Most people asking this question aren’t really asking about WiFi speeds but what they really want to know is if they’ll spend half their trip fighting bad connections, or if it will be more stressful just trying to get work done online.
The WiFi Situation in Tenerife
Tenerife gets a bad reputation for internet that it doesn’t deserve and is actually faster than many other destinations. The main towns use fibre broadband and with speeds between 300 to 600 Mbps, it’s faster than a lot of UK connections. The Canary Islands broadband infrastructure has been upgraded in recent years with serious investment,and it shows.
It does get patchy in rural areas as well as some of the smaller villages up in the hills so if you plan to stay somewhere remote, just make sure you check that the internet connection is good before you book.
Mobile data is solid across most of the island. 5G is live in Santa Cruz and the larger southern resorts, and 4G holds up well almost everywhere else, including on the motorway between north and south which matters if you’re the kind of person who takes calls while travelling.
North or South: This Is the Decision That Actually Matters
Everyone focuses on WiFi. The decision that will actually shape your experience is where on the island you base yourself.
The south is where many of the remote worker and expat community end up. It’s sunnier, warmer, and more set up for people who want a bit more convenience. English is spoken everywhere and there are several co working spaces, good coffee, and a social scene if you want one. It’s also more expensive though and is the price for the added convenience of services and being in purpose built resort areas.
The north is different with Santa Cruz being the capital with a tram, a port and nice local restaurants. You’ll find the rent and general cost of living is noticeably cheaper too. La Laguna which is just up the road, is a university town with narrow cobbled streets, great cafés, and has a younger more creative energy about it. It tends to cloud over more than the south and it does rain occasionally which surprises people who assume the whole island is permanently dry.
Puerto de la Cruz is worth considering too. It’s quieter and more authentic, and has a black sand beach at Playa Jardín which is one of the nicest spots on the island for a walk to clear your head after a long day on a screen.
El Médano on the south east coast is a small surf town that attracts a specific type of remote worker. It’s outdoor feel and relaxed atmosphere gives off a surfer vibe. Known for its wind which comes in off the Atlantic most afternoons, it keeps the location cool and the kite surfers happy. Rents are lower than the south west and it has a nice local feel that the bigger resorts have mostly lost.
Where to Actually Work (Not Just Where to Open a Laptop)
Cafés are fine for a few of hours but they’re not a long term solution. The noise, the guilt of sitting over one coffee, the lack of a proper chair. You’ll feel it by week two.
Coworking spaces are the answer, and Tenerife has decent ones.
Coworking Nomad in Santa Cruz is probably the most established one and from around €80 a month, you get 24 hour access, a proper desk, meeting rooms, and reliable internet. They do daily and weekly rates too, which is useful if you’re not ready to commit.
Tenwork has two locations in Santa Cruz, including one on Plaza Weyler right in the centre. There’s a rooftop terrace, which sounds like a gimmick but is actually a genuinely nice place to eat lunch. Day passes from €15, monthly from €140.
Coco Coworking in Costa Adeje is good for people based in the south and opens 9 to 5, which isn’t ideal if you work across time zones, but the setup is good and parking is included with day passes from €20.
Zen Den is close to the beach and has sit-stand desks and monitor hire, which tells you something about the kind of people who use it. If you care about your posture and your setup, it’s worth the €18 a day.
The Cafés Worth Knowing About
A few that actually work for working, not just for Instagram.
In La Laguna, Café Mundial has a patio, steady background noise, and the kind of relaxed atmosphere where nobody’s going to rush you. It’s a nice Spanish café, so the coffee is strong and the menu is short and simple.
In Puerto de la Cruz, the rooftop at Hotel Valle Mar has become a quiet favourite among people who work remotely. The views are good, the WiFi holds up, and the seating is comfortable. Bring a charged laptop because sockets are limited, and I say that from experience.
In Los Cristianos, Pistacho Coffee Brunch is well known among the nomad crowd. With mostly outdoor seating and open from half nine to half four, the coffee is strong enough to get you through a difficult afternoon. A good power bank is a good idea if you plan long sessions.
The general rule across the island: buy something every hour or so, be a decent person about it, and most places will leave you alone. Nobody’s going to throw you out, but don’t be the person nursing a single espresso for four hours either.
What It Actually Costs to Live Here
If your monthly budget is for a comfortable setup that includes your rent, food, transport, and a co working membership, it will set you back somewhere between €1,200 and €1,800.
Rent for a one bedroom apartment ranges from around €500 in quieter northern areas, to €900 or more in Costa Adeje. The food is reasonably priced if you eat where locals eat and if you go for the menú del día at a local restaurant which is a proper three course lunch with a drink, it usually comes in at €10 to €12. Supermarkets are also cheaper than the UK for most things.
If you’re planning to move around at all, a hire car makes life significantly easier and very convenient. You can move as you like without having to rely on chance. Public buses exist which are very cheap and functional but they’re not always on time and you can experience delays.
One Last Thing
Tenerife isn’t perfect for remote work by any means. The bureaucracy can be slow and some landlords are difficult to deal with. If you end up in the wrong accommodation with bad internet and no natural light, you’ll have a miserable time. But if you do a bit of research before you go and make good choices on the area and facilities rather than just booking the cheapest Airbnb you can find, it works really well.
The weather alone changes things. Not in a dramatic way. Just in the quiet, daily way of not dreading going outside, of actually wanting to take a walk at lunchtime, of feeling like the place you’re living in is worth being in. That matters more than people admit when they’re trying to justify the decision on a spreadsheet.
Go for a month. You’ll know pretty quickly whether it’s for you.
