Cabo San Lucas vs Salvador
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Salvador edges it, 65 to 64, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Cabo San Lucas is stronger on visa ease; Salvador on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Baja's resort tip: marina, El Arco and sportfishing, at resort prices
Full Cabo San Lucas profile →Where to stay in Cabo San Lucas →Afro-Brazilian capital of music and carnival
Full Salvador profile →Where to stay in Salvador →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Cabo San Lucas | Salvador |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 47 | 50 ✓ |
| Safety | 28 | 35 ✓ |
| Healthcare | 67 | 72 ✓ |
| Internet | 70 ✓ | 64 |
| Visa ease | 90 ✓ | 77 |
| Getting there & around | 49 | 56 ✓ |
| Climate | 83 | 92 ✓ |
| Air quality | 90 ✓ | 88 |
| Quality of life | 54 ✓ | 54 |
Cost
| Metric | Cabo San Lucas | Salvador |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | $1,400 | $1,300 ✓ |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Cabo San Lucas | Salvador |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 25.64 | 18.69 ✓ |
| Political stability (0–100) | 55 | 58.9 ✓ |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 79 | 84 ✓ |
| Life expectancy | 70.8 yrs | 72.4 yrs ✓ |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Cabo San Lucas | Salvador |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 38.3 Mbps ✓ | 26.7 Mbps |
| Upload | 15.1 Mbps ✓ | 14.6 Mbps |
Visa
| Metric | Cabo San Lucas | Salvador |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | none listed | Digital nomad temporary visa (VITEM XIV) ✓ |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | $1,500/mo |
| Entry, US passport | 180 days ✓ | 90 days |
| Entry, EU passport | 180 days ✓ | 90 days |
| Entry, UK passport | 180 days ✓ | 90 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Cabo San Lucas | Salvador |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 53 ✓ | 37 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 3 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 3 ✓ |
Climate and air
| Metric | Cabo San Lucas | Salvador |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 10 | 11 ✓ |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 9.6 µg/m³ ✓ | 10.6 µg/m³ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Cabo San Lucas or Salvador?
- Salvador is cheaper: about $1,300 per month versus $1,400 for one person.
- Is Cabo San Lucas or Salvador safer?
- Salvador scores higher on safety (35 vs 28), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Cabo San Lucas or Salvador?
- Cabo San Lucas: a measured median of 38.3 Mbps versus 26.7 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
- Cabo San Lucas vs Mazatlán
- Cabo San Lucas vs Todos Santos
- Salvador vs Fortaleza
- Salvador vs Bucaramanga
- All comparisons
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.