---
title: "Cabo San Lucas vs Salvador for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/cabo-san-lucas-vs-salvador
description: "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."
dataset: 2026.10.7 (2026-10-13)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# 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.

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

| Metric | Cabo San Lucas | Salvador | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 47 | 50 | Salvador |
| Safety | 28 | 35 | Salvador |
| Healthcare | 67 | 72 | Salvador |
| Internet | 70 | 64 | Cabo San Lucas |
| Visa ease | 90 | 77 | Cabo San Lucas |
| Getting there & around | 49 | 56 | Salvador |
| Climate | 83 | 92 | Salvador |
| Air quality | 90 | 88 | Cabo San Lucas |
| Quality of life | 54 | 54 | Cabo San Lucas |

## Cost

| Metric | Cabo San Lucas | Salvador | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,400 | $1,300 | Salvador |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Cabo San Lucas | Salvador | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 25.64 | 18.69 | Salvador |
| Political stability (0–100) | 55 | 58.9 | Salvador |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 79 | 84 | Salvador |
| Life expectancy | 70.8 yrs | 72.4 yrs | Salvador |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Cabo San Lucas | Salvador | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 38.3 Mbps | 26.7 Mbps | Cabo San Lucas |
| Upload | 15.1 Mbps | 14.6 Mbps | Cabo San Lucas |

## Visa

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

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Cabo San Lucas | Salvador | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 53 | 37 | Cabo San Lucas |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 3 | tie |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 3 | Salvador |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Cabo San Lucas | Salvador | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 10 | 11 | Salvador |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 9.6 µg/m³ | 10.6 µg/m³ | Cabo San Lucas |

## FAQ

### 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).

City pages: [Cabo San Lucas](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/cabo-san-lucas) · [Salvador](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/salvador). 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.

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/cabo-san-lucas-vs-salvador