This year, Nomad Deals is launching a new type of ranking. At the beginning of every quarter, we will rank major world cities by flight cost from North America.

This week, we’ll venture south of the U.S. border to Latin America. Later, we’ll review flights to Europe, Asia, and Africa.

This Week in Nomad Deals

• Philippines Nomad Visa: Lawmakers in Manila are putting the final touches on legislation to launch a 12-month Filipino digital nomad visa.

• Best Retirement Spots: International Living’s 2024 Retirement Index named Costa Rica as the #1 location for retiring nomads, followed by Portugal and Mexico.

• Free Wifi in Tulum: According to The Cancun Sun, officials in Tulum, Mexico are planning a free public Wifi network in 2024 as the city steps up its appeal for tourists.

Latam cities ranked by flight costs (Q1 2024)

With snowstorms battering the USA, the southern hemisphere is looking better and better.

In our latest study, we looked at the average cost of the lowest-priced, one-way airline ticket to 19 major Latam cities. The analysis uses data from 16 of the largest U.S. metropolitan areas, and covers the period from January to March 31 (Q1 2024).

Of course, these airfares don’t include extras like baggage or nonstop service, which can significantly increase the overall cost. That said, these numbers are useful for pinpointing which cities are relatively less expensive in terms of airfare from the U.S.

Key Findings

• Distance matters. The top ten cheapest Latam flights are located in Mexico, Central America, and Colombia — all areas that geographically closer to the U.S. Nomads that wish to spend time in Argentina or Brazil may find that expensive airfare negates the cost of living savings if coming directly from the U.S.

• Don’t bother waiting. For the most part, the cheapest flights aren’t less expensive in March vs. now. One major exception are cities in the southern hemisphere, where the weather will get colder in several months.

Flight costs from U.S. cities to Latam

In this chart, we will look at the “from” side of the equation — where the best bases in the U.S. are located for frequent trips to Latam.

One obvious conclusion: fly from the South. Cities that are physically closer to the border offer the best flight prices, often for nonstop routes. (Don’t forget that Florida residency also offers significant state tax benefits for digital nomads.)