Boquete vs David (Panama)
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights David (Panama) edges it, 58 to 56, winning 2 of the 9 factors. Boquete is stronger on nothing outright; David (Panama) on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Cool coffee-highland town with a big expat community
Full Boquete profile →Where to stay in Boquete →Hot commercial capital of Chiriquí, the practical base near Boquete
Full David (Panama) profile →Where to stay in David (Panama) →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Boquete | David (Panama) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 48 | 53 ✓ |
| Safety | 48 | 48 |
| Healthcare | 78 | 78 |
| Internet | 70 | 70 |
| Visa ease | 79 | 79 |
| Getting there & around | 17 | 17 |
| Climate | 25 | 33 ✓ |
| Air quality | 82 ✓ | 78 |
| Quality of life | 61 | 61 |
Cost
| Metric | Boquete | David (Panama) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,376 | $1,204 ✓ |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $796 | $633 ✓ |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Boquete | David (Panama) |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 12.78 | 12.78 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 69.9 | 69.9 |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 82 | 82 |
| Life expectancy | 77.2 yrs | 77.2 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Boquete | David (Panama) |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 42.3 Mbps | 42.3 Mbps |
| Upload | 9.9 Mbps | 9.9 Mbps |
Visa
| Metric | Boquete | David (Panama) |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | Short-stay visa for remote workers | Short-stay visa for remote workers |
| Minimum income for the visa | $3,000/mo | $3,000/mo |
| Entry, US passport | 180 days | 180 days |
| Entry, EU passport | 90 days | 90 days |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Boquete | David (Panama) |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 2 | 2 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 ✓ | 2 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 2 ✓ |
Climate and air
| Metric | Boquete | David (Panama) |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 3 | 4 ✓ |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 13.3 µg/m³ ✓ | 14.9 µg/m³ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Boquete or David (Panama)?
- David (Panama) is cheaper: about $1,204 per month versus $1,376 for one person.
- Is Boquete or David (Panama) safer?
- Boquete scores higher on safety (48 vs 48), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Boquete or David (Panama)?
- Boquete: a measured median of 42.3 Mbps versus 42.3 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
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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); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); 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); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map. Dataset 2026.10.7. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.