---
title: "Cali vs Lima for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/cali-vs-lima
description: "Under balanced weights Lima edges it, 63 to 62, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Cali is stronger on air quality, healthcare; Lima on safety, climate. 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
---

# Cali vs Lima for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Lima edges it, 63 to 62, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Cali is stronger on air quality, healthcare; Lima on safety, climate. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

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

| Metric | Cali | Lima | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 59 | 54 | Cali |
| Safety | 25 | 44 | Lima |
| Healthcare | 74 | 62 | Cali |
| Internet | 62 | 67 | Lima |
| Visa ease | 77 | 75 | Cali |
| Getting there & around | 49 | 52 | Lima |
| Climate | 83 | 100 | Lima |
| Air quality | 77 | 62 | Cali |
| Quality of life | 54 | 55 | Lima |

## Cost

| Metric | Cali | Lima | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,025 | $1,178 | Cali |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Cali | Lima | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 24.35 | 8.6 | Lima |
| Political stability (0–100) | 48.9 | 56.9 | Lima |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 82 | 68 | Cali |
| Life expectancy | 74.5 yrs | 71.7 yrs | Cali |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Cali | Lima | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 22.6 Mbps | 29.4 Mbps | Lima |
| Upload | 14.9 Mbps | 20 Mbps | Lima |

## Visa

| Metric | Cali | Lima | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | Digital nomad visitor visa (Visa V) | none listed | Cali |
| Minimum income for the visa | $1,605/mo | no data | — |
| Entry, US passport | 90 days | 180 days | Lima |
| Entry, EU passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 180 days | Lima |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Cali | Lima | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 32 | 68 | Lima |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 2 | tie |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 2 | Cali |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Cali | Lima | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 10 | 12 | Lima |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 15.5 µg/m³ | 22.2 µg/m³ | Cali |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Cali or Lima?

Cali is cheaper: about $1,025 per month versus $1,178 for one person.

### Is Cali or Lima safer?

Lima scores higher on safety (44 vs 25), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Cali or Lima?

Lima: a measured median of 29.4 Mbps versus 22.6 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Cali](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/cali) · [Lima](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/lima). 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/cali-vs-lima