---
title: "Goa (Panaji) vs Pokhara for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/goa-vs-pokhara
description: "Under balanced weights Goa (Panaji) edges it, 44 to 39, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Goa (Panaji) is stronger on air quality, internet; Pokhara on safety. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.09.4 (2026-09-26)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Goa (Panaji) vs Pokhara for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Goa (Panaji) edges it, 44 to 39, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Goa (Panaji) is stronger on air quality, internet; Pokhara on safety. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

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

| Metric | Goa (Panaji) | Pokhara | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 80 | 75 | Goa (Panaji) |
| Safety | 49 | 59 | Pokhara |
| Healthcare | 53 | 51 | Goa (Panaji) |
| Internet | 59 | 47 | Goa (Panaji) |
| Visa ease | 6 | 6 | tie |
| Getting there & around | 13 | 10 | Goa (Panaji) |
| Climate | 42 | 42 | tie |
| Air quality | 53 | 31 | Goa (Panaji) |
| Quality of life | 38 | 29 | Goa (Panaji) |

## Cost

| Metric | Goa (Panaji) | Pokhara | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $750 | $833 | Goa (Panaji) |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Goa (Panaji) | Pokhara | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 3.6 | 2.3 | Pokhara |
| Political stability (0–100) | 52.5 | 58.8 | Pokhara |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 69 | 58 | Goa (Panaji) |
| Life expectancy | 67.3 yrs | 70 yrs | Pokhara |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Goa (Panaji) | Pokhara | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 26.8 Mbps | 14.7 Mbps | Goa (Panaji) |
| Upload | 18.2 Mbps | 15.8 Mbps | Goa (Panaji) |

## Visa

| Metric | Goa (Panaji) | Pokhara | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | none listed | none listed | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data | — |
| Visa-free days, US passport | visa or e-visa required | visa or e-visa required | tie |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | visa or e-visa required | visa or e-visa required | tie |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | visa or e-visa required | visa or e-visa required | tie |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Goa (Panaji) | Pokhara | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 20 | 1 | Goa (Panaji) |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 3 | tie |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 1 | tie |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Goa (Panaji) | Pokhara | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 5 | 5 | tie |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 26 µg/m³ | 36.1 µg/m³ | Goa (Panaji) |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Goa (Panaji) or Pokhara?

Goa (Panaji) is cheaper: about $750 per month versus $833 for one person.

### Is Goa (Panaji) or Pokhara safer?

Pokhara scores higher on safety (59 vs 49), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Goa (Panaji) or Pokhara?

Goa (Panaji): a measured median of 26.8 Mbps versus 14.7 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Goa (Panaji)](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/goa) · [Pokhara](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/pokhara). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population; 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); 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); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages).

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/goa-vs-pokhara