We all know that the cost of an apartment in S.F. — whether to buy or rent — is untenable at best.
You could complain. Or you could just check out these 10 rentals: All with wifi. All without shady landlords. All within walking distance of a beach, from Mexico’s Pacific Coast to the kitesurfing capital of Africa.
This is not a drill: you can rent these eight beach apartments, villas, “surfer shacks” and cottages right now — and some for less than half the average cost of a sunless closet in the Tenderloin. And these are the made-for-ease Airbnb rates, which we guarantee include a signficiant made-for-ease surcharge. Stick around and you’ll find something (probably much) cheaper.
Better get there before we do.
Location: Lombok, Indonesia
Title: “Yoga retreat in the Jungle Close to the beach”
Vibe: “The new Bali”
Distance from beach: 1 km
Rent: $934
Why here: Avoid the Bali crowds — digital nomads are everywhere you look — for one step closer to a quiet life on the ocean.
Location: Byron Bay, Australia
Title: “Byron Garden Retreat”
Vibe: Chakra massage in the morning, surfing at sundown
Distance from beach: 10-15 minute walk
Rent: $1,874
Why here: It’s our favorite beach town in Australia — look a few clicks south, to Suffolk Park, for cheaper rents and fewer people.
Location: Ko Tao, Thailand
Title: “Spacious Beachfront Apartment”
Vibe: The island without all the full-moon parties (but right next to it)
Distance from beach: It’s oceanfront
Rent: $1,515
Why here: The party-party crowd mostly heads to Ko Pha Ngan for the full moon parties — leaving Ko Tao quieter and more beautiful.
Location: Eagle Beach, Aruba
Title: “Affordable studio near Eagle beach”
Vibe: Eternal spring break with windsurfing
Distance from beach: 15-minute walk
Rent: $1,637
Why here: We can’t help it — we love Aruba. It’s easy, friendly and possessing of a surprising amount of desert.
Location: Sayulita, Mexico
Title: “Sayulita Traveler/Surfer Shack”
Vibe: “Gypset” neo-hippie enclave
Distance from beach: Five-minute walk
Rent: $1,340
Why here: A rich culture and a fun, dance-all-night/surf-all-day scene
Location: Essaouira, Morocco
Title: “Essaouira Beach Apartment Pool 2”
Vibe: 1970s Talitha Getty-esque retreat with Africa’s best kite surfing nearby
Distance from beach: Oceanfront
Rent: $886
Why here: It’s impossibly chic — and cheap. And the ocean sports are second to none.
Location: Hossegar, France
Title: “Bel appartement au calme rdc villa”
Vibe: Euro surf party
Distance from beach: 15 minutes by bike (pay more for a closer spot)
Rent: $842
Why here: It’s the center of European surfing and the long-distance Hamptons of Paris, where former men-about-town go to raise their kids — meaning it’s calm and cool at the same time.
Location: Goa, India
Title: “Beautiful Old Portuguese Cottage”
Vibe: Surf ‘n’ yoga ‘n’ peace ‘n’ quiet
Distance from beach: 10-minute walk
Rent: $1,495
Why here: There’s quite possibly nowhere better in the world to reconsider your priorities than in Goa.
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