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7 Places Where You Can Live for Less Than $700/Month as a Digital Nomad

What if one month of rent at home could cover an entire month of living abroad—apartment, street food, weekend adventures and all?

For a lot of people, that sounds like fantasy. But if you’re a digital nomad (or aspiring one), there are still cities where a single person can live on less than $700 a month with a simple, local-forward lifestyle. No luxury skylofts, no bottle service… just a small place, good Wi-Fi, local food, and enough left over to actually enjoy where you are.

This guide walks you through seven places where that kind of budget is realistic if you’re intentional. We’ll cover what $700/month really means, rough budget examples, and the tradeoffs you’ll need to make.

 

Quick note: all numbers are estimates. Costs change, and your budget will depend on how you live. Always do your own research before you book a one-way ticket.

In this article:

Can You Really Live Abroad on $700/Month?

How These Cities Made the List

7 Cities Where You Can Live for Less Than $700/Month

How to Actually Hit a $700/Month Budget Abroad

Arequipa, Peru and Da Nang, Vietnam / Canva

Can You Really Live Abroad on $700/Month?

Short answer: yes, in some cities, if you keep things lean.

Here’s what “$700/month” usually looks like for a solo digital nomad:

  • Modest studio or a room in a shared apartment
  • Mostly local food, with the occasional restaurant or café
  • Local transport (buses, scooters, walking), not constant Ubers
  • Basic entertainment and “fun money,” but no wild spending


What it does not include:

  • Flights in and out
  • Visa runs or long-stay visa fees
  • Big emergency expenses
  • Top-end neighborhoods or luxury buildings

 

Think of $700 as a base lifestyle that buys you time: time to build your business, freelance income, or creative projects without burning all of it on rent back home.

How These Cities Made the List

There’s no single magic dataset, so this list combines:

  • Cost-of-living aggregators (Numbeo, Nomad List, etc.)
  • Expat and digital nomad reports
  • Realistic assumptions about a lean but livable lifestyle


To be included, a city needed to:

  • Offer modest apartments/rooms cheap enough that your total could plausibly sit at or below $600–700/month, and
  • Have at least decent infrastructure for remote workers (Wi-Fi, cafés, basic safety, etc.)


You’ll see a mix of classic nomad hubs and underrated, second-tier cities where locals—not tourists—set the prices.

Ipoh, Malaysia, Photographer: Sun_Shine / Shutterstock

7 Cities Where You Can Live for Less Than $700/Month

Ipoh, Malaysia – Underrated Gem with Sub-$700 Potential

Most people think “Kuala Lumpur or Penang” for Malaysia. Ipoh quietly offers one of the lowest cost-of-living setups in the country.

Why it works on a $700 budget

  • Housing: Modest local apartments often land in the $250–350/month range.
  • Food: Hawker centers and markets keep food reasonably priced—$200–230/month is realistic if you go local.
  • Infrastructure: Utilities, Wi-Fi, and transport are inexpensive compared to Western standards, and often total $120 or less if you’re careful.


Lifestyle vibe

  • Slower pace than KL, with great food, colonial architecture, and nearby nature.
  • Good English levels and solid infrastructure.
  • Less “nomad hype,” more live-like-a-local energy.


How to actually stay under $700

  • Avoid the newest expat-focused high-rises.
  • Stick to local eateries and markets most of the time.
  • Use buses and Grab selectively instead of treating them like default.
Arequipa, Peru, Photographer: Jess Kraft / Shutterstock

Arequipa, Peru – High-Altitude Charm at a Low Price

Arequipa gives you a beautiful historic center, mountain views, and one of the lowest city budgets in Peru.

Why it works on a $700 budget

  • Rent: A room in a shared place or simple one-bedroom outside the most touristy pockets often runs $200–260/month.
  • Food: Local markets, menus of the day, and cooking at home can keep you around $180–230/month for food.
  • Other costs: Utilities, Wi-Fi, local SIM, transport, and a bit of fun can round out the rest and still land near the $700 line.


