---
title: "Ensenada vs Puerto Vallarta for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/ensenada-vs-puerto-vallarta
description: "Under balanced weights Ensenada edges it, 62 to 62, winning 2 of the 9 factors. Ensenada is stronger on nothing outright; Puerto Vallarta on nothing outright. 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
---

# Ensenada vs Puerto Vallarta for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Ensenada edges it, 62 to 62, winning 2 of the 9 factors. Ensenada is stronger on nothing outright; Puerto Vallarta on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

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

| Metric | Ensenada | Puerto Vallarta | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 47 | 47 | tie |
| Safety | 28 | 28 | tie |
| Healthcare | 67 | 67 | tie |
| Internet | 66 | 64 | Ensenada |
| Visa ease | 90 | 90 | tie |
| Getting there & around | 51 | 59 | Puerto Vallarta |
| Climate | 67 | 67 | tie |
| Air quality | 91 | 85 | Ensenada |
| Quality of life | 54 | 54 | tie |

## Cost

| Metric | Ensenada | Puerto Vallarta | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,400 | $1,400 | tie |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Ensenada | Puerto Vallarta | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 25.64 | 25.64 | tie |
| Political stability (0–100) | 55 | 55 | tie |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 79 | 79 | tie |
| Life expectancy | 70.8 yrs | 70.8 yrs | tie |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Ensenada | Puerto Vallarta | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 33 Mbps | 28.6 Mbps | Ensenada |
| Upload | 9.4 Mbps | 9.5 Mbps | Puerto Vallarta |

## Visa

| Metric | Ensenada | Puerto Vallarta | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | none listed | none listed | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data | — |
| Entry, US passport | 180 days | 180 days | tie |
| Entry, EU passport | 180 days | 180 days | tie |
| Entry, UK passport | 180 days | 180 days | tie |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Ensenada | Puerto Vallarta | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 38 | 50 | Puerto Vallarta |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 4 | Puerto Vallarta |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 2 | tie |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Ensenada | Puerto Vallarta | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 8 | 8 | tie |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 9 µg/m³ | 11.7 µg/m³ | Ensenada |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Ensenada or Puerto Vallarta?

Puerto Vallarta is cheaper: about $1,400 per month versus $1,400 for one person.

### Is Ensenada or Puerto Vallarta safer?

Ensenada scores higher on safety (28 vs 28), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Ensenada or Puerto Vallarta?

Ensenada: a measured median of 33 Mbps versus 28.6 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Ensenada](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/ensenada) · [Puerto Vallarta](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/puerto-vallarta). 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/ensenada-vs-puerto-vallarta