Guadalajara vs El Tunco

πŸ’°
El Tunco saves you $300/month
πŸ“Ά
Guadalajara has 4x faster internet
🌑️
Temperate vs Tropical Monsoon climate
πŸ›‚
El Salvador offers a digital nomad visa

πŸ’° Cost of Living Breakdown

Monthly expenses comparison in USD

Expense
Guadalajara
El Tunco
Total Budget
$1,500/mo
$1,200/mo βœ“
Rent (1BR)
$800/mo
$400/mo βœ“
Coworking
$200/mo
N/A
Meal Out
$7
$3 βœ“
Coffee
$2.75
$2 βœ“
El Tunco is $300/mo cheaper (25% savings)

πŸ’» Remote Work Essentials

Internet, timezone, and language comparison

πŸ‡²πŸ‡½ Guadalajara
πŸ“Ά Internet100 Mbps
πŸ• TimezoneUTC-7
πŸ—£οΈ Englishmedium
πŸ›‚ Nomad VisaNot available
Working hours overlap:
πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ US West8h
πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ US East8h
πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ London4h
πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ Berlin3h
🌍 El Tunco
πŸ“Ά Internet25 Mbps
πŸ• TimezoneUTC-6
πŸ—£οΈ Englishmedium
πŸ›‚ Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ US West8h
πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ US East8h
πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ London5h
πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ Berlin4h

🌑️ Climate Comparison

Weather patterns and best times to visit

Guadalajara

ClimateTemperate
Avg Temp22Β°C
Rainy Days78/year
Best months: February, May, January, December

El Tunco

ClimateTropical Monsoon
Avg Temp28Β°C
Rainy Days191/year
Best months: January, February, March, December

Quarterly Temperatures

Jan
18Β°27Β°
Apr
24Β°29Β°
Jul
21Β°28Β°
Oct
21Β°27Β°
GuadalajaraEl Tunco

πŸ“Š Full Comparison

Category
πŸ‡²πŸ‡½Guadalajara
🌍El Tunco
πŸ’°
Monthly Budget
$1,500
$1,200
Winner
πŸ“Ά
Internet Speed
100 Mbps
Winner
25 Mbps
πŸ›‘οΈ
Safety
3.4/5
4/5
Winner
⭐
Nomad Score
4.1/10
4/10
🍽️
Food Scene
8/10
7/10
πŸŽ‰
Nightlife
8/10
8/10
🚢
Walkability
7/10
8/10
πŸ‘₯
Community
medium
medium
1
Guadalajara wins
vs
2
El Tunco wins

Which City is Right for You?

Recommendations based on your nomad style

πŸ’΅Budget Nomad
El Tunco

$300/mo cheaper with similar quality of life

πŸ’»Developer
Guadalajara

100 Mbps is essential for video calls & uploads

πŸ¦‹Social Butterfly
Either works

Similar social opportunities

πŸ›‘οΈSafety-First
El Tunco

Significantly higher safety rating

🍜Foodie
Either works

Both have great food scenes

πŸŽ‰Party Person
Either works

Both have great nightlife

πŸ‡²πŸ‡½Guadalajara

Pros
  • +Lower cost of living than Mexico City and beach resorts while still offering big-city infrastructure
  • +Fast fixed internet with multiple fibre providers and good cafΓ© WiFi in popular areas
  • +Pleasant climate with mild, sunny winters and warm but not extreme summers at altitude
  • +Strong cafΓ© culture in Colonia Americana and Providencia, with many laptop-friendly spots
Cons
  • βˆ’Spanish is dominant and English is not widely spoken outside younger and tourist-facing circles
  • βˆ’Some neighbourhoods feel unsafe at night and require normal big-city caution
  • βˆ’Public transport is improving but still limited; many residents rely on Uber or cars
  • βˆ’Rainy season in summer brings heavy afternoon downpours and occasional flooding

🌍El Tunco

Pros
  • +World-class surfing with consistent waves year-round
  • +Uses USD as official currency eliminating exchange hassles
  • +Very affordable cost of living for Central America
  • +Digital Nomad Visa available for up to 4 years tax-free
Cons
  • βˆ’No formal coworking spaces in town yet
  • βˆ’Internet can be unreliable especially during storms
  • βˆ’Very small town with limited amenities
  • βˆ’Party atmosphere may not suit everyone

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