Where to Live in Tenerife: The Best Areas for Remote Work
The best areas to live in Tenerife for remote work, north vs south and town by town. An honest local guide from the Bencomo family in Santa Úrsula.
Tenerife is bigger and more varied than most people expect. Where you base yourself changes your daily life completely, from the weather outside your window to whether you hear waves or birdsong in the morning. Here is an honest area by area guide for anyone planning a long stay, written by the family behind Bencomo Coliving in the north of the island.
The First Decision, North or South
Almost everything starts here. The south is drier, sunnier and busier, built around the beach resorts and full of international restaurants and English speakers. The north is greener, cooler and more authentic, with real Canarian towns, local markets and easy access to Teide and the Anaga forests. Neither is better. They suit different people. If you want guaranteed beach heat and a lively scene, look south. If you want nature, culture and a calmer base to actually work from, the north is your side. We go deeper on the climate difference in our weather guide.
The Best Areas in the South
Costa Adeje is the polished end of the south, with good restaurants, marinas and reliable sun. It is comfortable and easy, though pricier and very tourist facing.
Los Cristianos and Las Américas are the classic resort towns, busy and well connected, with everything in walking distance. Great for convenience, less so if you want the real island.
El Médano is the exception in the south, a windsurf and kitesurf town with a laid back, bohemian feel and a genuine community. Many remote workers who want the south choose here.
The Best Areas in the North
Santa Úrsula is where we are, a quiet green town between Puerto de la Cruz and La Orotava. It sits above the coast with big views, ten minutes from the beaches and the main northern towns, and it feels like a real neighbourhood rather than a resort. It is an easy, calm base with everything close.
La Orotava is one of the most beautiful towns on the island, historic, elegant and thoroughly Canarian, with a gorgeous old centre and the road up to Teide on its doorstep.
Puerto de la Cruz is the north's main town, a walkable seaside place with a real local life, good cafés, black sand beaches and decent coworking options. A strong choice if you want a town with everything in walking distance.
La Laguna is the old university city, lively and full of students, culture and nightlife, with the island's flattest, most walkable centre. Good for anyone who wants city energy on an island.
Which Area Suits Which Person
If you want beach days and an easy international scene, the south around Costa Adeje or El Médano fits. If you want to live among locals, cook with market produce and step out into nature after work, the north fits. Digital nomads who come to focus and settle in tend to prefer the north, while those who come for a shorter, sunnier break often lean south. There is no wrong answer, only the rhythm you want your days to have.
Why We Chose the North
We are obviously biased, so here is the honest reasoning. The north is where the island still feels like itself. You get real towns, better value, cooler summers, and nature that starts at your doorstep, all while staying ten minutes from the coast and well connected to the rest of Tenerife. It is a place you can work from calmly and still feel like you are somewhere special. That is why Bencomo is in Santa Úrsula, and you can see exactly where and how we are connected on our location page.
About Bencomo
Bencomo Coliving is a warm, family-run home in the green north of Tenerife, where fast fibre, a real workspace and an easy international community come together in one simple monthly stay. It gives remote workers a place that stops feeling like a trip and starts feeling like home.
Try Before You Commit
Wherever you think you want to be, live there for a few weeks before signing a long lease. Areas feel very different when you are working, shopping and sleeping in them rather than passing through on holiday. A coliving stay is a low commitment way to test an area with everything already set up, which is how a lot of people decide where to settle. Our rooms are built for exactly that kind of multi week stay, and if you are weighing a full move, our guide on moving to Tenerife covers the practical side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it better to live in the north or south of Tenerife?
The south is sunnier, busier and more tourist facing. The north is greener, calmer and more authentic. Remote workers who want to settle in usually prefer the north.
Where do digital nomads live in Tenerife?
Both sides have communities. El Médano is popular in the south, while Puerto de la Cruz, La Orotava, Santa Úrsula and La Laguna are the main northern bases.
What is the best area for a first long stay?
Somewhere calm and well connected with everything close, so you can explore the rest of the island before committing. The northern towns fit that well.
Get in touch
colivingbencomo@gmail.com
+34 679 51 39 52
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