---
title: "Cali vs Salvador for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/cali-vs-salvador
description: "Under balanced weights Salvador edges it, 60 to 56, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Cali is stronger on nothing outright; Salvador on air quality, getting there & around. 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
---

# Cali vs Salvador for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Salvador edges it, 60 to 56, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Cali is stronger on nothing outright; Salvador on air quality, getting there & around. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

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

| Metric | Cali | Salvador | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 65 | 56 | Cali |
| Safety | 16 | 24 | Salvador |
| Healthcare | 73 | 70 | Cali |
| Internet | 55 | 58 | Salvador |
| Visa ease | 71 | 76 | Salvador |
| Getting there & around | 15 | 25 | Salvador |
| Climate | 83 | 92 | Salvador |
| Air quality | 77 | 88 | Salvador |
| Quality of life | 53 | 53 | Cali |

## Cost

| Metric | Cali | Salvador | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,042 | $1,300 | Cali |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Cali | Salvador | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 35.7 | 32.3 | Salvador |
| Political stability (0–100) | 49.3 | 57 | Salvador |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 82 | 84 | Salvador |
| Life expectancy | 74.5 yrs | 72.4 yrs | Cali |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Cali | Salvador | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 22.6 Mbps | 26.7 Mbps | Salvador |
| Upload | 14.9 Mbps | 14.6 Mbps | Cali |

## Visa

| Metric | Cali | Salvador | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | Visa V Trabajador Remoto / Nómadas Digitales | Visto Temporário para Nômade Digital (Digital Nomad Visa) | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | $1,499/mo | — |
| Visa-free days, US passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Cali | Salvador | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 1 | 37 | Salvador |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 3 | Salvador |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 3 | tie |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Cali | Salvador | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 10 | 11 | Salvador |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 15.5 µg/m³ | 10.6 µg/m³ | Salvador |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Cali or Salvador?

Cali is cheaper: about $1,042 per month versus $1,300 for one person.

### Is Cali or Salvador safer?

Salvador scores higher on safety (24 vs 16), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

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

Salvador: a measured median of 26.7 Mbps versus 22.6 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Cali](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/cali) · [Salvador](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/salvador). 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); 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); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages).

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/cali-vs-salvador