Lifestyle vibe

  • Walkable historic center with plazas, cafés, and coworking options.
  • Mild climate—no intense heating or A/C costs for most of the year.
  • Close to incredible trekking and nature (Colca Canyon, volcanoes, etc.).


How to actually stay under $700

  • Share a flat or rent just outside the main tourist center.
  • Eat local menu del día lunches and shop at mercados.
  • Limit intercity travel and big-ticket excursions to once in a while.
Cochabamba, Bolivia / Canva

Cochabamba, Bolivia – Deep Value in South America

Bolivia is one of South America’s best value plays, and Cochabamba is a standout for cost vs. quality of life.

Why it works on a $700 budget

  • Housing: Simple apartments in non-luxury buildings can often be found in the $180–230/month range.
  • Food: Groceries and local meals are inexpensive, often landing a careful spender around $170–220/month.
  • Everything else: Utilities, internet, phone, buses, and some entertainment can be squeezed into the remaining budget if you keep things modest.


Lifestyle vibe

  • Known for a comfortable, “eternal spring” climate that keeps utility bills low.
  • Mostly local environment; you’ll see far fewer tourists than in La Paz or Sucre.
  • Great if you’re willing to use and improve your Spanish.


How to actually stay under $700

  • Live in local neighborhoods, not whatever “expat bubble” exists.
  • Rely on mercados and set-lunch restaurants.
  • Use public transport instead of taxis by default.
Bucaramanga, Colombia, Photographer: Jess Kraft / Shutterstock

Bucaramanga, Colombia – Green, Livable, and Affordable

Bucaramanga is rarely on the nomad radar, but it’s one of Colombia’s more affordable mid-sized cities.

Why it works on a $700 budget

  • Rent: A small one-bedroom or room in a shared apartment can sit in the $180–250/month range if you avoid the fanciest buildings.
  • Food: Groceries and local restaurants are generally cheap enough to keep food around $150–220/month for a simple lifestyle.
  • Other costs: Utilities, a phone plan, local buses, and a modest amount of fun can typically fit in the rest.


Lifestyle vibe

  • Nicknamed “The City of Parks” for a reason—lots of green spaces and a more relaxed feel than Bogota.
  • Far fewer foreigners than Medellín; Spanish goes a long way.
  • Real “live here” energy vs. highly touristed party scenes.


How to actually stay under $700

  • Find long-term rentals through local contacts instead of tourist-oriented platforms.
  • Save nightlife and big weekend trips for special occasions.
  • Cook more, snack out less.
Chiang Mai, Thailand, Photographer: Guitar photographer / Shutterstock

Chiang Mai, Thailand – Classic Nomad Hub on the Cheap


Chiang Mai is the OG digital nomad city for a reason: it blends affordability, convenience, and community.

Why it works on a $700 budget

  • Housing: Simple studios or rooms in shared apartments are commonly found in the $250–350/month range if you stay a bit out of the trendiest streets.
  • Food: If you lean on street food and markets, $200–250/month is very doable.
  • Other costs: Utilities, phone, Wi-Fi, transport, and extras can fit into the remaining budget if you keep nights out and weekend trips modest.


Lifestyle vibe

  • Tons of cafés where you can camp out with your laptop for a few hours.
  • Coworking spaces, meetups, and an established nomad ecosystem if you want community.
  • Mountains, temples, and nature close by for cheap weekend escapes.


How to actually stay under $700

  • Choose an older building or smaller studio over the shiny new condos.
  • Eat Thai food more than Western brunch.
  • Walk, bike, or use red songthaews rather than constant rideshares.
Pokhara, Nepal, Photographer: Jon Chica / Shutterstock

Pokhara, Nepal – Lakeside Living on a Shoestring

If you want mountain views, a big lake, and a super low monthly budget, Pokhara is quietly one of the best deals on the planet.

