David (Panama) vs São Luís
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights the two cities tie at 59. David (Panama) is stronger on safety; São Luís on air quality. 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 →Plan a trip to David (Panama) →Island capital of tiled colonial houses, reggae and the Lençóis gateway
Full São Luís profile →Plan a trip to São Luís →Where they differ
- Air quality. São Luís leads on air quality, 97 to 78, against David (Panama). PM2.5: 14.9 µg/m³ vs 6.3 µg/m³.
- Safety. David (Panama) leads on safety, 48 to 35, against São Luís. Homicides per 100,000: 12.78 vs 18.69.
- Quality of life. David (Panama) leads on quality of life, 63 to 56, against São Luís.
Where they are close. Within five points on cost of living, healthcare, visa ease, internet, climate.
Pick David (Panama) if you want
- to spend about $117 less a month
- faster internet (42.3 Mbps measured)
- the safer country figures
Pick São Luís if you want
- cleaner air
Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | David (Panama) | São Luís |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 66 ✓ | 61 |
| Safety | 48 ✓ | 35 |
| Healthcare | 83 ✓ | 79 |
| Internet | 70 ✓ | 70 |
| Visa ease | 79 ✓ | 77 |
| Getting there & around | 10 | 17 ✓ |
| Climate | 33 | 33 |
| Air quality | 78 | 97 ✓ |
| Quality of life | 63 ✓ | 56 |
Cost
| Metric | David (Panama) | São Luís |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | $1,183 ✓ | $1,300 |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $622 | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | David (Panama) | São Luís |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 12.78 ✓ | 18.69 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 69.9 ✓ | 58.9 |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 82 | 84 ✓ |
| Life expectancy | 79.3 yrs ✓ | 75.9 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | David (Panama) | São Luís |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 42.3 Mbps ✓ | 35 Mbps |
| Upload | 9.9 Mbps | 21.1 Mbps ✓ |
Visa
| Metric | David (Panama) | São Luís |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | Short-stay visa for remote workers | Digital nomad temporary visa (VITEM XIV) |
| Minimum income for the visa | $3,000/mo | $1,500/mo ✓ |
| Entry, US passport | 180 days ✓ | 90 days |
| Entry, EU passport | 90 days | 90 days |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | David (Panama) | São Luís |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 2 | 12 ✓ |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 3 ✓ |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 2 |
Climate and air
| Metric | David (Panama) | São Luís |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 4 | 4 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 14.9 µg/m³ | 6.3 µg/m³ ✓ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, David (Panama) or São Luís?
- David (Panama) is cheaper: about $1,183 per month versus $1,300 for one person.
- Is David (Panama) or São Luís safer?
- David (Panama) scores higher on safety (48 vs 35), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, David (Panama) or São Luís?
- David (Panama): a measured median of 42.3 Mbps versus 35 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
- David (Panama) vs Boquete
- David (Panama) vs Pedasí
- São Luís vs Jericoacoara
- São Luís vs Bocas del Toro
- 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); 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); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map. Dataset 2026.11.2. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.