6 Ways to Avoid Contributing to Gentrification as a Queer Digital Nomad

Last month, Mexico City was rocked by protests against gentrification — in large part directed at remote workers who moved there during and after the peak of the pandemic. The complaint is that the influx of digital nomads has changed the character of some neighborhoods and driven up housing prices for locals:

As a queer digital nomad, I’m sensitive to the issues at play here: on the one hand, I want LGBTQ+ Americans to be able to move overseas if that’s the right choice for them. I also know that many of my queer friends back home are involved in their own struggles against gentrification — in cities like LA and Portland — and don’t want to contribute to worsening inequality abroad.

For some, U.S. citizens moving to Mexico represent a kind of neocolonization that will never be ok — especially not when the U.S. is so hostile to immigrants moving in the other direction. Remote workers who want to live in Mexico City, they say, should learn Spanish, earn pesos, and apply for a local work visa.

But I don’t think it’s fair to put all of the blame for gentrification on individual nomads. Many protesters are equally angry at the government:

In 2022, former CDMX Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum “signed an agreement with Airbnb … to boost tourism and attract digital nomads despite concern over the impact short-term rentals could have.… [Now], more than 26,000 properties in Mexico City are currently listed on Airbnb ... compared to 36,000 properties in New York City and 19,000 in Barcelona, where protests have also broken out.”

It seems to me like many of these cities are dealing with a common enemy — the short-term housing market, foreign property investors, RentTech — and there’s ample room for solidarity across international borders.

If you plan to spend time Mexico — or another digital nomad destination — and want to do so ethically, here are six easy ways you can reduce your impact:

1. Pick a lane – tourist or immigrant.

Tourists have been around forever — and in many destinations are welcome, or at least tolerated. Tourists might be obnoxious, but they inject money into the local economy and leave at the end of their trip.

Likewise, many countries have a path to permanent residency for migrants who qualify through work, a spouse, or another immigration process.

Where things get tricky is in the middle ground: when you stay somewhere too long to be a tourist, but not long enough to pay taxes and get residency.

When in doubt, stick to the tourist trail: on my recent trip with Noma Tribe, we spent three weeks in Cusco — a city that has long catered to tourism. By going on trips with local tour companies, we were participating in the mainstream tourist economy rather than creating a parallel economy for digital nomads.

2. Avoid Airbnb - choose one of the 5 Hs.

Booking an apartment on Airbnb — or another short-term accommodation site — has a certain appeal. You might have your own kitchen and/or workspace, get to stay in a trendy part of town, and feel like you’re living the local lifestyle.

But every time you book an Airbnb, a portion of your money goes to Silicon Valley. And because short-term housing costs more than other kinds of housing, it drives up the cost of living and incentivizes developers to build more of it.

Some cities, like Barcelona, are already implementing restrictions on short-term housing and envisioning a world without Airbnb. In the meantime, choose one of these alternatives, which may offer a more authentic and affordable experience:

Hotels are designed with tourists in mind, and don’t take up beds that would otherwise be available to locals. Sure, hotels may not be ideal for working or cooking, but they’re a great option for a short-term trip.
Hostels are essentially budget-friendly hotels, most of which offer dorm-style rooms and a communal kitchen. But they aren’t just for backpackers: many of them offer private rooms with ensuite bathrooms, and an increasing number cater to digital nomads with on-site coworking spaces.
Housesitting can be a great way to have an Airbnb experience without paying for it. By taking care of someone’s home or pets, you get to stay in their house or apartment for free and enjoy any amenities like a pool or garden.
Homestays are kind of like a bed-and-breakfast: they typically include room and board provided by a host family that lives on site. They’re often found in destinations where travelers come to learn the local culture or language.
Home exchanges are similar to housesits, except they work on a reciprocal basis: someone stays at your home while you stay in theirs. Or, you can earn “points” to use at someone else’s home at a later date.

Learn more about housesits and home exchanges here:

3. Stay in a less trendy neighborhood.

During the CDMX protests, much of the discussion was focused on neighborhoods like Roma and Condesa, areas that have increasingly catered to American tourists and remote workers with trendy cafes, restaurants, and accommodation.

To some people, it can feel like being in an American city, especially when those cafes are filled with English-speaking tourists.

Spreading out the impact of tourism can alleviate some of these concerns. The City of Mexico itself recommends visiting walkable neighborhoods like San Rafael and Coyoacán rather than the tourist hotspots of Roma and Condesa.

This approach isn’t just applicable to Mexico City: when I did a home exchange in Vienna last summer, I stayed in a residential area outside of the historic center. It made for a more pleasant experience away from the crowds.

4. Take public transit.

Another way to reduce your impact as a tourist is to take public transit instead of ridesharing services like Uber. Just as with Airbnb, a cut of your fare ends up in Silicon Valley, and you have no way of knowing if the pricing is ethical.

While it’s not an option in every city, public transport in Latin America is often the most efficient way to get around, and superior to public transit in the U.S. Mexico City in particular has a metro system that’s safe and easy for tourists to navigate, with icons that help you find your way around.

Bikeshares are another option: Lima, Bogotá, and Santiago all have affordable bikeshare systems, while La Paz has a one-of-a-kind cable car network.

If you do need to use a rideshare app, consider InDrive, which is available in many Latin American countries and allows riders and drivers to set the price — and even pay in cash to avoid sending a cut overseas.

5. Learn the language.

One of the slogans from the CDMX protests was “Aqui se habla español,” or “We speak Spanish here.” It flips the script on xenophobic Americans who insist that English is the official language of the U.S. and all immigrants should learn it.

Whether tourists have the same obligation is up for debate, but the longer you stay in a country, the more sense it makes to learn the local language.

Even learning a small bit goes a long way, even if it’s just enough to greet people on the street and order food at a restaurant. If you have dietary restrictions, type them up in Spanish and have them ready to share on your phone.

Of course, many people who work in the tourism industry will default to English with you, but it’s better to make the effort and leave the choice to them.

6. Pay local prices.

Finally, use the local currency as much as possible and get familiar with prices in local denominations rather than in USD. Avoid excessive tipping, which can lead restaurants to cater to wealthy tourists instead of local patrons.

Card payments may result in steep transaction fees — for yourself and merchants alike — but may be the preferred method in some destinations. The best approach will depend on how long you’re traveling for and the current exchange rate.

Remember, booking tours and accommodation directly will often land you a better deal than booking through a third-party site, which — again — means more money is siphoned off to Silicon Valley instead of ending up in locals’ pockets.