David (Panama) vs Santa Teresa
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights David (Panama) edges it, 58 to 56, winning 5 of the 9 factors. David (Panama) is stronger on climate, cost of living; Santa Teresa on visa ease. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Hot commercial capital of Chiriquí, the practical base near Boquete
Full David (Panama) profile →Where to stay in David (Panama) →Surf beach with villas, yoga and a long dirt road
Full Santa Teresa profile →Where to stay in Santa Teresa →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | David (Panama) | Santa Teresa |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 53 ✓ | 39 |
| Safety | 48 | 57 ✓ |
| Healthcare | 78 | 82 ✓ |
| Internet | 70 ✓ | 67 |
| Visa ease | 79 | 92 ✓ |
| Getting there & around | 17 ✓ | 12 |
| Climate | 33 ✓ | 17 |
| Air quality | 78 ✓ | 70 |
| Quality of life | 61 | 68 ✓ |
Cost
| Metric | David (Panama) | Santa Teresa |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | $1,204 ✓ | $1,700 |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $633 | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | David (Panama) | Santa Teresa |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 12.78 ✓ | 17.12 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 69.9 | 87 ✓ |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 82 | 84 ✓ |
| Life expectancy | 77.2 yrs | 78.6 yrs ✓ |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | David (Panama) | Santa Teresa |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 42.3 Mbps ✓ | 34.4 Mbps |
| Upload | 9.9 Mbps | 11 Mbps ✓ |
Visa
| Metric | David (Panama) | Santa Teresa |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | Short-stay visa for remote workers | Remote worker and service provider stay (digital nomad permit) |
| Minimum income for the visa | $3,000/mo | $3,000/mo |
| Entry, US passport | 180 days | 180 days |
| Entry, EU passport | 90 days | 180 days ✓ |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 180 days ✓ |
Getting there and around
| Metric | David (Panama) | Santa Teresa |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 2 | 2 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 2 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 ✓ | 1 |
Climate and air
| Metric | David (Panama) | Santa Teresa |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 4 ✓ | 2 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 14.9 µg/m³ ✓ | 18.3 µg/m³ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, David (Panama) or Santa Teresa?
- David (Panama) is cheaper: about $1,204 per month versus $1,700 for one person.
- Is David (Panama) or Santa Teresa safer?
- Santa Teresa scores higher on safety (57 vs 48), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, David (Panama) or Santa Teresa?
- David (Panama): a measured median of 42.3 Mbps versus 34.4 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
- David (Panama) vs Boquete
- David (Panama) vs Hua Hin
- Santa Teresa vs Boquete
- Santa Teresa vs Nosara
- 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.