Why it works on a $700 budget

  • Overall costs are low: Cost-of-living trackers put the average cost for a single expat in Pokhara around $400–450/month, including basic housing and everyday expenses for a simple lifestyle.
  • Rent is seriously affordable: A one-bedroom apartment outside the city center often falls in the $90–120/month range, with small places in local neighborhoods sometimes not much higher than that.
  • Day-to-day living is cheap: Local food, markets, and basic services are all priced for locals, not tourists, which keeps groceries and eating out very friendly to a lean budget.


Lifestyle vibe

  • Laid-back lakeside city, framed by the Annapurna range, with a mix of trekking culture and chilled cafés.
  • Slower pace than Kathmandu, with cleaner air and easier access to nature.
  • Good spot if you want quiet focus time, outdoor breaks, and a low-distraction base to build your online work.


How to actually stay under $700

  • Live a bit away from the most touristy part of Lakeside and look for longer-term rentals.
  • Cook at home and treat restaurant meals as extras rather than the default.
  • Walk or use cheap local transport instead of constant taxis.
Da Nang, Vietnam, Photographer: Parilov / Shutterstock

Da Nang, Vietnam – Beach City on a Lean Budget

Da Nang gives you a legit city and a long, sandy beach, without the price tag of more famous Asian coastal spots.

Why it works on a $700 budget

  • Rent: Basic studios or smaller one-bedroom apartments can often be found in the $200–300/month range, especially a few blocks back from the beach.
  • Daily costs: Local food is inexpensive; markets and noodle spots can keep groceries and meals around $200–230/month.
  • Utilities & extras: With modest utilities, a local SIM, Wi-Fi, and scooters/public transport, many solo nomads find it realistic to sit under that $700 mark.


Lifestyle vibe

  • A laid-back coastal city with a growing expat and nomad population.
  • Strong café scene and a handful of coworking spaces.
  • Easy access to Hoi An and central Vietnam for weekend trips.


How to actually stay under $700

  • Say no to high-end, ocean-view expat condos.
  • Eat Vietnamese more than Western and limit nightly bar tabs.
  • Negotiate rent directly with local landlords for longer stays.

How to Actually Hit a $700/Month Budget Abroad

Seeing numbers on a screen is one thing. Living them is another. To realistically keep your costs under $700, you’ll need to be intentional in a few areas:

1. Housing is Everything

  • Look for local-style apartments or rooms in shared flats, not high-end condos.
  • Be willing to live a bit outside the main tourist or expat neighborhoods.
  • Negotiate for longer stays (1–3 months or more) to get better rates.


2. Eat Like a Local

  • Make markets, street food, and local lunch spots your default.
  • Cook simple meals at home and treat Western restaurants as “special occasion” places.
  • Say yes to local dishes that are cheap and filling.


3. Slow Down Your Travel

  • Every new city means new deposits, higher short-term rents, and transportation costs.
  • Slow travel (staying 1–3+ months per place) keeps your monthly average down and your work rhythm steady.


4. Track Every Expense (At Least for a Month)

  • Use a simple spreadsheet or a basic app.
  • For the first month, track everything—even the $1 snacks.
  • Adjust in real time instead of getting surprised at the end.


5. Don’t Forget Visas & Insurance

  • Long-stay visas, border runs, and travel/health insurance can push your true cost above $700.
  • Build those into your annual budget, even if they don’t show up in the month-to-month numbers.

So… Is $700/Month Enough to Live Abroad?

For a single person who’s willing to live modestly, absolutely—in certain cities and with the right mindset.

A $700/month life abroad usually means:

  • Smaller, simpler apartments
  • Fewer nights out and fancy brunches
  • More local food, local transport, and slow weekends
  • In exchange, you get time—time to build a business, freelance career, or passion project without your rent eating everything.


So how do you get started? Don’t just scroll this and go back to your regular rent.

Pick one city from this list that actually sparked something in you. Then:

  1. Look up current rental listings for studios or flat-shares there.
  2. Price out groceries, SIM cards, and coworking/café options.
  3. Run those numbers against what you’re paying right now.


You might find that “someday I’ll live abroad” isn’t a lottery dream—it’s just a different spreadsheet.