---
title: "David (Panama) vs Santa Teresa for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/david-panama-vs-santa-teresa
description: "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."
dataset: 2026.10.7 (2026-10-13)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# 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.

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

| Metric | David (Panama) | Santa Teresa | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 53 | 39 | David (Panama) |
| Safety | 48 | 57 | Santa Teresa |
| Healthcare | 78 | 82 | Santa Teresa |
| Internet | 70 | 67 | David (Panama) |
| Visa ease | 79 | 92 | Santa Teresa |
| Getting there & around | 17 | 12 | David (Panama) |
| Climate | 33 | 17 | David (Panama) |
| Air quality | 78 | 70 | David (Panama) |
| Quality of life | 61 | 68 | Santa Teresa |

## Cost

| Metric | David (Panama) | Santa Teresa | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,204 | $1,700 | David (Panama) |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $633 | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | David (Panama) | Santa Teresa | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 12.78 | 17.12 | David (Panama) |
| Political stability (0–100) | 69.9 | 87 | Santa Teresa |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 82 | 84 | Santa Teresa |
| Life expectancy | 77.2 yrs | 78.6 yrs | Santa Teresa |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | David (Panama) | Santa Teresa | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 42.3 Mbps | 34.4 Mbps | David (Panama) |
| Upload | 9.9 Mbps | 11 Mbps | Santa Teresa |

## Visa

| Metric | David (Panama) | Santa Teresa | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | Short-stay visa for remote workers | Remote worker and service provider stay (digital nomad permit) | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | $3,000/mo | $3,000/mo | tie |
| Entry, US passport | 180 days | 180 days | tie |
| Entry, EU passport | 90 days | 180 days | Santa Teresa |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 180 days | Santa Teresa |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | David (Panama) | Santa Teresa | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 2 | 2 | tie |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 2 | tie |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 1 | David (Panama) |

## Climate and air

| Metric | David (Panama) | Santa Teresa | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 4 | 2 | David (Panama) |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 14.9 µg/m³ | 18.3 µg/m³ | David (Panama) |

## FAQ

### 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).

City pages: [David (Panama)](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/david-panama) · [Santa Teresa](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/santa-teresa). 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/david-panama-vs-santa-teresa