Destination comparison
Compare up to five destinations
| Cartagena Colombia | Medellín Colombia | Playa del Carmen Mexico | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backpacker daily | $43 | $38 | $50 |
| Mid-range daily | $116 | $95 | $135 |
| Comfortable daily | $255 | $208 | $280 |
| Monthly rent (estimate) | $800 | $750 | $1,000 |
| November avg high / rain | 31°C / 131 mm | 27°C / 147 mm | 30°C / 132 mm |
| Best months | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr | Dec, Jan, Feb, Jun, Jul, Aug | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr |
| Internet (typical Mbps) | 60 | 120 | 60 |
| U.S. advisory level | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Long-stay visa | As Colombia | 90+90 days; Visa V Nomada Digital (up to 2 years) | As Mexico |
| Backpacking fit | |||
| Gap years fit | |||
| Digital nomads fit | |||
| World travel fit | |||
| FIRE travel fit | |||
| Career breaks fit | |||
| Older backpackers fit | |||
| Cost | 2.9/5 derived | 5.0/5 derived | 1.0/5 derived |
| Climate | 4.4/5 derived | 4.2/5 derived | 4.4/5 derived |
| Safety | 2.0/5 official | 2.0/5 official | 3.5/5 official |
| Social opportunities | 4.0/5 editorial | 5.0/5 editorial | 4.0/5 editorial |
| Transport | 2.0/5 editorial | 4.0/5 editorial | 3.0/5 editorial |
| Internet quality | 3.0/5 editorial | 4.0/5 editorial | 4.0/5 editorial |
| Long-term accommodation | 3.0/5 editorial | 5.0/5 editorial | 3.0/5 editorial |
| Food | 4.0/5 editorial | 3.0/5 editorial | 3.0/5 editorial |
| Nightlife | 5.0/5 editorial | 5.0/5 editorial | 4.0/5 editorial |
| Hiking | 1.0/5 editorial | 4.0/5 editorial | 1.0/5 editorial |
| Beaches | 3.0/5 editorial | n/a | 5.0/5 editorial |
| Walkability | 5.0/5 editorial | 3.0/5 editorial | 4.0/5 editorial |
| Digital nomad suitability | 3.0/5 editorial | 5.0/5 editorial | 4.0/5 editorial |
| Backpacker friendliness | 4.0/5 editorial | 4.0/5 editorial | 3.0/5 editorial |
| Equal-weight index | 58 | 77 | 59 |
Costs are dated editorial estimates (see each destination page); climate from WMO normals; safety from the U.S. State Department advisory level; other metrics are editorial assessments labelled as such. “n/a” means we hold no defensible figure.