the Mirador (viewpoint) in town as their daily exercise. You can also go swimming, diving, or surfing in nearby beach towns.

If you want to go to a gym, they are affordable too.

For example, I paid $30 for a one-month gym membership, including daily fitness classes, weights, and equipment.

If I were willing to commit to a 3-month membership, it would have been only 500 pesos a month ($25).

There are also lots of interesting fitness classes you can try, including pole dancing, kickboxing, and of course, yoga. I LOVED Terra Nuble Yoga Studio.

It’s on a hill overlooking Puerto Vallarta, and the view can’t be beaten. They also offer weekly Temazcal ceremonies, which is a quintessential experience to have.

Many digital nomads get together a few times to play volleyball.

Finally, many digital nomads stay fit in Puerto Vallarta by taking salsa classes or just heading out to a salsa club at night!

Cost of living in Puerto Vallarta as a digital nomad

Your cost of living will depend on your lifestyle, but most Puerto Vallarta digital nomads spend about 1000-2000 USD a month.

Your biggest expenses will be apartment rentals, which you save significantly on by staying a few months and not booking directly on Airbnb.

Eating and drinking are relatively cheap, and there are plenty of free things to do here.

I break down my exact costs of living in Puerto Vallarta as a digital nomad in this post.

Speaking Spanish in Puerto Vallarta

It’s easy to get by in Puerto Vallarta without speaking Spanish, but having some knowledge of the language will definitely enrich your experience.

Most service workers will speak English to you, so the best way to practice is by making some local friends!

If you’re living in Puerto Vallarta, it’s the perfect opportunity to learn Spanish! I took group classes at Spanish School Vallarta, in the 5 di Diciembre neighborhood.

While I enjoyed the classes, I felt that I could have benefited more from private lessons as I just wanted to practice conversations. This is what a lot of my friends did.

There are many locals offering private lessons, and it seems the rate is around $15/hour.

Is Puerto Vallarta safe?

Unfortunately, because of the media (most of which is inaccurate), many people write off Mexico because they think it is too dangerous to visit, let alone live in.

This is just not true, especially in Puerto Vallarta. Overall, it’s a fun, friendly, and safe place to visit that welcomes millions of visitors every year who have a fantastic time.

Since it’s one of the main tourism destinations in the country, crime rates are much lower than in other parts of Mexico, as well as many cities in the U.S.! Like any city, you should take some basic safety precautions to avoid petty theft.

Read more: Is Puerto Vallarta Safe?

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I hope this guide could inspire you to choose Puerto Vallarta for your next digital nomad destination!

Want more info about Puerto Vallarta? Check out these posts!

• Best Things to do in Puerto Vallarta
• When Is The Best Time to Visit Puerto Vallarta?
• Top Events and Festivals in Puerto Vallarta