Welcome, to Mérida, Mexico. The largest city of the Yucatan peninsula and the capital of the Yucatan State. A colonial city founded in 1542, Mérida’s economy is growing at three times the rate of the national average and shows no signs of stopping. The White City is finally gaining the notoriety it deserves.
This capital of culture will be a place that will be on traveler’s radars for years to come. The Bros spent over 2 months living in this incredible city and want to share our top 5 reasons Mérida, Mexico is a great digital nomad destination.
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1. Location
Mérida is a regional hub of activity connected to countless places to explore and discover. It is extremely accessible by land and air to other parts of the region, and very easily reached from Mexico City or the US.
Fancy a world-class beach? Visiting the Maya Riviera can easily be done in just a few hours on a quick weekend trip by the many buses that depart daily. Need the beach now?! You’ll find Progreso, a sleepy beach town just 40 minutes away.
There are said to be at least 6,000 cenotes in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. Making Mérida your home base is an excellent way to discover the many natural swimming holes in the area.
Some of the most incredible Mayan ruins in the world are within very close reach of Mérida. Dzibilchaltun, Chichen Itza, and Uxmal are all within an hour and a half drive!
On top of that, there’s an excess of quality Airbnb listings. Costs here are also much lower relative to other foreign ex-pat communities in Mexico. It’s safe to say Mérida’s location to all the amazing things in the surrounding area makes it a great digital nomad destination.
2. Excellent Internet
Nearly every digital nomad relies on the internet for their job and staying connected is no issue here. The awesome internet connections throughout the city make Mérida a great destination for a digital nomad.
With high-speed upload and download speeds, fast internet is easy to come by in coworking spaces and cafes. You hardly have to walk more than a couple of blocks to find internet access.
The National Institute of Statistics and Geography currently has Mérida ranked in the top ten of the most connected cities throughout Mexico. Fancy staying connected outside? Wi-Fi is even available in 50 so or more city parks. This currently includes the Plaza Grande, Parque San Juan, Parque de las Américas, and Parque Zoológico del Centenario.
🌎 Bros Tip: If you are on a fixed budget and do not want to invest in a SIM card for your phone, wi-fi is so prevalent around the city, you probably could get by without even purchasing one. However, we found it very helpful to have one for grabbing Ubers and finding the best tacos on the go. A solid plan will only cost you around $10 a month, and around $10 for the actual SIM card itself.
3. Yucatecan Cuisine
The influence of the ancient Mayans can be felt through all aspects of life in the Yucatan. And there’s no better way to connect with the history of the region than through its many flavors. If you’re talking about the gastronomy of Mexico, it would be impossible to leave out the culinary art of Yucatecan cuisine.
With its own style, distinctly different from the Mexican food most are familiar with. Aside from the Mayan influence, many dishes emerged from Caribbean, Spanish, African, and Middle Eastern cultures, and even including other parts of Mexico.
Staple ingredients include pumpkin seed, oregano, red onion, sour orange, sweet chili, tomato, achiote, xcatic chile, and the fiery habanero pepper.
Some recommendations for can’t miss culinary delights during your stay are Chilaquiles, Huevos Motulenos, Queso Relleno, Relleno Negro, Cochinita Pibil, Poc Chuc, Salbutes, and Marquesitas. Check out picks for the best tacos!
4. Unique Heritage & Culture
Mérida was the first city to ever win the Cultural Capital of the Americas award and has since won it twice (2000 and 2017). With cultural events held every night in parks and venues throughout the city, they are striving to keep their culture alive and passed on. These events are certainly planned to resume once covid is a thing of the past.
The city of Mérida even has days devoted to dance and musical performances at the Plaza Grande. Mérida’s passion for all forms of culture can even be found in its many museums. You can simply feel the culture just by taking a walk down the street.
Mérida takes a bohemian approach. Many of their cultural attractions were inaugurated for the local people and not as tourist attractions. The ability to connect with culture is during your stay makes Mérida a great digital nomad destination.
5. Safety
According to statistics, Mérida is the safest city in the Yucatan state! It’s also considered the safest city in the entire country of Mexico. Consistently named the safest in Latin America and all of North America, it currently ranks at number two next to Quebec City, Canada on the most recent list.
Safer than any city in the United States, the White City sits at the 21st spot on the global list and is one of the reasons why Mérida, Mexico is a great digital nomad destination.
Of course, bad things can happen anywhere and anyone could get pickpocketed if you’re not careful of your surroundings. But what we’re saying is the chances of something terrible occurring here are very low. You can feel safe walking the street at night. No matter race, color, creed, or sexuality, Mérida will welcome you with open arms, safely.
Take the good with the not so bad! No place is perfect, so here a few things to keep in mind before you take off to Mérida…
- It can get extremely warm in the hot season that lasts from April until June. If you don’t have AC it could be unbearable. It’s also known to be very humid in March-August.
- There are mosquitos that get slightly annoying, but you get used to them. Waking up and wanting to itch new mozzie bites on your body can be the worst. Some repellent might be nice if you’re spending a lot of time outside.
- There are a lot of dogs in the region. Sometimes it feels like they just never want to stop barking. It could just have been the neighborhood we were in or the not-so-friendly dogs at the surrounding houses. But, it seems as every time we walked past a residence or private business there was a dog just waiting to attack and bark.
- Then there are the sidewalks. They could use a little work. You’ll encounter some treacherous sidewalks throughout the city. It still is a very walkable city but you may want to re-think open-toed shoes when you’re going for a stroll. The sidewalks can be quite uneven, so you’ll need to keep your wits about you.
- The tourism high season is from November to April. Because winter-weary snowbirds of Canada and the USA flock to the Yucatán, things may be a little busy during this time.
Merida has everything a digital nomad or long-term traveler could want out of a home base. Settling here for a few weeks or months will make you feel right at home. No matter where you’re from, Mérida is an awesome place to base yourself if you’re looking to work and travel.
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Plan your stay in Mérida! Get some inspiration for your trip from our posts on the Capital City of the Yucatán:
- Where to Eat the BEST Tacos in Mérida
- What You Should Know Before Visiting the Tulum Ruins
- Visiting the Underrated Mayan Ruins of Dzibilchaltún
- What You Get for $10 at Mérida’s Lucas De Galvez Market
- How to Get to Chichén Itzá From Mérida
- How to Visit the Yellow City of Izamal for just $5!
- More Than Just A Tour Guide: An Unexpected Mayan Spiritual Experience at Uxmal
- Why Antigua, Guatemala is a Great Digital Nomad Location
READY TO CHOOSE MÉRIDA AS YOUR NEXT DIGITAL NOMAD DESTINATION?
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