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Everyone knows Latin America is a no-brainer for digital nomads: infrastructure and safety issues aside, it offers a good enough quality of life for maybe half the usual budget, year-round pleasant temps, not to mention the culture and friendly locals.
For that reason, nomads tend to believe the good far outweighs the bad, but what if we told you there are certain places where corruption and crime aren’t as widespread, and you can both enjoy the upsides of LatAm life and live worry-free?
Here are 5 safe Latin American cities that you may be sleeping on as a remote worker and that are rising fast in popularity this year:
Viña del Mar, Chile
Straddling the unusually long coastline of Chile, Viña del Mar is a resort city licked by the azure Pacific and highly sought-after by Chileans themselves for its wide, sandy beaches bordered by high-rise buildings, casinos, and historical monuments.
It has a palm tree-lined promenade, a romantic Wulff Castle, inspired by European fortifications and built as far back as 1906, and in the South American summer, at its peak right now, Quinta Vergara Park is a lush oasis for unwinding after a long, laborious day.
As a nomad, the beachside zone is the best district to be based as a foreigner, namely streets just off the busy San Martín and Libertad thoroughfares: it’s fairly walkable, well-catered by convenience shops and cafes, and don’t forget the ocean breeze.
Safety-wise, Chile is definitely on the least-risky end of the spectrum, despite the occasional disruptive protest and petty theft, though Viña del Mar, in particular, is considered to be safer than the capital Santiago and fellow beach hotspot Valparaíso.
Asuncion, Paraguay
The capital city of the landlocked nation of Paraguay, Asunción lines a fast-flowing Paraguay River, which cuts across the country, and it’s best known for its colonial-era city center, dotted with monumental edifices and museums.
López Palace ranks among the stateliest and most impressive official seats of Government in the New World, and the National Pantheon of Heroes is modeled after Rome’s own, housing the remains of some of the most emblematic Paraguayans to have existed.
If you’re a street food enthusiast, Mercado Municipal has rows upon rows of stalls selling sopa paraguaya and pastel mandi’o, and the city’s overall affordability also plays a part in its current trendiness: you can eat for as cheap as $4 in local restaurants.
As for safety, pickpocketing and scamming are rife, but most of the crime is nonviolent, and can be easily thwarted by exercising certain precautions, such as keeping valuables out of sight––iPhones in pockets and no flashing that smart watch!––and avoiding suburban areas.
Córdoba, Argentina
Buenos Aires’ less-famous yet equally beautiful sister, Córdoba, is a bustling metropolis over 3 million residents call home––among them, an increasing number of expats and nomads looking to beat BA’s volatile prices and dollarized markets.
As it pertains to culture, it lays claim to Manzana Jesuítica, a large Jesuit complex comprising 17th-century cloisters and churches, the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, one of the oldest in South America, and a Neo-Baroque cathedral.
Its many plazas, dating back to the period of colonial rule, are bordered by laid-back eateries and cozy cafes, with Shiok in particular hosting meetups and serving delicious coffee, and between inexpensive rent and affordable eating, monthly costs average $1,439.
Similarly to Buenos Aires, Córdoba is very safe by Latin American standards: that means violent crime isn’t widespread, and your main concern as a foreigner is the fear of bag-snatchers and avoiding carrying around large sums of money.
Montevideo, Uruguay
The compact, vibrant-all-the-same capital of Uruguay, Montevideo is a conurbation unfolding along the natural Montevideo Bay, centered around a colonial Plaza de la Independencia and boasting a high concentration of markets and cultural gems.
The Ciudad Vieja (Old Town) is packed with Spanish-era landmarks, including the remains of a citadel, and if you’re a lover of architecture, Montevideo’s eclectic collection of buildings, ranging from art deco to Renaissance to Neo-Gothic will take your breath away.
With its many steakhouses, Mercado del Puerto is great for grabbing a bite to eat, and if you’re looking for a more intellectual environment to get some work done, and one that exudes Old World charm, at that, the coffee shop at Libreria Puro Verso is where to go.
When it comes to safety, you know how it goes: violence affecting foreigners is almost completely unheard of, but you shouldn’t let your guard down in public spaces if you intend on leaving Uruguay with your MacBook.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
