---
title: "Aguascalientes vs Rio de Janeiro for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/aguascalientes-vs-rio-de-janeiro
description: "Under balanced weights Aguascalientes edges it, 57 to 56, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Aguascalientes is stronger on air quality, visa ease; Rio de Janeiro on getting there & around. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.10.7 (2026-10-13)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Aguascalientes vs Rio de Janeiro for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Aguascalientes edges it, 57 to 56, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Aguascalientes is stronger on air quality, visa ease; Rio de Janeiro on getting there & around. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | Aguascalientes | Rio de Janeiro | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 47 | 45 | Aguascalientes |
| Safety | 28 | 35 | Rio de Janeiro |
| Healthcare | 67 | 72 | Rio de Janeiro |
| Internet | 63 | 66 | Rio de Janeiro |
| Visa ease | 90 | 77 | Aguascalientes |
| Getting there & around | 44 | 61 | Rio de Janeiro |
| Climate | 67 | 58 | Aguascalientes |
| Air quality | 56 | 39 | Aguascalientes |
| Quality of life | 54 | 54 | Aguascalientes |

## Cost

| Metric | Aguascalientes | Rio de Janeiro | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,400 | $1,486 | Aguascalientes |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Aguascalientes | Rio de Janeiro | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 25.64 | 18.69 | Rio de Janeiro |
| Political stability (0–100) | 55 | 58.9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 79 | 84 | Rio de Janeiro |
| Life expectancy | 70.8 yrs | 72.4 yrs | Rio de Janeiro |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Aguascalientes | Rio de Janeiro | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 26.1 Mbps | 29.1 Mbps | Rio de Janeiro |
| Upload | 9.4 Mbps | 15.7 Mbps | Rio de Janeiro |

## Visa

| Metric | Aguascalientes | Rio de Janeiro | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | none listed | Digital nomad temporary visa (VITEM XIV) | Rio de Janeiro |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | $1,500/mo | — |
| Entry, US passport | 180 days | 90 days | Aguascalientes |
| Entry, EU passport | 180 days | 90 days | Aguascalientes |
| Entry, UK passport | 180 days | 90 days | Aguascalientes |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Aguascalientes | Rio de Janeiro | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 11 | 59 | Rio de Janeiro |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 3 | tie |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 3 | tie |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Aguascalientes | Rio de Janeiro | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 8 | 7 | Aguascalientes |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 24.6 µg/m³ | 32.3 µg/m³ | Aguascalientes |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Aguascalientes or Rio de Janeiro?

Aguascalientes is cheaper: about $1,400 per month versus $1,486 for one person.

### Is Aguascalientes or Rio de Janeiro safer?

Rio de Janeiro scores higher on safety (35 vs 28), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Aguascalientes or Rio de Janeiro?

Rio de Janeiro: a measured median of 29.1 Mbps versus 26.1 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Aguascalientes](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/aguascalientes) · [Rio de Janeiro](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/rio-de-janeiro). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map.

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/aguascalientes-vs-rio-de-janeiro