First of all, I am not staying in luxury hotels. My goal when escaping California was to spend less cash but experience more. To me, my millionaire lifestyle is more about seeing more of the world. That being said, I’m still not staying in dangerous or off-the-grid neighborhoods. My top priorities for destinations are:
- Safety
- Wifi Speed
- Walkability
- Culture
- Cost
Also, I’m not really into designer shopping, clubbing, or high-end accommodations. But I’m sure, by using my methods, you can find the price point that you are looking for.
My first elimination of cities started here. Number one. I had to be able to work remotely in a city with good WiFi infrastructure. I used a combination of 2 sites to choose the top 12 cities to look at in Mexico. The first elimination factor was if there was not world-class internet.
Digital Nomads World
https://digitalnomads.world/ – I love the clean way to look at each city with icons signifying clear cost of living
Nomad List
https://nomadlist.com/ – Same clear visual city guide searches with cost of living, weather, and digital dependability right on the thumbnail.
Airbnb
This has been my go-to site for finding rentals. The site has many filters for finding the locations, dates, and amenities I’m looking for. I have to admit, I haven’t used other sites as much as I would like but it’s the most user-friendly for me so far.
Discover how to get anywhere
Rome2Rio. An amazing resource on all transportation options between destinations. Simply enter your departure and destination, and you’ll receive comprehensive information on transportation options, including companies, routes, and prices, to help you reach your desired destination.
Google Maps
I use it 30 times a day but for this stage, I use it to measure walking distance to the city center, the best attractions and I choose my final rental based on the research I do here.
Hood Maps
https://hoodmaps.com/playa-del-carmen-neighborhood-map. I check this site to confirm I will be staying in a safe neighborhood. The site is a crowd sourced and tells you good and bad areas on the map to stay.
Youtube
There are many great youtube travel channels. Once I am set for a city, I make a playlist things to see, do and eat in that city. Youtube.com
Trip Advisor
A treasure of information and reviews for any destination. I have taken many amazing tours through this site. It is especially great for finding restaurants. Tripadvisor.com
Booking.com
I’ve used more for booking things like airport shuttle to or from the Airbnb. It’s much less stressful to have a taxi arranged before arriving at an airport for the first time. link to Site
Facebook Groups
Just before arrival or once I arrive in a city, I’ll join local Facebook groups to hear about things to do in the area.