[Updated: 22nd January 2018]

Playa del Carmen is becoming a popular digital nomads destination, and for a good reason. The sun, reasonable cost of living, the beach, and a small community of digital nomads make Playa (as the locals and expats call it) a very attractive place to reside for a period of time.

There are many cafes with wifi in Playa del Carmen, especially along 5th and 10th avenue and its vicinity. Here are my favorite digital nomad-friendly cafes in Playa del Carmen, based on the atmosphere of the cafe, the wifi and the food.

Chou Chou Cafe

This is one of my favorite cafes in Playa del Carmen. Chou Chou cafe is a relatively new restaurant and cafe with an environmental consciousness. Even the wifi password translates to “There is no trash”!

Chou Chou cafe has a well designed open space with beautiful decor, and I spent hours working here. There are seats both indoors and outdoors, but it is more comfortable working indoors in order to avoid the afternoon sun beating down on you and your laptop.

The wifi speed is pretty fast and there are plugs available at some of the tables. The staff had no issues with me working for hours at the cafe, especially on weekday afternoons when the cafe is less busy.

Av. 20 con calle 24 norte, Centro

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Ah Cacao Chocolate Cafe

Ah Cacao is a local chain of coffee shops with several branches in Playa, including two branches located along Fifth Avenue, the main tourist strip. They are also known for their chocolate drinks and various chocolate products, including chocolate bars and cookies.

I worked out of the branch on 5th Avenue between 38th Street and 40th Street as it has a bigger space and many more tables available. For a stronger wifi signal, you would want to sit as close as possible to the shop. There are some plugs available but not every table has plus.

5th Avenue between 38th Street and 40th Street

5th Avenue and 30th Street

Near the intersection 5th Avenue and Constituyentes Avenue

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Starbucks at Plaza Quinta Alegria

Starbucks is not my favorite place to work out from, but admittedly the Starbucks in Playa do have fast wifi that you can access without a password (don’t forget to use VPN to protect your data!).

There are comfortable seats in the outdoor area, and the wifi speed averages around 29.21 Mbps download and 9.01 Mbps upload. I did not notice any plugs close to my table, however, there might be plugs for the tables inside.

You would want to avoid working here on weekends or in the evenings as it gets packed and noisy.

Calle Quinta Avenida. Mz 35., Centro

[Update: 22nd January 2018] The wifi out of Starbucks on Quinta Avenida (the main strip) is good enough for blogging, email, and internet surfing. It is not password-protected so if you wish to work at a cafe without purchasing any food or drinks, Starbucks is the cafe to be!

Kaxapa Factory

Kaxapa Factory is a popular Venezuelan restaurant with a comfortable dining area, great food, and friendly staff. This is a great place to come for lunch (they open at 2 pm) and work. Most food items range from 50 pesos-120 pesos and drinks are 25 pesos each.

The wifi speed averages around 8.91 Mbps upload and 0.51 Mbps download, and there are some plugs available.

Calle 10 Nte. SN Local 7, Centro

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Get Your Travel Insurance

Don’t forget to purchase travel insurance whether you are a short term or long term traveler. Things can go bad suddenly and you don’t wanna get stuck with thousands of dollars in medical bills. We recommend World Nomads.

Hopefully this information will help you plan and find the best digital nomad-friendly cafes in Playa del Carmen!