---
title: "Bristol vs Cologne for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/bristol-vs-cologne
description: "Under balanced weights Cologne edges it, 68 to 66, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Bristol is stronger on nothing outright; Cologne on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.09.4 (2026-09-26)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Bristol vs Cologne for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Cologne edges it, 68 to 66, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Bristol is stronger on nothing outright; Cologne on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

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

| Metric | Bristol | Cologne | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 19 | 25 | Cologne |
| Safety | 75 | 76 | Cologne |
| Healthcare | 86 | 86 | Cologne |
| Internet | 70 | 65 | Bristol |
| Visa ease | 90 | 90 | tie |
| Getting there & around | 42 | 46 | Cologne |
| Climate | 25 | 33 | Cologne |
| Air quality | 93 | 93 | tie |
| Quality of life | 96 | 97 | Cologne |

## Cost

| Metric | Bristol | Cologne | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $3,021 | $2,604 | Cologne |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Bristol | Cologne | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 1.3 | 0.9 | Cologne |
| Political stability (0–100) | 70.3 | 68 | Bristol |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 88 | 87 | Bristol |
| Life expectancy | 80.1 yrs | 80.5 yrs | Cologne |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Bristol | Cologne | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 52.8 Mbps | 42.4 Mbps | Bristol |
| Upload | 13.1 Mbps | 10.1 Mbps | Bristol |

## Visa

| Metric | Bristol | Cologne | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | none listed | none listed | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data | — |
| Visa-free days, US passport | visa or e-visa required | 90 days | Cologne |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | 180 days | unlimited | Cologne |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | unlimited | 90 days | Bristol |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Bristol | Cologne | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 117 | 112 | Bristol |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 4 | 4 | tie |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 4 | Cologne |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Bristol | Cologne | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 3 | 4 | Cologne |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 8.3 µg/m³ | 8.3 µg/m³ | tie |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Bristol or Cologne?

Cologne is cheaper: about $2,604 per month versus $3,021 for one person.

### Is Bristol or Cologne safer?

Cologne scores higher on safety (76 vs 75), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Bristol or Cologne?

Bristol: a measured median of 52.8 Mbps versus 42.4 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Bristol](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/bristol) · [Cologne](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/cologne). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population; 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).

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/bristol-vs-cologne