---
title: "Cusco vs Ushuaia for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/cusco-vs-ushuaia
description: "Under balanced weights Ushuaia edges it, 56 to 51, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Cusco is stronger on internet; Ushuaia on quality of life, safety, healthcare. 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
---

# Cusco vs Ushuaia for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Ushuaia edges it, 56 to 51, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Cusco is stronger on internet; Ushuaia on quality of life, safety, healthcare. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

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

| Metric | Cusco | Ushuaia | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 47 | 55 | Ushuaia |
| Safety | 44 | 61 | Ushuaia |
| Healthcare | 62 | 73 | Ushuaia |
| Internet | 62 | 48 | Cusco |
| Visa ease | 75 | 71 | Cusco |
| Getting there & around | 38 | 37 | Cusco |
| Climate | 0 | 0 | tie |
| Air quality | 75 | 84 | Ushuaia |
| Quality of life | 55 | 79 | Ushuaia |

## Cost

| Metric | Cusco | Ushuaia | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,383 | $1,150 | Ushuaia |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Cusco | Ushuaia | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 8.6 | 3.94 | Ushuaia |
| Political stability (0–100) | 56.9 | 68.4 | Ushuaia |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 68 | 80 | Ushuaia |
| Life expectancy | 71.7 yrs | 74.6 yrs | Ushuaia |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Cusco | Ushuaia | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 22.6 Mbps | 12.1 Mbps | Cusco |
| Upload | 13.3 Mbps | 4.6 Mbps | Cusco |

## Visa

| Metric | Cusco | Ushuaia | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | none listed | Digital nomad transitory residence | Ushuaia |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data | — |
| Entry, US passport | 180 days | 90 days | Cusco |
| Entry, EU passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |
| Entry, UK passport | 180 days | 90 days | Cusco |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Cusco | Ushuaia | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 6 | 9 | Ushuaia |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 4 | 3 | Cusco |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 2 | tie |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Cusco | Ushuaia | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 0 | 0 | tie |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 16.4 µg/m³ | 12.3 µg/m³ | Ushuaia |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Cusco or Ushuaia?

Ushuaia is cheaper: about $1,150 per month versus $1,383 for one person.

### Is Cusco or Ushuaia safer?

Ushuaia scores higher on safety (61 vs 44), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Cusco or Ushuaia?

Cusco: a measured median of 22.6 Mbps versus 12.1 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Cusco](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/cusco) · [Ushuaia](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/ushuaia). 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); 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/cusco-vs-ushuaia