---
title: "David (Panama) vs São Luís for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/david-panama-vs-sao-luis
description: "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."
dataset: 2026.11.2 (2026-11-09)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# 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.

## 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 | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 66 | 61 | David (Panama) |
| Safety | 48 | 35 | David (Panama) |
| Healthcare | 83 | 79 | David (Panama) |
| Internet | 70 | 70 | David (Panama) |
| Visa ease | 79 | 77 | David (Panama) |
| Getting there & around | 10 | 17 | São Luís |
| Climate | 33 | 33 | tie |
| Air quality | 78 | 97 | São Luís |
| Quality of life | 63 | 56 | David (Panama) |

## Cost

| Metric | David (Panama) | São Luís | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,183 | $1,300 | David (Panama) |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $622 | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | David (Panama) | São Luís | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 12.78 | 18.69 | David (Panama) |
| Political stability (0–100) | 69.9 | 58.9 | David (Panama) |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 82 | 84 | São Luís |
| Life expectancy | 79.3 yrs | 75.9 yrs | David (Panama) |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | David (Panama) | São Luís | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 42.3 Mbps | 35 Mbps | David (Panama) |
| Upload | 9.9 Mbps | 21.1 Mbps | São Luís |

## Visa

| Metric | David (Panama) | São Luís | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | Short-stay visa for remote workers | Digital nomad temporary visa (VITEM XIV) | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | $3,000/mo | $1,500/mo | São Luís |
| Entry, US passport | 180 days | 90 days | David (Panama) |
| Entry, EU passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | David (Panama) | São Luís | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 2 | 12 | São Luís |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 3 | São Luís |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 2 | tie |

## Climate and air

| Metric | David (Panama) | São Luís | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 4 | 4 | tie |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 14.9 µg/m³ | 6.3 µg/m³ | São Luís |

## FAQ

### 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).

City pages: [David (Panama)](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/david-panama) · [São Luís](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/sao-luis). 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.

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/david-panama-vs-sao-luis